The Citizen reports that a young mother is struggling despite winning a court battle for unfair dismissal against the Timor-Leste embassy in Pretoria.  

She was seemingly fired her because she was pregnant, only for the embassy to hide behind diplomatic immunity.  Noma Dlamalala, a SA citizen, started working for the embassy as a secretary in 2014 and went on four months’ maternity leave in May 2016.  A week after she gave birth she was informed that her services were no longer required.  She was paid four months’ salary until August, but has been unable to find a job since.  The embassy insisted it was protected by diplomatic immunity, but the Labour Court ruled in August that Dlamalala’s dismissal, without a disciplinary hearing, had been unfair and ordered the embassy to pay her almost R200 000.  The embassy’s attorney said the embassy had been dissatisfied with Dlamalala’s conduct and she wasn’t fired because she was pregnant.  The embassy will apparently be applying to have the judgment in Dlamalala’s favour set aside.

• Read this report by Ilse de Lange in full at The Citizen

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