This was the reaction from Communications Workers Union- following confirmed reports that Afro Worldview staff were told not to report for work on Tuesday, after MultiChoice decided not to renew contract that began as far as 2013.
CWU secretary-general Aubrey Tshabalala confirmed the sad news: “That is true. That is what our members told us.”
Tshabalala said they were disappointed at how management had handled the channel’s demise.
“Management should be upfront with workers to say what will happen if they are cut off from midnight tonight (Monday). Are workers going to stay at home? What will happen to their salaries? Those are the things that we felt that management was not upfront with them about.”
Afrotone Media Holdings chairperson Mzwanele Manyi‚ who owns Afro Worldview‚ said on Monday evening: “I am not talking to media on Afro Worldview business on any issue whatsoever.”
On Monday‚ Manyi tweeted a photograph of the staff and said: “Dear South Africa‚ Please put this innocent team of Bread Winners in your prayers. (sic). They NEED their jobs.”
Last month Manyi said Afro Worldview’s association with the Gupta family had created an unshakeable perception that it was an integral part of “state capture”‚ leading to the collapse of Afro Voice newspaper –previously known as The New Age that last published its edition on June 29 2018 and staff lost their jobs.
Subsequently, he made this submission in an application in the North Gauteng High Court to place the company under provisional liquidation.
Afrotone bought TNA Media from Gupta-owned company Oakbay Investments in August 2017.
MultiChoice spokesperson Kenneth Nxumalo confirmed the news.
“Our contract with Afro Worldview comes to an end today. We will provide an update about the Afro Worldview channel by end of day today (Monday).”
It remains unclear what will happen to channel 405 that was offered to Afro World view.
