Johannesburg:
A 24-year-old South African Indian woman has taken the Durban branch of the Bank of Baroda to court, alleging that she was denied promotion as branch manage because of her age and gender.
Reshma Rupram is demanding a written apology and unspecified payment for damages and legal costs, but the bank has dismissed her allegations as baseless, the weekly
Extrareported.
Rupram has said that an older male from India was appointed to a senior managerial position at the bank, despite her having run the department before his arrival.
Reshma alleges that she was "orally dismissed" and debarred from returning to work.
Branch Manager Sunil Kumar Jai said Rupram's accusations were "totally baseless".
"The complaint is against all the staff members. All the staff members cannot be discriminatory. Her allegations are very damaging to the organization and we will oppose them. There is no discrimination. We are here to do business," Jai said.
Rupram named Jai, senior manager Uday Diwarker and chief executive M L Sharma as respondents in her application.
"I believe I was passed up on the opportunity of a promotion or higher job ranking because I am female and due to my age," Rupram has claimed.