A group of journalists at City Press newspaper would lay criminal charges against their editor after they accused her of racism, newspapers reported on Friday.<\/p>\n
The Star and The New Age said six journalists decided to lay charges of racism and defamation after a meeting with human resources officials over the matter.<\/p>\n
Editor Ferial Haffajee had lodged an internal grievance of racism, divisiveness and “cultural superiority” following a staff meeting on Tuesday where the group raised concerns about transformation and alleged discrimination, The Star reported.<\/p>\n
One journalist told The New Age that Haffajee asked them to speak their minds at the meeting, saying no one would be targeted.<\/p>\n
“But she became offensive when we started raising pressing issues. Emotions ran high. The discussion shifted to the issue of transformation in management.”<\/p>\n
The journalists also accused the paper of taking a hard line on stories involving President Jacob Zuma, but not towards the Democratic Alliance.<\/p>\n
They accused Haffajee of failing to appoint a senior black news editor with political contacts to help tell stories from “a black perspective”.<\/p>\n
According to The Star, Haffajee hit back at the “racist mauling” of her three news editors.<\/p>\n
In an email on Wednesday, she accused the journalists of racism, giving them a week to decide whether they still wanted to work for the newspaper.<\/p>\n
She dismissed the racism allegations, The Star reported.<\/p>\n
“Racism, no matter who practises it is abominable and I will speak out against it.”<\/p>\n
“I saw real black racism at play and cultural chauvinism that I can’t stomach on Tuesday,” Haffajee told The Star, saying she refused to be part of a “new oppression.”<\/p>\n
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