Independent Media and Independent Online (IOL) have formally been withdrawn from the Press Council of South Africa (PCSA).

The group announced that it had pulled out with immediate effect.

The decision came after considerable deliberation and the company’s efforts to engage with the Press Council on a fair and transparent basis.

The company recently accused the PCSA of being biased following its rule which favoured News24 against Sunday Independent.

This was after columnist Edmond Phiri on March 3, 2024, sparked a debate after writing a piece comparing News24 journalist Karyn Maughan with Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl. Maughan and News24 filed complaints against the Sunday Independent following the publication of the opinion piece.

However, despite the company presenting a solid defence against the allegations made by News24, the PCSA ruled against the Sunday Independent and IOL.

The company previously said the decision was flawed and lacked impartiality.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the media house said the PCSA’s handling of the suppression of the constitutional right of its writers to express opinions has proven that the organisation has become weaponised against those who seek to uphold the true values of journalism.

The group said despite repeated attempts to arrange meetings with the chairman and editor-in-chief, the Press Council has chosen not to accommodate the request for constructive dialogue.

“Our initial hope in joining the Press Council was that it would serve as an impartial institution, upholding the highest values of press freedom and ethical journalism.

“Unfortunately, it has become evident that the Press Council does not represent these values as publicly claimed. Instead, through its recent judgements, the Council has positioned itself as a de facto censor, restricting the range of allowable opinions—an approach that is incompatible with its mandate to safeguard press freedom,” the group said.

The company said it remained committed to upholding the highest standards of ethical journalism and media freedom. “However, given the Press Council’s current stance, we believe that the environment within it no longer aligns with our commitment to free expression and fair adjudication. As a result, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw from the Press Council.”

The company assured readers and the public that all editorial complaints would be handled internally and fairly.

“Editorial complaints can be directed to editorialcomplaints@inl.co.za,” the company advised.

“Independent Media and IOL stand resolute in our mission to serve the South African public with journalism that promotes diverse voices, fosters critical thinking, and opposes censorship. We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the trust of our audiences,” the statement read.

manyane.manyane@inl.co.za

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Independent Media and IOL officially withdraw from the Press Council