Karyn Maughan’s desperate attempt for attention

Dear Karyn,

Your recent letter is a telling display of hypocrisy wrapped in self-righteousness. To begin, I’ll remind you that it is Dr Iqbal Survé—not simply “Iqbal.” Titles in our profession, whether medical or journalistic, matter, and respecting them shows a modicum of professionalism, something you might do well to remember.

You pride yourself on your formative years at Independent Media. For me, my early career path was shaped by another media behemoth: Naspers. I began as a financial markets reporter at Finansies & Tegniek and moved on to various editorial roles, including economics editor at Sake-Beeld and financial markets editor at Sake Rapport. I’m well acquainted with the agenda-driven constraints that coloured editorial decisions at Naspers, where “editorial independence” was and remains an illusion. Key stakeholders and “certain interests” dictated the rules, especially when it came to protecting power structures and shutting out Black-owned businesses.

This corporate bias became painfully clear when I first reported on Dr Survé’s landmark listing of Sekunjalo on the JSE in 1999. I wrote positively about a young Black entrepreneur breaking into an overwhelmingly white corporate space. My reward? Internal censure, subtle yet unmistakable—a warning not to shine the spotlight on someone challenging the status quo. So forgive me if I don’t accept lectures on “journalistic integrity” from someone who doesn’t seem to recognize the underlying realities shaping much of our media’s editorial content.

Your tirade about Independent Media’s alleged “collapse” is convenient—but blatantly misleading. You selectively target Independent Media while ignoring the rot in your own house. Let’s talk about Naspers, which has decided to shutter City Press, Beeld, and Rapport, casting aside loyal staff like yesterday’s news. In contrast, Independent Media has made preserving jobs a priority, even under financial duress. We’ve chosen to stand by our workforce, many of whom hail from marginalized communities, while Naspers has chosen profit over people.

Independent Media has indeed championed press freedom, not the kind wielded selectively to serve corporate interests, but a real commitment to give voice to all South Africans. Yes, our platforms speak boldly against hypocrisy and expose those who consider themselves untouchable—often journalists who, like you, cloak themselves in “truth” while operating with disturbing biases. Your suggestion that Independent is nothing but a vehicle for Dr Survé’s personal grievances is disingenuous. The reality? We provide a platform for the marginalized and amplify voices that others try to silence.

Edmond Phiri’s piece clearly struck a nerve. Why? Because it exposed the uncomfortable truth that your reporting has been anything but balanced, and you know it. You portray yourself as a paragon of journalistic virtue while casting aspersions on anyone who dares to challenge your cosy narratives and affiliations. But here’s a dose of reality: Independent Media’s legacy stands for fearless journalism, not the selective outrage you exhibit.

And while you deride us for defying the Press Council—an entity whose ties to corporate interests are well-documented—let’s be clear: Independent Media’s withdrawal from this body was a decision to uphold the true spirit of media freedom. You can keep clutching at the outdated notion that this was some form of “expulsion”; the fact remains that we chose to step away from a compromised council that operates to protect a select few.

Karyn, your letter reads as a promotional piece for your upcoming book, masked as a defence of journalistic integrity. You claim that you “will not be silenced”—well, neither will we. Independent Media is here to stay, challenging bias, questioning power, and providing a platform for real South Africans. Unlike your handlers and former colleagues, we are not in this to protect an establishment. We are in this to reshape it.

Regards,

Adri Senekal de Wet

Editor-in-Chief, Independent Media