Fin24 reports that the Johannesburg Labour Court ruled on Thursday that Infinity Media Networks, which ran the Afro Worldview news channel (previously known as ANN7), must reinstate employees because they were not properly dismissed.  

The news channel shut down in mid-August after its contract was terminated by pay TV operator MultiChoice.  The court ruled that Infinity Media must reinstate employees who were fired with immediate effect.  It found that Infinity Media had breached sections 189 and 189A of the Labour Relations Act by failing to conduct retrenchment consultations.  The case was brought by the Communications Workers Union (CWU).  The lawyer for the former Afro Worldview employees Tasso Anestidis commented:  “We are elated with the court order and the judgement.  It is a great order and we are looking to enforce it.”  The order does not apply to the second respondent in the case, namely Afrotone Media Holdings.  Mzwanele Manyi, chair of Afrotone Media Holdings, told Fin24 after the ruling was handed down that he did not discuss staff matters with the media.

• Read this report by Khulekani Magubane in full at Fin24

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