By Sipho Tshabalala

Karyn Maughan has taken her place not as a journalist but as the highest-paid propagandist in Koos Bekker’s army—a mouthpiece for apartheid who wants South Africa’s media to serve their elite interests. Her latest outrage, claiming Dr. Iqbal Survé insulted her with the age-old idiom “beat the dog until the owner comes out,” is laughable and desperate. Let’s get it straight: Dr. Survé wasn’t calling her a dog and she knows it; he was exposing her as a pawn in a bigger game—a loyal attack dog for her masters at News24 and Naspers, whose roots are buried deep in apartheid soil.

It’s no secret that News24, owned by Naspers, carries the stain of apartheid-era propaganda. Naspers was the apartheid government’s media puppet, running editorials from apartheid architects like HF Verwoerd, spreading racist ideologies that still echo today. Maughan now serves those same interests, twisting facts to target anyone who dares disrupt the established narrative. Why? Because Independent Media, under Dr. Survé, has empowered black journalists and editors, giving them a platform that was previously out of reach. Maughan’s real anger lies in the fact that Dr. Survé broke free from white control, and she’s on a mission to tear him and Independent Media down.

Back when Independent was owned by white hands, Maughan was content—no complaints about its editorial stance, no outrage over its bad treatment of black staff. But the moment Dr. Survé took over, making Independent a true champion of media diversity and black voices, she turned against it. She was perfectly comfortable at Independent when it served the interests of apartheid’s beneficiaries, but now that it’s challenging the status quo, Maughan is on the offensive.

Make no mistake: Maughan is not an unbiased journalist. She is a weaponised voice for the establishment, wielded to target Dr. Survé, Sekunjalo, and anyone who stands in opposition to elite rule. She seems to be their highest-ranking member in their propaganda unit, which is why they do not want her to fall. She’s not working to uncover the truth; she’s working to silence it. Her recent cries of offence over Dr. Iqbal Survé’s use of an age-old idiom, “beat the dog until the owner comes out,” reveal not only her desperation but her wilful distortion. Contrary to her claim that Dr. Survé called her a dog, the idiom points to her role as a mouthpiece for the establishment’s entrenched interests.

Dr. Survé’s leadership at Independent Media stands as a bold rejection of apartheid-era monopolies. He’s given black journalists room to grow and challenged white monopolies that have controlled South Africa’s media landscape for far too long. But this threatens people like Maughan, whose role is to defend that elite status quo. Her loyalties are clear: she’s not here for the truth, but to protect the interests of those who sign her checks. And if there’s anything her tantrum over an idiom proves, it’s that she’ll stoop to any level to serve her paymasters’ agenda. We must not forget that Koos Bekker’s father was the notorious head of the National Intelligence Agency under apartheid, responsible for assassinating activists for social justice.

It is, frankly, ridiculous that Maughan is offended by the idiom when she, herself, operates as an obedient “attack dog” for her owners. Her entire career under Koos Bekker’s watch is a testament to loyalty over truth, obedience over objectivity. News24, Naspers, and Maughan are bound together in a single mission: to protect white privilege and smear anyone who dares to disrupt it.

What’s especially telling is her selective memory when it comes to apartheid’s legacy in the media. She decries Dr. Survé’s supposed lack of credibility, yet she aligns herself with Naspers, a company that thrived under apartheid, giving a platform to apartheid’s architects. The hypocrisy is astounding. While she throws around accusations against Independent Media, her own employers are guilty of fostering hate and division during apartheid. But in Maughan’s twisted view, only Independent Media must be accountable—not the propaganda machine she now proudly represents.

Dr. Survé has done what so many in this industry refuse to do: he’s created a platform for real transformation. Independent Media is home to black editors, journalists, and leaders who were once sidelined. He’s not just talking about media freedom; he’s living it. While others, including Maughan, play pretend at journalism, Dr. Survé and his team at Independent Media expose the corruption that others won’t touch. The stories Independent Media has broken—from CR17’s dark funding to the Phala Phala scandal and COVID-19 PPE corruption—are stories South Africans need to hear, and Maughan knows that. That’s why she’s on a mission to destroy Independent Media, to make sure these stories never see the light of day.

What’s happening here is bigger than Maughan’s vendetta. It’s a battle for the soul of South Africa’s media landscape. Will we allow Independent Media to be strangled by economic sabotage, fake outrage, and media collusion? Or will we stand with a media house that has consistently exposed the truth, even when the stakes are high?

It’s clear that Maughan’s loyalty lies with her masters—those who thrive off white privilege and apartheid legacies. She will continue to twist words, cry wolf, and weaponize institutions like the Press Council to try and shut down Independent Media. But South Africans see through it. Dr. Survé and Independent Media represent more than just a media house; they represent a movement, a call for real change, and a demand for accountability that Maughan and her backers can’t silence.

The dog may bark, but Independent Media should continue to stand as the last line of defence for true media freedom in South Africa. Dr. Survé isn’t backing down, and neither should we. Because this isn’t just about Independence; it’s about preserving a voice for the people, for black empowerment, and for the right to question, challenge, and expose. And if Maughan and her ilk think they can silence that, they are gravely mistaken.

* Sipho Tshabalala is an independent writer, analyst and political commentator.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.

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