Our democracy, our freedom, our future is at stake

I want to thank the editors of Independent and IOL for offering me the platform to share this crucial message.

As Chairman of Independent Media and IOL, I believe this editorial comes at a critical time, with media freedom and South Africa’s democracy under serious threat.

Media serves as the cornerstone of any democracy. It holds power accountable and amplifies diverse voices. Without it, we risk allowing unchecked corruption and mismanagement to shape our future.

South Africa has the potential to be a global success story, but only if we safeguard media freedom and create an environment that supports transparency and accountability.

The Survé Family and Sekunjalo have invested approximately R1.4 billion in South African media businesses, spanning newspapers, radio, online platforms, magazines, and digital marketing.

These investments have provided jobs for over a 1000 people. Despite the difficult landscape faced by print media, we remain committed to ensuring a platform for diverse, independent narratives that challenge the status quo.

Our media has fearlessly exposed major scandals: PPE corruption, the looting of SOEs, the Phala Phala scandal, and rampant mismanagement at every level of government. We've also shone a light on the complicity of the private sector.

Through these efforts, we’ve halted the wholesale looting of state resources and helped recover billions. In stark contrast, many in the media have stayed silent or, worse, protected certain political factions and business elites by skewing their reporting.

In standing for media freedom and diversity of thought, the Survé Family and Sekunjalo have faced immense backlash. Powerful oligarchs, with wealth rooted in apartheid-era looting, have joined forces with politicians and business elites to tarnish our reputation. For over 25 years, we have operated with the highest integrity, yet a co-ordinated media and social media smear campaign – similar to the tactics used by Bell Pottinger – has targeted us.

This relentless effort, aims to isolate us by damaging our standing with customers, suppliers, and potential talent.

These attacks are based on lies. The media has falsely labelled us as corrupt, despite no evidence. They manipulate headlines, photos, and cartoons to create a narrative of wrongdoing, all while ignoring our long-standing commitment to anti-corruption and good governance. Politicians, too, have exploited commissions like the Mpati Commission, which, despite offering no solid findings, continues to be used against us in public discourse and by banks as an excuse to close our accounts.

Even without any evidence of corruption or wrongdoing, banks have cited "reputational risk" to shut our accounts, while they continue to serve entities and individuals found guilty of serious offences. We have been unbanked for reputational reasons alone, forcing us to operate on a cash-only basis.

This isn’t just an attack on our business – it’s economic sabotage. There’s a co-ordinated effort to deny us the ability to operate by cutting off our access to credit, targeting our partners, and spreading disinformation about our group. Yet, in the face of these challenges, we remain debt-free with South African banks and committed to our country’s economic transformation and growth.

We have always supported the judiciary, but recent experiences have raised concerns about fairness. In a case involving racial discrimination, we were assigned five white judges – an unusual and deeply concerning decision. We fear the influence of media and political elites is now seeping into our justice system.

Our commitment to media freedom, economic transformation, and constitutional integrity remains unwavering. However, this fight is bigger than us.

I urge South Africans to stand with us in defending these values. Support Independent Media and IOL by subscribing to our platforms. Together, we can resist those who seek to control our minds and our future.

Our liberation came at a great cost. We cannot allow powerful interests to strip us of the freedoms so many fought for.

Join us in defending our democracy, our freedom, and our future.