एक वेबसाइट आईओएल न्यूज में राजेश सुंदरम और जी ग्रुप के पार्टनरशिप वाले दक्षिण अफ्रीकी चैनल एएएन7 से संबंधित कई स्टोरीज छपी है. राजेश सुंदरम का कहना है कि जी ग्रुप वालों ने दक्षिण अफ्रीका भेजकर एक तरह से उनके जीवन को ही खतरे में डाल दिया था क्योंकि दक्षिण अफ्रीका में कामकाज का जो माहौल चैनल के अंदर था, वह कतई प्रोफेशनल नहीं था.
दक्षिण अफ्रीका में एएएन7 चैनल लांच करने का मकसद वहां के एक राजनीतिक दल को फायदा पहुंचाना था, इसीलिए उस चैनल के कर्ताधर्ता उन पर अनावश्यक व अमानवीय दबाव डाल रहे थे. राजेश सुंदरम अफ्रीक से किसी तरह बचकर भारत लौटे हैं. नीचे एक स्टोरी जो आईओएल न्यूज पर प्रकाशित है…
ANN7 fight gets dirty
September 3, 2013
By SHAIN GERMANER
Johannesburg – Former ANN7 editor Rajesh Sundaram – who fled to India after resigning last week – says he’ll be returning to South Africa to formally lay a complaint against the network for allegedly violating work permit and visa regulations.
On Tuesday morning, Sundaram told Talk Radio 702’s John Robbie that even if he had to pay all the costs himself, he would be returning to South Africa to open up a complaint with the Home Affairs Department to prove his claims and clear his name.
Sundaram alleged that he was among a group of only 10 employees with the correct work permits and visas – even though dozens of other workers had been brought in from India without the correct work visas in place.
But ANN7 and TNA chief executive Nazeem Howa has blasted the allegations, saying they are little more than the “wails of a disgruntled employee”.
Howa also said his foreign staff were “perfectly compliant” with South African legislation.
The new debate is part of an ongoing war between Sundaram and the broadcaster. The former consulting editor is threatening to take the station to court for money he claims is owed to him, which ANN7 denies owing him.
The argument that led to Sundaram’s resignation allegedly began over his attempts to push for overtime payments that he felt he deserved.
It developed further when he went public with the work permit violation allegations against the broadcaster on Tuesday morning, adding to the claims of mismanagement he has made against the station.
Over the weekend, the City Press newspaper reported that Sundaram had opened up about his “terrifying” experiences at ANN7.
Sundaram, who resigned last week, said the broadcaster had been visited by President Jacob Zuma, who allegedly made editorial recommendations and “was given assurances by the Guptas this channel was going to be pro-ANC”. The station is owned by the Gupta family, known for their close links to Zuma.
Atul and Ajay Gupta were reportedly with Howa and Moegsien Williams, editor of the Gupta newspaper The New Age, when they met with Zuma on several occasions.
Sundaram claims to have made presentations at these meetings that were held at the president’s official residence in Pretoria, during which the editorial policy for ANN7 was discussed.
“He said there should not be any direct propaganda, that all sides should be represented, that the stance should be subtle and not direct,” Sundaram told City Press.
Meanwhile, Sundaram also claimed he was forced to flee ANN7’s studios on Friday, as he was being pursued by Atul Gupta’s armed bodyguards.
He said tension arose between him and other executives when he demanded pay for dozens of hours of overtime, which resulted in verbal abuse.
He also decried the working conditions at the station, describing Atul’s managerial style as dictatorial.
In a statement released on Sunday, Howa released Sundaram’s resignation letter in which he spoke glowingly about his experiences at the broadcaster.
“I have had the most exhilarating three months working with Infinity Media.
“It has been by far the best phase in my career,” Sundaram’s letter read.
Sundaram has since claimed the letter was written before tension with his bosses reached breaking point.
In a written response from the broadcaster to The Star, Howa said meetings between Sundaram and management broke down on Friday. He described Sundaram’s allegations as “wild” and “unfounded”.
Williams is currently searching for new candidates to lead the news operation. It’s understood that Shantanu Chatterjee will assume the role of consulting editor.
