Four senior ANN7 employees arrested by Home Affairs

Home Affairs Immigration officials have arrested four ANN7 senior employees at the television station’s premises in Midrand this afternoon.

Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete has confirmed that a raid had taken place at the broadcaster’s office.

“We have detained, I believe, four people who don’t have the necessary documentation,” said Tshwete.

A convoy of official vehicles arrived at the premises of the former Gupta-owned channel shortly after 11am.

Other journalists have told Eyewitness News that the group were handcuffed and employees had their IDs checked before they could leave.

Employees were also called to an urgent staff meeting.

This was the second visit by Home Affairs to the premises in two weeks.

On February 22‚ officials descended on the premises and later said this was part of “a routine inspection” and Home Affairs said at the time it was acting on information it had received.

At the time‚ the department said it would release its findings once they were all verified.

The Gupta family’s Oakbay Investments sold its shares in ANN7 and The New Age newspaper to Mzwanele “Jimmy” Manyi’s Lodidox last year‚ in a vendor-financed deal‚ reportedly for R450 million.

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