The company said the PCSA’s handling of the suppression of the constitutional right of its writers to express opinions has proven that the organisation has become weaponised against those who seek to uphold the true values of journalism
Independent Media and Independent Online announced their withdrawal from the Press Council of South Africa . Picture: Leon Nicholas Independent Media and Independent Online have formally been withdrawn from the Press Council of South Africa .The decision came after considerable deliberation and the company’s efforts to engage with the Press Council on a fair and transparent basis.
This was after columnist Edmond Phiri on March 3, 2024, sparked a debate after writing a piece comparing News24 journalist Karyn Maughan with Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl. Maughan and News24 filed complaints against the Sunday Independent following the publication of the opinion piece. The group said despite repeated attempts to arrange meetings with the chairman and editor-in-chief, the Press Council has chosen not to accommodate the request for constructive dialogue.
“Unfortunately, it has become evident that the Press Council does not represent these values as publicly claimed. Instead, through its recent judgements, the Council has positioned itself as a de facto censor, restricting the range of allowable opinions—an approach that is incompatible with its mandate to safeguard press freedom,” the group said.
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