By Karen Breytenbach
A former reporter with the People's Post community newspaper has taken Media24 to the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) over allegedly being dismissed unfairly.
David Robert Lewis has in the past taken or threatened to take other employers in the media industry - including the Cape Times - to the CCMA, without success.
Lewis alleges his dismissal was rooted in "racial and religious intolerance". He was employed on a three-month contract, but was dismissed after two months.
In a demonstration outside the CCMA building on Monday, Lewis was flanked by five picketing members of the Cape Town Anti-War Coalition (AWC), who said they were there "to protest against capitalism".
Lewis claims he was forced to work 14-hour days, seven days a week, "thus being unable to celebrate the Jewish Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset".
"It was unclear what time, if ever, I was expected to have off as well as lunch," he wrote in a statement.
Lewis said he was dismissed "without getting anything on paper" after he fought for the publication of a story he wrote about a black jazz musician.
Lewis said, since being employed with Media24, he had "made several allegations of racism" against the company.
AWC spokesperson Shaheed Mohamed said this case particularly "exposed the racist role of big capital".
The racism claim was strongly refuted by Media24 community newspapers manager, Sedrick Taljaard, who said the title catered for all different communities between False Bay and Cape Town.
Taljaard said: "Mr David Lewis's services were terminated five months ago by Media24 after a formal process had been followed. Since then he has tried on numerous occasions to launch a smear campaign against the company. His demonstration is just another unfounded attempt in this regard and it enjoyed the support of only three other people."
Taljaard said the company had paid Lewis a full and final settlement, which he had accepted and signed. When Lewis was appointed his contract stated he would work every second weekend. Lewis accepted this despite being Jewish, said Taljaard.
"As far as we know there is no dispute," said Taljaard.
On Monday Lewis told the media he hoped to be paid full compensation and to be reinstated - for at least a year this time around.
"I don't know if it is feasible. I just want some kind of accountability and a way to move forward. I'll hold up the olive branch and see if there is any sense left," he said.