Edmund Phiri
On Sunday the 6th of February, the DA, through their Shadow Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr Dion George, issued a bizarre statement about Independent Newspapers' "tax compliance".
The DA's statement was nothing but a propaganda smear and a hatchet job against Independent Media. In his clumsy statement, Dion George produces NO evidence or proof of the serious claims made against Independent Media.
Fortunately, Independent Media quickly issued a strongly worded statement rebutting the lies by the DA.
In their statement, the Independent Media confirmed that "whilst tax matters are confidential, the company confirms it has filed all necessary paperwork and is up to date."
Dion Geoge's attack and statement by the DA must not be taken lightly or viewed in isolation from other events. Just in the past weeks, a seven-year-old JSE "compliance" matter about PSG, who were AEEI's sponsor, mushroomed out of nowhere.
AEEI, like Independent Media, are both owned by Sekunjalo Group, whose Chairman is Dr Iqbal Survé.
The JSE seems to have been the latest conduit used to channel propaganda about Sekunjalo related companies. It would be sad if such a noble institution is used as such a tool.
In the absence of negative stories for use in attacks against the group and the companies, the DA through Dion George served as a "useful idiot" in generating negative publicity against the Survé owned companies.
In December last year, I wrote an article where I spoke about corporate terrorism, corporate terrorists, and their mode of operation.
The conduct of the DA against the Independent Media fits into that profile. The DA was specifically trying to draw negative media attention to Independent Media. The JSE, seems to be doing the same.
George's crafted the DA statement with the sole aim of targeting the advertisers and creating an impression that Indy is a bad corporate citizen that does not manage its tax affairs properly.
With the ANC electoral conference coming in December, media houses that do not conduct themselves as government newsletters will be targeted.
Another round and attempt to shut down Independent media seems to be in the works. Post-Nasrec conference, we saw how any media that reported objectively and against the popular narrative was shut down.
Media plurality is just rhetoric in South Africa.
The racist attacks launched by the right-wing DA against Independent Media must be resisted and rejected.
The overall plan goes beyond the smear - the grand plan is to shut down Independent Media and kill media plurality in South Africa.
IOL