The tale of Koos Bekker is not one of redemption but of reinvention. The wolf may have donned sheep’s clothing, but its teeth remain as sharp as ever.
Image: Independent Media
By Sipho Tshabalala
In the darkest days of apartheid South Africa, where oppression reigned supreme and injustice was the law of the land, a media juggernaut emerged from the shadows. Its name was Naspers—a towering propaganda machine built to echo the lies and brutality of a regime determined to crush millions under the weight of its tyranny. They coined the term “Swart Gevaar”, or “black danger”, to instil fear and perpetuate the myth that black people were a threat to social order. To solidify their allegiance, none other than former apartheid Prime Minister PW Botha sat on the Naspers board for years.
Fast forward to today, and while the architects of apartheid may have vanished, their legacy lives on, cloaked in the polished veneer of modern media. At the helm of this empire is Koos Bekker, a man whose wealth and power are rooted in one of the darkest chapters of our history.
Bekker, the puppet master behind News24, has masterfully rebranded himself as a progressive media mogul. But behind the façade lies a truth as uncomfortable as it is undeniable. Naspers, under his stewardship, hasn’t shed its apartheid skin—it has merely tailored it to fit a new era. The very same organisation that once amplified the voices of Verwoerd and Malan, architects of racial segregation, now parades itself as a beacon of journalistic integrity. The irony is enough to make anyone choke.
To truly grasp the depth of this deception, one must revisit the origins of Bekker’s empire. Naspers wasn’t just a bystander in apartheid—it was an active accomplice. Its newspapers weren’t merely tools of the regime; they were weapons, wielded to justify brutality and instill fear. While millions suffered under apartheid’s yoke, Naspers reaped the rewards, building an empire on the backs of the oppressed.
Naspers became obscenely wealthy during apartheid, not through hard work or innovation, but through a sweetheart deal with the regime itself. The apartheid government handed them the exclusive license to operate M-Net, South Africa’s first paid TV channel. This lucrative arrangement paved the way for their eventual dominance, expanding into MultiChoice and M-Web, cementing their fortune while millions of South Africans remained trapped in poverty and oppression.
It wasn’t enough for Naspers to profit off apartheid; they weaponised their influence to tighten the regime’s grip. Their newspapers weren’t reporting news—they were printing propaganda. Every headline, every editorial, every piece of content was designed to dehumanise black South Africans and justify their subjugation. This is the legacy that Koos Bekker inherited, and he has done nothing to dismantle it. Instead, he has modernised it, cloaking the same oppressive tactics in the guise of digital innovation and global expansion.
Today, News24, Naspers’ digital offspring, carries on the family tradition of manipulation. It masquerades as an impartial news platform, but anyone paying attention knows better. It’s not journalism—it’s a stage, and Bekker is pulling the strings. The audience? A nation desperate for truth but fed a steady diet of spin and selective outrage. The agenda? Protect the powerful, vilify the disruptors, and ensure that the status quo remains firmly intact.
Take its coverage of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration, for instance. News24 has perfected the art of selective silence. Scandals like Phala Phala are brushed under the rug or sanitised, while those who dare challenge Ramaphosa’s rule are subjected to relentless scrutiny. The message is clear: loyalty to power pays dividends. And let’s not forget how News24 eagerly defends its chosen allies while launching baseless attacks on dissenting voices. It’s a smear campaign dressed up as journalism, and South Africans deserve better.
Koos Bekker would like you to believe that Naspers has turned over a new leaf. After all, they issued a carefully worded apology for their apartheid past. But an apology without action is nothing more than lip service. While Naspers continues to expand its global empire, it leaves behind a trail of destruction in South Africa—a media landscape dominated by a single voice, drowning out the diversity that democracy demands.
The real tragedy is that News24 is a threat to journalism and democracy itself. The stories that matter—the ones about corruption, inequality, and the struggles of ordinary South Africans—are buried beneath a mountain of sensationalism and spin. Instead of holding power to account, News24 has become its lapdog, barking only when it suits its master’s interests.
Koos Bekker and News24 would have you believe they are champions of free speech and democracy. But make no mistake: their loyalty lies not with the people of South Africa but with the powerful elite who benefit from their silence. Bekker’s billions are built on the backs of those who suffered under apartheid, and his empire thrives on the manipulation of public opinion.
The tale of Koos Bekker is not one of redemption but of reinvention. The wolf may have donned sheep’s clothing, but its teeth remain as sharp as ever. South Africans must see through the charade and demand a media landscape that serves the truth, not the interests of a select few. Because in the end, a free press isn’t just about telling stories—it’s about telling the right ones.
* Sipho Tshabalala is an independent writer, analyst and commentator.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.