Mayor to take Guptas to court for swathe of racism accusations
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba says he intends challenging the Guptas in court for their alleged racial slurs against black South Africans.
In a statement issued in his personal capacity‚ Mashaba said on Sunday that he had written an open letter on June 11 to advocate Shaun Abrahams‚ the National Director of Public Prosecutions‚ giving him 60 days to take swift action against the Guptas following revelations of their corrupt activities and alleged racist behaviour towards black South Africans.
“To date, I have received no response from him or the National Prosecuting Authority.
“To me‚ it is clear that adv Abrahams does not regard the allegations against the Guptas as serious. I have therefore‚ taken the decision to approach our courts with the intention of seeking legal recourse against the Gupta brothers‚ Atul and Ajay‚ for their alleged racial slurs against black South Africans‚” Mashaba said.
He added that he had recently had the opportunity to engage with past and present employees of “Gupta TV” who had relayed to him numerous accounts in which the station’s bosses had allegedly uttered racial slurs against black employees‚ and black South Africans in general.
“While these employees have requested‚ for now‚ that their identities remain protected from the media‚ they have indicated to me their willingness to come forward and relay their horrific accounts at the hands of the Guptas and their associates for the purpose of court action.
“They have also indicated the toxic work environment they experienced at the Midrand offices of Gupta TV‚” he said.
“This information is corroborated by journalist Rajesh Sundaram‚ a former editor at Gupta TV‚ whose account of discriminatory and unfair working conditions‚ mainly affecting young black employees as well as migrant Indian workers‚ is captured in his book Indentured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV.
“Mr Sundaram recounts the many demeaning references the Gupta brothers‚ Atul and Ajay‚ made of South Africans‚ especially as they related to our alleged laziness and corruptibility.
“Moreover‚ during the now infamous Gupta wedding held at Sun City, it was well publicised in the media‚ at the time‚ that the Gupta’s and their associates treated the local staff with disdain and hurled racist insults at them‚” he said.
Mashaba encouraged all past employees of “Gupta TV”‚ all South Africans, and those employed at the Gupta wedding, who suffered from racism and discrimination‚ to share their personal accounts via: guptatv complaints@gmail.com
Mashaba said he would instruct lawyers to assist the complainants to draw up affidavits and then approach the Equality Court to ensure justice was done.