By Kanina Foss
Columnist David Bullard's case of wrongful dismissal against publishing company Avusa will not be heard in the Labour Court because he apologised for writing the provocative Sunday Times column that got him sacked.
The apology was published in the Business Times a week after the column appeared.
In it, Bullard said he regretted any offence caused to Sunday Times readers and the newspaper's editor, Mondli Makhanya.
Avusa's attorney Phuke Maserumule on Sunday argued that Bullard's apology showed he had not believed his dismissal was an infringement on his freedom of speech, and that the case therefore did not belong in the Labour Court.
Instead, Judge Elim Francis transferred the case to the Statutory Council of the Printing, Newspapers and Packaging Industry. It is not yet known when the case will be heard by the council.
According to Bullard's attorney, Ari Soldatos, the first step is to prove that Bullard was in fact an Avusa employee, entitled to employee protection.
Read the full story in Tuesday's Star