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Investigative journalism is one of the cornerstones of our democracy, but is often hampered by a lack of funding, former Naspers chairperson Ton Vosloo said at the announcement of a non-profit organisation for investigative journalism within Media24.
During a conversation at the Centre for Student Communities at Stellenbosch University, Vosloo said the organisation, called Truth First, had been established to help the country’s best investigative journalists continue their work.
He and his wife Anet have already made a donation of R3.5 million to establish the company. They have appealed to Naspers shareholders and concerned South Africans to contribute to Truth First in order to help responsibly fund investigative journalism.
“Aside from the financial adaptions the news media has had to make worldwide in the era of the internet and social media, we have a unique challenge in South Africa,” Vosloo said.
“We have informed, equipped and ingenious journalists who have been responsible for bringing controversial revelations – among other things, state capture – to light.”
Their ability to do in-depth “digging” is however often hampered by a lack of resources he said.
“Journalism of this kind can take months and happens outside the daily news agenda. It is expensive, but similarly important that we keep up with this work to sustain our threatened democracy.
“The aims of Truth First are, among other things, to encourage quality investigative journalism in the public interest and to promote an honest, free media that exposes transgressions. It must also contribute to a sense of empowerment by enabling South Africans to hold public institutions accountable.”
Vosloo said that during his career as a journalist he learnt that the cornerstone of democracy in South Africa was a free, independent media.
“During recent years, it has been proven over and over, with brave and responsible investigative journalism that led to the large-scale exposure of corruption and maladministration across a wide spectrum. It is a gift of grace that I’m in the position to contribute to the establishment of Truth First. May it strengthen our journalism to successfully continue its life sustaining work in new, difficult circumstances.”
Journalists working for Media24 will be able to pitch investigative projects that require additional resources to a committee made up of the directors of Truth First. All applications will have to adhere to the funding rules.
In addition to the Vosloos, the other directors are: former press ombudsman Joe Thloloe; general manager: News and Lifestyle at 24.com Charlene Beukes; editor in chief of News24 Adriaan Basson; editor in chief of City Press, Mondli Makhanya; editor in chief of Netwerk24 Henriëtte Loubser; and Oloff Sieberhagen, a lawyer with Marais Müller Hendricks Attorneys.
Thloloe applauded Naspers shareholders for this initiative to give back to journalism and said it was a very innovative way to raise funds for investigative journalism.
“Investigative journalism is really threatened due to publications losing money and cutting costs.”
According to Thloloe it is often one of the first forms of journalism that is cut, because it takes time and money and removes journalists from the stream of daily news.
“Anyone who appreciates investigative work will want to support this project. The country is where it currently is thanks to those who exposed apartheid and the endemic corruption that we are seeing now. They are the ones who are keeping us informed.”
Anet Vosloo said that the biggest gift of a free media is that the public can have peace of mind that they will know the truth.
“That is the confidence that we want to engender with Truth First: to know that Media24 goes out of its way to make sure readers are part of an honest and sincere inner circle that hears the full story,” she said.
Anyone who wants more information about Truth First or wants to make a donation can send an email to oloffs@mmha.co.za.
* City Press is a publication of Media24, an affiliate of Naspers.
