Mayor Mashaba takes on the Guptas
‘TOXIC’: ANN7 WORKERS ALLEGE MOGULS WERE RACIST
Mashaba to take Gupta family to Equality Court for slurs against blacks.
Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba said yesterday he intended dragging members of the controversial Gupta family before the Equality Court for their alleged “racial slurs against black South Africans”.
“Recently, I had the opportunity to engage with past and present employees of Gupta TV [real name ANN7], who have relayed to me numerous accounts in which the station’s bosses allegedly uttered racial slurs against black employees, and black South Africans in general,” Mashaba said in a statement yesterday.
“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.”
Allegations of racism against the Gupta brothers have circulated for years.
In 2017 amaBhungane and Scorpio revealed through the #GuptaLeaks e-mails how an agency called Heilbron Hospitality sent through a quote for staff hire for Vega Gupta’s wedding on February 22, 2013.
“Under Terms and Conditions, it states: ‘Heilbron Hospitality confirms the provision of all caucasian staff, with the majority of the waiters and a few of the butlers being female staff,” amaBhungane/Scorpio wrote, noting the agency had clarified all staff would be caucasian in response to a query from Tony Gupta.
As a hardworking black man I cannot let this go by
People had also indicated the toxic work environment they experienced at the Midrand offices of “Gupta TV”, Mashaba 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,” said Mashaba.
“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.
“As a black South African, especially one that has endeavoured to excel through diligence and hard work, I cannot in all good conscience sit and watch as the Guptas seek to demean our people,” the metropole’s mayor said.
Mashaba, acting in his private capacity, said he would instruct lawyers to assist any complainants who would mail him at guptatvcomplaints@gmail.com
with their affidavits. – amandaw@citizen.co.za