4 March 2021

The South African Communist Party (SACP) conveys its heartfelt condolences to the family of journalist, broadcaster and political analyst Karima Brown, who died this morning from coronavirus related complications. The SACP also sends its deepest condolences to Brown’s colleagues at eNCA, Talk Radio 702 and the media fraternity at large.

Karima Brown was a well-known advocate of media transformation. She openly supported the call and campaign for the media to serve the people and without fear or favour. In defence of media freedom, she also publicly supported journalists who faced victimisation in their respective media houses. She will also be remembered for her forthright and fearless no-holds-barred approach to interviews and analysis, which in the process attracted deeply passioned views from the broader South African analytical community.

In memory of Karima Brown, the SACP reiterates its call for the long overdue diversity and demonopolisation of the media. Ownership of South Africa’s media, especially commercial media, remains among the most concentrated in the world. This naturally negatively affects democratic participation and diversity in terms of news coverage and analysis. The dominant sections of the commercial media largely serve capitalist, and also imperialist, ideas in almost every battle involving the working class and the capitalist class. The task of progressive voices in the media fraternity to change the narrative and build diversity of content is more relevant than ever.

The SACP also calls for speedy action in securing the most suitable Covid-19 vaccines for the people, based on scientific research. We also call for more collaboration among African and Global South countries, buttressed by people-to-people solidarity, in the fight against the deadly virus.