Fin24 reports that the North Gauteng High Court has dismissed Absa's application to block Sipho Pityana from accessing the record of decision regarding his dismissal from the bank's board.

Pityana, in a notice of motion regarding a legal review of his dismissal by Absa in November 2021, called upon the bank to dispatch a record of the decision-making at Absa board meetings that resulted in his removal. Absa, in turn, lodged a legal application to declare the application to review the board's decision an "irregular step" and for the application to be set aside. In the judgment, delivered on 10 May, the court noted that Absa claimed the record was "confidential or privileged." However, the bank still failed to make a case, the court found. This dismissal paves the way for Pityana to approach the court to compel Absa to hand over relevant documents. Pityana said that the record of decision was necessary for the review application, a date for which has not yet been set. Pityana was dismissed by the Absa board after they decided he pursued his own personal interests to the bank's detriment. This all stemmed from issues around Pityana's resignation as AngloGold Ashanti chairperson in December 2020. It emerged that Pityana had faced sexual harassment allegations while he chaired the gold producer. Pityana has denied these allegations. Pityana has also launched a separate legal challenge against the Reserve Bank's Prudential Authority, which he alleges interfered with his appointment as Absa board chairperson.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Lameez Omarjee at Fin24

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