Kantar Exec Sues Company over Alleged 'Ill Treatment'

In Johannesburg, South Africa, Kantar TNS exec Pulane Moloi is suing the company for R90m (£4.8m) for what she describes as 'ill treatment', which she claims led to her suffering two mental breakdowns and an attempt to take her own life.


Moloi - whose LinkedIn profile says she joined the firm two years ago as a DStv-i Panel Executive - has lodged papers in the South Gauteng High Court, alleging that she suffered 'emotional, physical and psychological abuse' at the company for more than a year, after she began reporting to a new line manager, who she also claims humiliated her in front of colleagues. According to Moloi, when she reported this alleged behaviour to CEO Ivan Moroke, she was told that the company found no fault or guilt on the part of her then line manager, because of lack of witnesses.

Moloi was first diagnosed with depression in 2011, as a result of a rape when she was a child, and she says she informed the company of this depression. In a Twitter post, Moloi said she was 'bullied, harassed and discriminated against for suffering depression', claiming that her job security had been threatened numerous times by her line manager, resulting in her having two breakdowns at work, numerous anxiety attacks, and being unable to eat or sleep. 'When I tried to voice a concern, I was told I should be grateful I have a job', she stated.

After her suicide attempt in January, Moloi says she was locked out of the company server and instructed to stay home. She claims that Moroke then met with her husband to convince her to resign, and that Moroke suggested that if she wanted to continue working at Kantar, she would need to apply for a job in Cape Town, for which she was not qualified and which she would not be guaranteed to get.

Last month, in response to Moloi's tweets, Moroke stated that the firm had cared for Moloi and supported her through her illness, including supporting her through multiple internal and external grievance procedures. However, he 'firmly rejected' Moloi's claims of abuse. Kantar TNS has until Friday to respond to the court filing.

Web site: www.tnsglobal.com/office/south-africa-johannesburg .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.