Media storm as SIU probes lottery funds linked to editor

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has set the cat among the pigeons in Mzansi’s news media world this week. The SIU red-flagged more than half a million rand from the National Lotteries Commission, which in 2018 found its way to a communications company formerly belonging to the current Sunday Times editor and South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef) chair Makhudu Sefara. But as Sefara steps aside from Sanef and takes special leave from the newspaper, he insists he has the receipts to show the funds were used for their intended purpose. Yet, about three years ago, an internal Sanef alarm was raised.News24 business journo Jan Cronje tells us more in this edition. Finally, you know what they say about history? It rhymes. An early form of press freedom was achieved in the then Cape Colony in 1829, On This Day in SA History, our regular segment. Comment below and send our host, broadcast journalist Graeme Raubenheimer, a voice note: 072 562 3179. To advertise: thelead@24.com. Full editions drop on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 19:00 on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. The show is fully produced, presented and edited by Raubenheimer and quality-checked by News24's editors.