CAPE TOWN. – National Media Group has obtained the publishing rights to 17 well-known South African newspaper titles previously published by Independent Media.
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In an official announcement published by IOL, NMG said it received the licensing rights from Sagarmatha Technologies. The titles include the Cape Times, Cape Argus, The Star, Pretoria News, The Mercury, Daily News, Sunday Tribune and Isolezwe.
The development followed Sekunjalo’s announcement that it would stop funding Independent Media after investing what it said was more than R5.2 billion over approximately 13 years. Sekunjalo also confirmed that Independent Media’s licence to use the newspaper mastheads would end after July 2026.
Is National Media Group really separate?
NMG has been presented as a new media company, but a Daily Maverick investigation found several links between the new publisher, Independent Media and Sagarmatha.
According to the investigation, NMG was registered in 2019 under a generic company name and was renamed National Media Group in April 2026. Daily Maverick also reported that its former sole director, Lizaan Nel, held company-secretary positions within Sagarmatha, Independent Media and Independent Newspapers.
NMG’s new chief executive, Melanie Peters, previously served as Independent Media’s managing editor, while Independent Media journalists have reportedly been transferred to the new publisher. NMG did not answer Daily Maverick’s questions about the relationship between the companies.
Questions about PIC money remain
The transfer also revives questions about money invested by the Public Investment Corporation in the 2013 acquisition of Independent Media.
The official Mpati Commission report recorded that the PIC approved an investment of R1.44 billion. At the time the report was finalised, it said approximately R1.5 billion remained outstanding and that Independent Media was not servicing the debt.
The commission recommended a forensic review of transactions involving the Sekunjalo Group, including an investigation into the movement of funds between related companies.
The available announcements confirm that the mastheads have been licensed to NMG. They do not, however, explain the current status of the money owed to the PIC or establish that NMG represents a complete operational break from Independent Media.
