The newspaper group, which includes Independent Media, IOL and African Community Media, refused to retract an article about one journalist and apologise to another
The Press Council of South Africa (PCSA) said on Wednesday that it had expelled Independent Media “with immediate effect”, citing the group’s refusal to comply with rulings and sanctions from the council’s adjudication processes.
Latiefa Mobara, executive director of the PCSA, confirmed the expulsion in a formal statement.
The expulsion stems from the group’s refusal to retract a column comparing News24 journalist Karyn Maughan to Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl.
The column, which appeared in multiple Independent Media titles in March 2024, was deemed defamatory and harmful by the PCSA’s adjudication panel.
Despite an appeal, the PCSA’s chair of appeals, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, upheld the ruling, ordering Independent Media to apologise and remove the article from its platforms.
The company refused to comply.
Independent Media’s rejection of the press council’s findings also extended to a long-standing case involving journalist Gillian Moodie.
In 2016, the press ombud ruled that Independent Newspapers should issue an apology to Moodie, but the media group failed to comply, even after rejoining the PCSA in January 2024.
The situation escalated when Independent Media published an article on IOL in response to the Maughan ruling, announcing its withdrawal from the PCSA.
Press council chair Judge Fritz Brand dismissed the withdrawal as invalid, citing a rule that requires at least three years’ notice before a member can leave the council.
Independent Media’s refusal to comply with the council’s rulings prompted the expulsion.
Brand expressed disappointment over the expulsion, calling it “sad” but necessary.
“It is unacceptable that publications wilfully refuse to obey the rulings of the PCSA,” he said.
This is only the second time the press council has expelled a member, the first being The Jewish Report, in 2022.
The press council had given Independent Media until 9 October 2024 to apologise to Maughan and comply with the sanctions. When the group continued to resist, it was given a final deadline of 22 October.
Independent Media and IOL submitted letters of withdrawal on that date, which the council rejected.
In a letter sent on 10 October, Brand informed Independent Media executives that the withdrawal was not recognised, because the group had joined the press council earlier in 2024 as a unified entity.
The expulsion covers Independent Media, IOL and African Community Media.
The press council said it remained open to negotiating the conclusion of pending complaints against Independent Media, despite its expulsion.