Before selling its treasured archives to MultiChoice, the SABC also sold it to ANN7 as Gupta executives laughed at 'stupid' SABC: 'The people at the SABC can be bought for a meal and a drink'.

Before the struggling South African public broadcaster sold its treasured archives to MultiChoice in a controversial channels deal, the SABC also apparently sold it to ANN7 (DStv 405) as Gupta executives laughed at the "stupid SABC" and said: "The people at the SABC can be bought for a meal and a drink; they are willing to give away their treasure trove of historical footage for peanuts".

The stunning claim is the latest of many to emerge from the buzzed about new book, Indentured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV, by author Rajesh Sundaram, a former ANN7 giving an insider's perspective on the horrific working conditions during the set-up and eventual disastrous launch of the "Gupta news" channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform in August 2013.

While much has already been reported about the SABC's controversial deal with MultiChoice selling its archives to Naspers' pay-TV unit, it's now coming to light that the SABC actually also allegedly sold its archives for a fraction of what it's worth to the Gupta family accused in a litany of widespread State Capture allegations.

In his book, Rajesh Sundaram writes that that Laxmi Goel, an executive roped in by the Guptas to help with the setting up and launch of ANN7, during a meeting revealed "an elaborate plan to buy archival footage from the SABC".

"He told me how the Guptas had got a nod from the state broadcaster to buy this valuable archive. The SABC had plans to set up a 24/7 news channel of their own, but they were willing to sell their archives for a sweet deal to the Guptas".

"They have all their archives on mini DV tapes. Their library is not automated or digitised, and it takes them ages to find any footage. We will bring these tapes to our studio and digitise them. So from day one we will have a tapeless library with systems that will make it possible for us to pull out footage within a few seconds."

"We know the people at the SABC, so we will get footage at a very low rate. You will have to make sure that all the footage of historical importance at the SABC is included in the 100-hour bulk deal we plan to do with them," Laxmi Goel apparently told Rajesh Sundaram.

"But the SABC eventually did not allow the footage to be taken away from their office. Rahul Singh, a senior video librarian from India, was sent with mini digital video format tapes and asked to bring back 100 hours of footage from the thousands of tapes at the SABC archives".

"He spent about a month going to the SABC every day and sitting at a video editing bay there and transferring all the valuable historical footage the SABC had in its tape library. By the time he resigned and went back to India, he had collected 60 hours of priceless footage from the SABC library," writes Rajesh Sundaram.

"We are paying them a lump sum to get this footage. We have got a very sweet deal with them. The people at the SABC can be bought for a meal or a drink; they are willing to give away their treasure trove of historical footage footage for peanuts."

"They have a clause in the contract that says that we will have to also pay them a "per second" fee for every time we air the footage we have taken from them. But they are so stupid, how will they be able to tell what is their footage? How can they audit our use? We will get all their footage forever at just this one-time cost," Nazeem Howa said when the footage transfer were discussed later, writes Rajesh Sundaram.

He writes that Rahul was instructed "to take anyone he interacts with at the SABC for a drink or mean any time they wanted to when he was at the SABC transferring footage. He was told by Nazeem that this cost would be reimbursed to him".

"Get all of Nelson Mandela's footage, get footage of the atrocities on the blacks during the apartheid years; we can use it to show the young people of today how the whites treated their grandparents and parents. This footage is priceless, and I want you to take as much of it as possible back with you. Even if you get more than 100 hours, get that, we will pay them under the table, Atul Gupta told Rahul during our discussion."

"The archival footage at the SABC was indeed of a very high quality and in my view worth millions of rands," writes Rajesh Sundaram. "Nazeem, Laxmi and Atul repeatedly told me that the contract with the SABC for this sale favoured ANN7, was drafted by Gupta lawyers and that the price of the footage was 'peanuts' compared to its real value."

"Rahul digitised all the footage he got the very same day and catalogued and classified it on the video library system. This meant transferring the footage from tapes to servers. After the footage was tagged and put on the server, ANN7 was able to retrieve and air it in a matter of seconds, something that would take the SABC team hours or even days to do."

"I have not been able to figure out why the SABC signed this contract and handed valuable footage shot over decades to a company that had far superior archiving technology and would be a rival to its own proposed 24-hour news channel".

The SABC was asked in a media enquiry on Monday if the public broadcaster possibly has any comment or statement regarding what Rajesh Sundaram writes in his book Indentured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV, about the SABC and the SABC's archive material that was given to ANN7.

The SABC didn't respond.

Indentured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV is published by Jacana Media and is available in bookstores at R185.

SHOCKING REVELATIONS. Ex ANN7 editor Rajesh Sundaram reveals how ANN7 lied to MultiChoice, and how Jacob Zuma himself was involved: 'I realised that I had made a mistake - that I was setting up a monster station for the mafia in South Africa'.

If you never knew that ANN7 was trash when Naspers' MultiChoice launched it as a secret propaganda channel laced with bias in August 2013 for then-president Jacob Zuma with the help of the controversial and corrupt Gupta family, then you'll know it now after reading Rajesh Sundaram's insider-account, Identured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV.

Published by Jacana and available since Tuesday at R185 after plans for the book was initially dropped in June 2014, the delicious book is a deep dive into the ugly acrimony, law breaking, physical and verbal abuse, secret political influence, clandestine payments, worker discrimination, out-of-control egos and shocking circumstances and work conditions behind-the-scenes of the setting up of the disastrous ANN7.

All of this of course quickly, and eventually, proved highly destructive from a brand perspective for the Guptas, ANN7 itself, but also for MultiChoice and DStv.

Selective excepts from Identured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV published on Wednesday, media reports about it, and 2 interviews with Rajesh Randaram, added another chapter and more shocking, sordid and extremely lurid details about what allegedly went on behind-the-scenes at ANN7 and its Midrand-based headquarters, and the alleged volatile, abusive behaviour of owner Atul Gupta.

In a must-listen interview with Biznews, Rajesh Sundaram explained how ANN7 was rushed to air on DStv without proper time or testing, and how ANN7 executives blatantly lied to MultiChoice about ANN7 being ready to launch in 2013although it wasn't as far as its technical operations were concerned.

"We went to multiple meetings with MultiChoice. We were not prepared to go on-air technically, but we had to bluff our way through there."

He explained that "there was a lot of arm-twisting involved to get on DStv in the first place, that involved president Jacob Zuma himself".

He told Biznews that Indian staffers, brought to South Africa on tourist visas and who worked in the country illegally, had to live on the ANN7 Midrand construction site "in sub-human conditions".

"I realised that I had made a mistake - that I was setting up a monster station for the mafia in South Africa," said Rajesh Sundaram.

Rajesh Sundaram told Biznews about the physical and verbal abuse staffers allegedly suffered at the hands of the Guptas like Atul Gupta.

"There were staff that Atul Gupta would slap; and physically abuse us; scream verbal abuse at people. For instance say the playout system crashes, Atul Gupta would come into the production control room and start beating up the audio console person".

"Atul Gupta would come into the newsroom and just slap people. There was an audio engineer who was slapped. There were others who were abused. And many instances of him just screaming his lungs out in the gallery about things he never knew about".

Rajesh Sundaram told HuffPost SA in a second interview on Wednesday that "the intention to launch ANN7 was all wrong. The media is supposed to be a pillar in democracy. It was being abused. It was being misused. They just wanted a propaganda station".

He explained that Duduzane Zuma, Jacob Zuma's son sat in several meetings. "Duduzane was there and was the one who was dictating to us all what the editorial policy would be".

HuffPost SA on Wednesday also ran a print report about Identured: Behind the Scenes at Gupta TV and how Atul Gupta went beserk and screamed at Nazeem Howa when Nazeem Howa suggested that ANN7 hire Debora Patta.

"She's a white bitch! She is not a journalist, she is a sensationalist. She is a well-known face on TV here, but her aggression is reserved for the government and its ministers," Atul Gupta allegedly yelled.

As ANN7 struggled to get journalist and presenters to join, Atul Gupta told an underling "to get the modelling agency to send us sexy young models who will present our bulletins. We will not have to deal with these ugly old bitches anymore."

On ANN7's disastrous launch day that TVwithThinus detailed at the time - as well as the on-air horrific mistakes, Atul Gupta exploded at the Indian studio technicians and told them: "You bloody monkeys. F*cking get out of here, pack your bags and go back to India. You are all useless people."

Atul Gupta told executive, Karun Shawney: "Look down, you fool, how dare you look me in the eye when you talk to me. Don't you know I hate people who dare to look me in the eye? You bastards are f*cking my channel and my reputation."

Indian staff members were paid much less than the South African workers but the Indian staffers were fed staff meals while the South African workers got nothing and had to look on.

"It was extremely distressing to see Indian staff sit down for dinner after a long day's work while the South Africans were not invited to join."

Atul Gupta was allegedly racist towards South Africans, saying "The South Africans are a difficult lot. If you give them a lift back home they will see it as a right. These are leeches that want to suck the organisation dry".

On Wednesday News24 ran a report from the book about how Jacob Zuma himself chose the name "Africa News Network". Because the name was already taken, a "7" was added.

On Thursday in an interview with radio station 702, Rajesh Sundaram told Bongani Bingwa that "Atul Gupta had no sense of what broadcasting is about. There were a few instance where he'd go and hit people you know, right in the middle of a broadcast".

Rajesh Sundaram also explained why the Guptas were so adamant and anxious to get ANN7 onto MultiChoice's DStv.

"Jacob Zuma had given a guarantee that money from government advertising agencies would come in to ANN7 and that this advertising revenue would then be given back to him through his son Duduzane."

ANN7 on DStv called 'a bunch of wankers' for not showing the SABC inquiry; Sindy Mabe disses viewer: 'You obviously don't care about the price of milk'.

Love this. Michael from George calls ANN7 asks why they aren't showing #SABCinquiry, says they're biased and calls them a bunch of wankers. pic.twitter.com/hTQxkPaf62

— Mike Davies (@AfricaAnalyst) December 12, 2016

In yet another jaw-dropping on-air faux pas a viewer called ANN7 (DStv 405) "a bunch of wankers" for the failure of the Guptas' TV news channel to show the ongoing SABC inquiry.

In yet another bisarre ANN7 on-air incident, a viewer, Michael from George, called in on Monday and slammed the TV news channel from Infinity Media, carried on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, as "a bunch of wankers" for not showing the SABC inquiry.

SABC News (DStv 404) and eNCA (DStv 403) both broadcast the shocking and revealing testimony from a litany of witnesses about the allegations of corruption, fraud and the collapse of governance at the South African public broadcaster on Monday, while ANN7 had a panel discussion about the price of milk.

"Why don’t you broadcast that parliamentary thing on the SABC?" asked Michael.

The stunned Sindy Mabe, formerly on-air at the SABC and e.tv and who recently jumped to ANN7, told the viewer "you obviously missed it Michael, but what is your real question?"

"No, it is on now! It is on now!" said Michael. "We also have programming, Michael," blurted Sindy Mabe.

"You’re just biased aren't you? You're such a bunch of wankers, you know that? The SABC – " and then he was abruptly cut off.

Sindy Mabe deadpanned: "Michael, you obviously don't care what the price of milk is".

Corruption: SABC destroyed from within

On Monday in parliament, witnesses slammed and implicated the Gupta owned The New Age (sister newspaper to ANN7) in attempts to capture the SABC's SABC News division and for money being funneled from the SABC to ANN7.

The SABC's former head of technology, Sipho Masinga, told parliament how, before ANN7 was launched as a MultiChoice channel, he was in a meeting with Nazeem Howa who had a 3-page document detailing how it wanted to take over, run and rebrand the SABC's news.

"I couldn't believe it," said Sipho Masinga. "The New Age wanted to take over and manage SABC News with the SABC that has to supply the staff. The New Age tried to take over SABC News and rebrand it".

"I knew if I opened the door (to the Guptas) that we were going to have problems." Sipho Masinga testified that Hlaudi Motsoeneng left the room just before The New Age document with the proposed take-over of SABC news was given to him.

ANN7 was later launched as Infinity Media's own TV news channel that belongs to Oakbay Investments, the same as The New Age.

Later during the day, the freelance SABC contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko – who was effectively fired as one of the so-called "#SABC8" earlier this year for speaking out against Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s TV news censorship decree – also slammed ANN7.

Vuyo Mvoko testified that money that should be coming to the SABC is being funneled to rival broadcaster ANN7 through the controversial The New Age Breakfast Briefings broadcast on SABC2's Morning Live.

"What SABC executives haven't informed you about is they have allowed SABC money to be used to build a rival channel – ANN7."

"Yet, the money the owners of TNA make, none of it – not a cent – goes to the SABC. From the millions they make through sponsorship, to the tables they sell at those breakfasts – they do not take any of that to the SABC except, perhaps, to the people who make things happen for them."

Vuyo Mvoko said Morning Live resources – SABC resources and budget – are diverted to pay for the production costs of the breakfast briefing broadcasts, while The New Age gets the money and dividends from the events.

Vuyo Mvoko said the SABC's TV news bulletins and current affairs programmes "are bleeding ARs (audience ratings)" because of the reputation and credibility damage the SABC has inflicted on its brand.

Vuyo Mvoko said The New Age actually wanted to do more than just the breakfast briefings and proposed "provincial The New Age breakfast briefing broadcast weeks" that would financially cripple the SABC even more.

"Someone is being enriched further at the expense of the public broadcaster," said Vuyo Mvoko. "Corruption is taking place; the public broadcaster is being destroyed from within."

Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa, of which ANN7 forms part, says he supports SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng's censorship of protests visuals on SABC TV news.

Oakbay CEO Nazeem Howa says he supports the censorship decision of SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng to ban visuals of public protests on SABC TV News.

The ANN7 (DStv 405) TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is run by Infinity Media Networks, a subsidiary of the Gupta family owned Oakbay Investments.

In an interview on Sunday with News24, Nazeem Howa said "I would support the SABC's position".

"At the end of the day it would be up to the editor, who is in charge of our TV station [ANN7] and the editor in charge of our newspaper [The New Age] to make that decision."

Nazeem Howa told News24 he doesn't see it as censorship.

"Personally I do believe that we [the media] do encourage violence. That is a belief that I do have".

Gupta owners of the ANN7 TV news channel and The New Age newspaper files urgent court interdict against the EFF party against possible violence, media interference.

The Gupta-owned ANN7 (DStv 405) TV news channel and The New Age newspaper have filed an urgent court interdict against the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) political party.

Oakbay Investments - a shareholder in the Gupta-owned media and other companies - as well as Oakbay Investments CEO Nazeem Howa along with other plaintiffs are asking the North Gauteng High Court to order the EFF not to commit violence against ANN7 or the newspaper, its assets like property, and staff.

The Guptas in the interdict application also want the court to order the EFF not to interfere with the activities of ANN7 and The New Age reporters and journalists. The EFF is opposing the application.

The urgent court interdict application comes after the EFF leader Julius Malema last week went on a scathing tirade against ANN7 and The New Age, banning reporters and journalists from ANN7 and The New Age from attending any EFF events or press conferences and using threatening language saying their safety can't be guaranteed.

It saw the abrupt cut of a televised broadcast from the EFF press conference as a ANN7 crew killed the feed, packed up and left.

Julius Malema said the EFF wants the influential Guptas with strong ties to president Jacob Zuma, to leave the Gauteng province and South Africa.

"We don't want to see The New Age and ANN7. It's propaganda machinery," said Julius Malema.

In the affidavit filed in the urgent court interdict application, Nazeem Howa says "Julius Malema lashed out at the Gupta brothers and their commercial interests with a clear and unambiguous threat of violence and xenophobia".

The Communication Workers' Union (CWU) that has members working at ANN7 and The New Age newspaper says "state security agencies", the Guptas and Oakbay Investments must protect the workers and reporters.

"As a union we are up in arms against ANN7 and The New Age with regard to poor working conditions in these companies and we know how exploited these workers are and how they struggle daily to make ends meet," says CWU secretary Aubrey Tshabalala.

"These are our members and we will encourage the EFF to fight its political battles with the Guptas and not focus on easy targets, that is the defenseless workers".

"We call upon state security agencies including the employer to provide sufficient protection for our members at ANN7 and New Age while they are on duty trying to make a living. We further call for an indaba of all stakeholders in the media industry to discuss issues of security and allowances for field journalists".

ANN7 appoints eNCA's Edwin Kgaswe as sports editor; SABC1's sales manager Zandi Nzimande as new head of sales.

ANN7 (DStv 405) has made two senior appointments, with eNCA (DStv 403) sports editor Edwin Kgaswe changing 24-hour TV news channels to join ANN7 as the Infinity Media run channel's new sports editor, and SABC1's sales manager Zandi Nzimande channel hopping to become ANN7's new head of sales.

Edwin Kgaswe joined ANN7 as sports editor from 5 May after a long stint at eNCA. He joined 702 talk radio in 1991 where he worked for a decade, then joined e.tv in 2001 as a sports reporter and became deputy sports editor in 2005.

When eNCA launched as the eNews Channel in 2008 Edwin Kgaswe was appointed sports editor and remained in that position until the end of April this year.

Zandi Nzimande who was SABC1's sales manager joined ANN7 from 1 May as the new head of sales. Previously she worked at e.tv as well.

ANN7's group CEO Nazeem Howa says the two appointments are a part of ANN7's strategy to strengthen management, revenue and content.

BREAKING. ANN7 workers at 'GuptaTV' illegally working in South Africa without proper work permits ordered to leave immediately.

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.

ANN7 on Indian staff working illegally with 'holiday' visas: 'Media has focused on 8 people out of a total staff complement of 200'.

ANN7 (DStv 405) is responding about Indian workers and "foreign nationals" at Infinity Media Networks working at the new 24-hour TV news channel on MultiChoice's DStv platform with "holiday" visas, saying the media organisation will work with South African authorities.

ANN7 and Infinity Media is now being investigated by South Africa's department of home affairs following Indian workers at the news channel who indicated "holiday" as the reason for visiting South Africa on their granted visa applications.

According to the visas issues, they're prohibited from working and being employed in South Africa although that is what they're doing.

Nazeem Howa, group CEO of TNA Media says its "noted the sensational claims surrounding Infinity Media Networks and its employment practices at ANN7" and says "we have every confidence that we have followed the correct process and will co-operate fully with the authorities to confirm that our actions have been within the regulations".

Nazeem Howa says "the media has focused on eight people out of a total staff complement of 200, including 40 young graduate South Africans who are now on the full time staff at ANN7."

Nazeem Howa says "we have made no secret of the involvement of our Indian shareholder, Essel Media, and the reliance we have on the skills from our partner to operate the world class systems we have installed at ANN7 and for which little local expertise exists. Their involvement in our business followed an exhaustive process to hire local people."

Nazeem Howa says the total number of non- South Africans on the ANN7 staff is 36 and that the channel's staffing mix "shows our commit [sic] to local hiring practices and the utlisation of international experts to help impart skills among this young cadre of media workers."

He says he has "every confidence" that the news channel, so far derided for its shoddy offering and ongoing on-air mistakes, has "followed the correct process, and will co-operate fully with the authorities to confirm that our actions have been within the regulations".

President Jacob Zuma's son, Duduzane Zuma, is a shareholder in ANN7 as South Africa's new, third 24-hour TV news channel on DStv.

South African president Jacob Zuma's son, Duduzane Zuma, is a shareholder with an interest in ANN7 (DStv 405), the new and third 24-hour South African TV news channel which will start broadcasting on 21 August on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.and which is promising "balanced news coverage".

Duduzane Zuma holds a 45% stake in Mabengela Investments. Mabengela Investments has a 21% interest in Infinity Media which is the owner of ANN7.

Infinity Media in a statement announced the shareholding breakdown of ANN7 before the launch next week of the new South Africa TV news channel which will compete with the existing eNCA (DStv 403), and SABC News (DStv 405) which started two weeks ago and which is the SABC's second attempt at a 24-hour TV news channel.

Infinity Media is owned jointly by Essel Media (35%), Oakbay Investments, the Gupta family's investment vehicle (35%), Mabengela Investments (21%) and a further 9% has been reserved for staff and management.

Besides Duduzane Zuma's 45% stake in Mabengela Investments, the other stakeholders in Mabengela Investments are Rajesh Kumar Gupta (25%), Aerohaven Trading (15%), Fidelity Investments (10%), Mfazi Investments (3%) and Ashu Chawla (2%).

Laxmi Narain Goel will be sitting on the board of directors of Infinity Media together with Arpit Goel, Atul Gupta, Varun Gupta and Nazeem Howa.

Laxmi Narain Goel is the vice chairperson of the Essel Group and was until a few years ago the executive director of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited.

"As a family deeply invested in leading media products, we discussed this investment opportunity last year and there was no hesitation to go ahead," says Laxmi Narain Goel in a statement. "Thus far, things have gone very well and we look forward to a successful launch with our partners in Infinity Media."

Laxmi Narain Goel says ANN7 will have "balanced news coverage, ensuring that the interests of the ordinary people in South Africa are covered".

Africa News Network 7 (ANN7) will launch on MultiChoice's DStv on 21 August as South Africa's 3rd 24-hour TV news channel.

Africa News Network 7, or ANN7 will start on MultiChoice's DStv channel 405 as I've already reported, on 21 August, the new TV news channel from Infinity Media announced today.

ANN7 which embarked on a massive recruitment drive for staff - including technical crew as well as on-air talent as TV with Thinus reported in June, has already attracted some top level on-air talent such as Chantal Rutter Dros from M-Net's Carte Blanche investigative news magazine show who will be a primetime news anchor on ANN7.

It means that a massive TV news tsunami is heading South African viewers' way - but only for those who can pay. South Africa's TV news wars for eyeballs will intensify as the existing and well-regarded eNCA (DStv 403) in one month gets more competition from the addition of both SABC News (DStv 404) and ANN 7 (DStv 405).

All three South African TV news channels are however only viewable on DStv, leaving On Digital Media's TopTV out in the cold, as well as ordinary SABC license fee paying viewers on free-to-air who don't have access to subscription television.

While Chantal Rutter Dros will be the anchor of ANN7 Headlines and ANN7 Prime, she will be joined by another former M-Netter such as Gerry Rantseli-Elsdon who will be the presenter of Vuka Africa.

They are two of the over 150 people now attached to the ANN7 news channel which will make its debut on Wednesday 21 August from what ANN7 calls "the most technologically advanced news channel in South Africa".

ANN7 boasts that it will have "the latest newsroom automation systems, cutting edge electronic news gathering technology and a network of sharp, young journalists and experienced editors who will give a fresh perspective to the TV viewers of the country".

ANN7's 21 August launch comes shortly after the SABC relaunched their attempt at a 24-hour TV news channel following the failure of SABC News International in 2010 when SABC News (DStv 404) started last week.

SABC News, eNCA (DStv 403) and now ANN7 means that South Africa's TV news channels have jumped in one month from one to three.

ANN7 will bring South African viewers news and politics, sports, business and entertainment news.

The ANN7's website at www.ann7.com quietly went live a few weeks ago as the news team started a testing dry-run for the upcoming launch. The ANN7 website will try to lure viewers in online, similar to the eNCA's website at www.enca.com.

Other TV talent who will be seen on ANN7 from the news channel's headquarters in Midrand include Arthur Mafokate who will be the presenter of a new weekly flagship ANN7 sports programme entitled Hola Weekend and Jimmy Manyi who will be doing a weekly hard talk show Straight Talk similar to the BBC World News' HARDtalk and the eNCA's Justice Factor.

"I am looking forward to presenting viewers with a channel that is unique in its profile and choice of programmes," says Nazeem Howa, the director at Infinity Media which is launching ANN7 to the tune of millions of rands, in a press statement.

"We look forward to welcoming ANN7 onto our DStv platform," says Collins Khumalo, MultiChoice South Africa CEO in the statement.

ANN7 will be available from 21 August on DStv Premium, DStv Compact, DStv Extra, DStv Family and DStv Access.

BREAKING. New 24-hour South African TV news channel launching on MultiChoice's DStv later in the year from Infinity Media.

A new South African 24-hour news channel will be launching on MultiChoice's DStv platform later in the year, run by Infinity Media called ANN7 standing for Africa News Network 7.

The 24-hour news and current affairs TV channel will be broadcast on DStv in multiple languages with a focus on local, national and world events.

The New Age newspaper's CEO Nazeem Howa who is a director involved with setting up the new news channel, says in a just-issued statement that "television audiences will soon have further diversity in their news choices" with the launch of the new news channel.

It comes after MultiChoice and the SABC's proposed 24-hour news channel which the SABC said would launch in September 2012 failed to materialize. The SABC's 24-hour news channel has had many failed and multiple postponed launch dates. MultiChoice would have invested millions of rands into the new channel venture.

South Africa already has the eNCA (DStv 403) channel broadcasting on MultiChoice's platform, the only local 24-hour news channel currently in operation after SABC News International folded after the channel was closed down by the SABC following millions of rands in operating costs.

The new 24-hour news channel from Infinity Media - a joint venture between Essel Media, Oakbay Investments (Oakbay Investments is the majority shareholder in The New Age newspaper) and a black economic empowerment group - has started work on what is envisioned to be the new TV news channel's studios in Midrand.

"We believe that there is a clear need for a local 24/7 news channel which is totally dedicated to regions and communities in South Africa and we are pleased to be a partner in this path-breaking venture," says Laxmi Narain Goel, Essel Media manager in the statement.

"We believe this will change the news media space in South Africa."