The Citizen reports that the National Union of Metalworkers of SA (Numsa) has called for the nationalisation of the recently closed Afro Worldview “for the sake of employees”.  

Numsa spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi said the closure of the news channel owned by controversial businessman Mzwanele Manyi was a blow for unions.  She indicated:  “They [Afro Worldview] were more interested in providing a platform on workers issues.  Their absence in media is sorely felt.  I feel particularly bad for workers who were punished for their association with the Guptas.”  Phakamile Hlubi went on to say:  “Workers at the Afrovoice newspaper and Afroworld View were not involved in corruption.  In fact, a group of workers at ANN7 [Afro Worldview] protested against the corruption of the Guptas and were unfairly dismissed by them.  This is why it is unfair that workers should be jobless because of corruption by bosses.”  The channel shut down last month after satellite television company Multichoice did not renew its contract.  Afro Worldview’s closure came just a few weeks after Manyi’s daily newspaper, Afrovoice (formerly known as The New Age), filed for liquidation.  Both media companies had been owned by the controversial Gupta family.  Manyi bought the channel and the newspaper from the Gupta family last year.

• Read this report by Batandwa Malingo in full at The Citizen

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