Johannesburg - The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has lambasted Julius Malema for what it called misguided and contradictory attacks on journalists working for The New Age and ANN7.
The union called on State Security Agencies and the employer to provide protection for its members while they are on duty.
This response from CWU follows comments made by Julius Malema last week, in which he warned journalists working for Gupta-owned media houses not to attend EFF events as the party could not guarantee their safety.
The union encouraged the EFF to fight its political battles with the Guptas and not focus on the workers who are “easy targets” and defenceless.
CWU claims Malema’s comments contradict what his party purports to stand for - which is the working class.
“These workers in their majority are blacks whom he claims his party represents.
“It’s a travesty that a Commander-in-Chief of a party that claims to be vanguard of the working class is unable to separate those who own the means of productions, from those who are exploited by the same capitalists he claims to be fighting,” the CWU statement said.
The union added that they are aware of the poor and exploitive working conditions of its members working for ANN7 and The New Age.
CWU called for an Indaba of all stakeholders in the media industry to focus on issues of security and allowances for field journalists.
Labour Bureau