Tata Steel has dismissed its newly appointed director of sustainability and communications, Donald Pols, just one day after he started the role.
The decision came after the company learned of his undisclosed past involvement with a far-right student movement in South Africa.
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An investigation by Dutch newspaper NRC revealed that Pols had served as a leader for the Afrikaner Studentefront during his university years.
The group actively opposed the anti-apartheid movement led by the African National Congress (ANC).
In a public statement, Tata Steel said it had uncovered additional information about Pols's background that was not shared during the hiring process.
The company decided to terminate his contract with immediate effect.
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Official documents from the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which investigated apartheid-era crimes, explicitly linked Pols to the Afrikaner Studentefront.
A former member of the group identified him as their leader during the national transition.
Pols previously served as the director of the environmental organization Milieudefensie.
His move from climate activism to industrial management in May had surprised former colleagues, with some initially mistaking the appointment news for a satire article.
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Pols has not yet issued a response regarding the dismissal or the allegations.
