Independent Media is one of South Africa’s largest commercial publishing houses, operating a nationwide network of daily and weekly newspapers including The Star, Cape Times, Pretoria News, and Daily News. The group also publishes several lifestyle magazines and runs the digital news platform Independent Online (IOL)—a prominent online news portal with substantial national reach. Despite its name, Independent Media has faced ongoing scrutiny over its ownership structure and editorial alignment, raising serious questions about its operational autonomy and ideological leanings.
Media assets
Publishing: Newspapers: Dailies- Cape Argus, Cape Times, The Mercury, The Star, Pretoria News, Daily News, Isolezwe, Daily Voice; Weeklies- Saturday Star, Pretoria News Weekend, Sunday Independent, Weekend Argus, Post, Independent on Saturday, Sunday Tribune, Isolezwe ngo Mqibelo, Isolezwe ngo Sonto, I’solezwe lesiXhosa; Magazines- GQ Style, GQ, Glamour, Glamour Hair, House & Garden, House & Garden Gourmet, Design Directory, Personal Finance, Business Report
News portal: IOL
State Media Matrix Typology
Captured Public/State-Managed or State-Owned (CaPu)
Ownership and governance
Independent Media’s ownership is a complex web involving state-linked interests from both South Africa and China. The breakdown is as follows:
- 55% of shares are held by Sekunjalo Investments, via its subsidiary Sekunjalo Independent Media.
- The remaining 45% is divided between:
- South Africa’s Public Investment Corporation (PIC) – 25%
- Two Chinese state-owned entities:
- China International Television Corporation (CITVC)
- China Africa Development Fund (CADFund) – jointly holding 20%
CITVC is wholly owned by China Central Television (CCTV), Beijing’s main state-run broadcasting body. This strategic partnership, forged during the 2013 acquisition of Independent Media from Ireland’s Independent News & Media (INM), has shaped not only the publisher’s boardroom dynamics but also its editorial agenda.
In recent years, the shareholding structure evolved further: ownership is now channeled through Sagarmatha Technologies Ltd, a Sekunjalo Group subsidiary, and Interacom Investment Holding Ltd, jointly controlled by CITVC and CADFund.
Independent Media’s recent corporate history has been marred by protracted legal wrangling between PIC and Sekunjalo Group. The PIC sought to recover the funds—drawn from government employee pension savings—it used to bankroll Sekunjalo’s 2013 takeover.
After several years of litigation, a tentative settlement was reached in March 2023, though the full terms have not been disclosed. While this has defused tensions for now, media watchdogs continue to question the role of public funds in subsidizing a publisher that often promotes pro-Chinese and pro-government narratives.
Source of funding and budget
Independent Media is officially funded primarily through commercial revenue, largely derived from advertising and subscriptions. However, journalists within the group and media analysts assert that Chinese state support remains a significant behind-the-scenes contributor—whether directly through investment structures or indirectly via syndicated content and cooperative agreements.
As of 2025, the IOL platform, however, has expanded, partially buoyed by syndicated content partnerships with Chinese media outlets.
No publicly available financial report has been released by the group since 2022.
Several titles within the group have cut newsroom staff or reduced print frequency due to declining ad revenues and mounting debt.
Editorial independence
Independent Media’s editorial autonomy has significantly eroded over the past decade. Following the Sekunjalo-led acquisition, the group’s titles shifted toward an increasingly partisan stance, often championing the positions of South Africa’s ruling elite and, more recently, the strategic narratives of the Chinese government.
Key indicators of compromised editorial independence include regular reproduction of China Global Television Network (CGTN) and Xinhua News Agency articles across IOL and in print publications; editorials and opinion columns echoing Beijing-aligned perspectives on foreign policy, investment, and governance; and a growing absence of critical reporting on both the ANC-led government and China’s role in Africa. In May 2025, Independent Media signed a new content-sharing agreement with China Media Group, cementing its status as a conduit for Chinese state media in Southern Africa.
To date, no domestic statute safeguards editorial independence for Independent Media and no independent ombudsperson, editorial review board, or third-party oversight body has been identified to monitor its journalistic standards. Staff and freelancers have reported cases of editorial interference and pressure to align content with ownership interests.
June 2025