We confirm that we have no record of Ryan Gerber as a current or previous employee. Further, his Facebook profile is in fact identity theft, having been taken from another identified individual's private Facebook page. We have further confirmations of previous scams by the fake Ryan Gerber profile.
Following engagement with the victim of the hate speech, who made the original viral post calling for people to boycott Investec, he has subsequently updated his Facebook post clarifying that Ryan Gerber is not employed by Investec. He has since deleted all posts. We have engaged with clients, social and traditional media users to clarify that Ryan Gerber does not work at Investec and that this was a fake Facebook profile.
We reported the incident to the relevant authorities, including Facebook, who are investigating it further. A formal case has been opened with the South African Police Services.
We remain concerned about the protection of the victims and we are working with the relevant authorities to ensure those responsible for this hateful act, and the fraudulent activity, are brought to justice. We condemn discrimination in any form and hold a firm belief in an inclusive and embracing environment. Where issues arise, they are dealt with on a case-by-case basis and are viewed in a most serious way.