Overview
- Dis-Chem, which issued a public statement Tuesday, said Mark Saltzman's posts do not reflect its board or management and condemned misogynistic language.
- The retailer said Saltzman is a shareholder with no role or authority at the company, though he and his brother inherited nearly R7 billion in shares in 2025.
- Saltzman deleted his X account after he attacked journalist Redi Tlhabi with anti-Palestinian remarks and sexist insults during an online exchange.
- Calls to boycott the chain have grown online, and the SA BDS Coalition warned the dispute could move into organised consumer action.
- The row unfolds in a context shaped by Gaza’s mass casualties and a 2025 UN genocide finding, which heightens scrutiny of philanthropy and corporate ties to political speech.