‘Black workers paid less than Indians at ANN7’ claim under investigation

Mzwanele Manyi has had a baptism of fire this week, as he acquired the Gupta-owned media outlets ANN7 and The New Age in a bank-busting R450m deal.

However, Mr Manyi has been left with a whole pile of grievances from employees who are demanding that both the TV channel and and the newspaper start paying their employees fairly and equally.

The new boss’ first task will be looking into claims that Indian workers – employed whilst The Guptas were in charge – are paid more than black workers who carry out the same roles and responsibilities.

Did the Guptas pay their Indian staff more?

Manyi admitted that there would be ‘serious embarrassment’ for the company if these complaints are found to be true:

“It will be a serious embarrassment if I were to find out that there is flouting of labour regulations as former DG of labour. There is a commitment to deal with it. When you walk around you see a lot of Africans in proportions; indeed there are a lot of Indians.

“I am not equipped to know how an Indian from India is paid substantially more than black employees. The reason why there are Indian expats in the company is because Times of India owns a 7% equity stake in The New Age.”

The new owner – who is a huge backer of Jacob Zuma – has accepted that it will be a difficult transition as he attempts to keep staff happy, but acknowledged that he won’t be able to please everyone.

Is Manyi ‘having a laugh’?

Manyi has in fact felt the strain of his role already, after a boardroom meeting saw his employees laugh at him whilst he was explaining where he found the money to buy the companies from the Guptas

He told his staff that he had been ‘saving and investing’ for the purchase, which was greeted with few sniggers and sneers – according to an inside source, he expressed his disappointment and ‘tried to compose himself’.

Egos really a fragile thing, aren’t they?