The African News Agency (ANA) is a
news and content syndication service, focusing on news about Africa written by Africans for an African and international audience.
ANA was launched in
Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
in February 2015 by
Sekunjalo Investments
Sekunjalo Investment Holdings (parent company of African Equity Empowerment Investments) is a black owned South Africa-based private equity firm specializing in acquisitions, PIPEs, and buyouts. It has principal operations in publishing, Inte ...
Chair and Executive Chairman of Independent Media, Dr
Iqbal Survé
Iqbal Survé is a South African medical doctor, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He is the Chairman of the Sekunjalo Investments, and Executive Chairman of Independent Media, one of South Africa's largest media companies.
Several banks, includin ...
, and the Chairman of the Pan African Business Forum, Ladislas Agbesi, following the liquidation of the
South African Press Association
The South African Press Association (SAPA) was the national news agency of South Africa until its closure in 2015.
History
The agency was established on 1 July 1938 by major South African newspapers to facilitate the sharing of news. Reuters had ...
(SAPA), previously a major supplier of foreign and domestic news in
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
Controversies
In February 2021 during testimony at
,
Sydney Mufamadi
Fholisani Sydney Mufamadi (born 28 February 1959) is a South African politician. He was Minister of Safety and Security from 1994 to 1999 and Minister of Provincial and Local Government from 1999 to 2008.
Early life
Mufamadi was born on 28 Feb ...
testified that the
State Security Agency (South Africa)
The State Security Agency is the department of the South African government with overall responsibility for civilian intelligence operations. It was created in October 2009 to incorporate the formerly separate National Intelligence Agency, South ...
had paid R20 million to the ANA to publish articles favorable to then President
Jacob Zuma
Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...
. The payments were confirmed by ANA CEO
Vasantha Angamuthu, however, she denied any wrongdoing on ANA's part. Angamuthu emphasised that ANA was neither aware of any sinister motive by the SSA nor did they participate in any business outside of the company's key focus, i.e. driving growth and development on the African continent using media.
The final Zondo report was released on 22 June 2022 and made no adverse findings against ANA.
See also
*
Africanews
Africanews is a French multilingual news network, formerly headquartered in Pointe-Noire, Republic of the Congo. Budget concerns caused by the coronavirus forced the channel to permanently shift operations to a small newsroom at the headquarter ...
References
External links
* {{Official website, http://www.africannewsagency.com/, name=Official website of African News Agency
Mass media in Cape Town
News agencies based in South Africa
Pan-Africanism
Mass media companies established in 2015
Companies based in Cape Town
South African companies established in 2015