Trade union federation Cosatu has named the Gupta-owned broadcaster ANN7 as the worst employer in the country.
The news television channel was nominated by the Communication Workers Union (CWU), which represents employees at ANN7.
Cosatu president Sdumo Dlamini warned ANN7 that it could not just fire workers “willy-nilly”.
“If you want to be recognised as a progressive media house, pay your workers correctly,” he told the Cosatu national congress in Midrand, Johannesburg.
ANN7 had to resolve all its worker issues, Dlamini added.
“You have been rated the worst among the worst… Any other media house, we know these things are happening, workers tell us everyday what is happening and we are coming,” he said in a warning to other media houses.
In November last year, the CWU handed a list of “worker ill-treatment” complaints to ANN7 management.
This was at a time when journalist Asanda Magaqa was escorted off the company’s premises.
Magaqa challenged her dismissal at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
In October this year, the CCMA ruled in favour of Magaqa. It found that her dismissal was “procedurally and substantially unfair”.
ANN7 is primarily owned by Infinity Media. Infinity is co-owned by Oakbay Investments, which belongs to the Gupta family. — News24