Four Indian workers brought into South Africa by Infinity Media to work on setting up the ANN7 (DStv 405) 24-hour TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform have been ordered to leave South Africa immediately after they entered the country illegally without proper visas and documentation.
ANN7 started in September on DStv and got off to a disastrous on-air start, with myriad ongoing daily mistakes visible on the channel run by Infinity Media cash-flushed by the politically connected Gupta family and with Duduzane Zuma, the son of South African president Jacob Zuma as one of the investors.
Four foreign nationals who trained workers at ANN7 have been ordered to leave South Africa since they entered South Africa without proper work permits.
Naledi Pandor, the minister of foreign affairs told parliament in Cape Town that the department acted immediately. According to her there were 8 ANN7 workers without the proper work permits. Eight workers had visitor's visas who are allowed to attend business meetings.
In September Rajesh Sundaram fled the Midrand-based news operation after the most embarrassing TV launch ever in South African history and claimed that people working at ANN7 are in the country but working illegally.
Nazeem Howa, group CEO of TNA Media meanwhile said in mid-September that he has"every confidence" that Infinity Media followed "the correct process" with bringing workers from India into South Africa.
