Coronavirus: eNCA anchor of The Fix Karima Brown has died after losing her battle after weeks against Covid-19, called 'a constellation all of her own who could do things that other journalists simply can't'.

by Thinus Ferreira

eNCA (DStv 403) on Thursday morning calling it "shocking news" announced that its regularly used analyst and anchor of its weekly weekend programme The Fix, Karima Brown, has died from Covid-19. She was 53.

Karima Brown, born Karima Semaar in 1967, was admitted to hospital a few weeks ago and moved to an intensive care unit (ICU) where she has been fighting for her life against the coronavirus.

Karima Brown was placed on a ventilator but her condition steadily worsened and she passed away on Thursday morning.

The family in a statement said that "Karima will be laid to rest in a burial ceremony which will be held in accordance with Islamic rites and traditions. A small number of people will attend the funeral and all Covid-19 regulations will be observed".

"In due course an announcement will be made about a more public memorial service in honour of Karima's life."

Known for her often abrasive style of interviewing, Karima Brown appeared as an analyst on eNCA over several years before she was made the host of The Fix. 

"For a long time, Karima has been a robust voice in South Africa’s media landscape. Her years of activism preceded this," says Norman Munzhelele, eNCA managing director, in a brief statement.

"She had a big personality and didn’t shy away from voicing her opinions. Karima believed in hope. She was also a loving mother, a loyal friend and a committed colleague. Her death leaves a massive void for many."

eNCA on Thursday morning on-air paid tribute to Karima Brown saying she was "one of the stalwarts of journalism" and that "she really played a significant role in asking tough questions to those in power trying to get to details and trying to get to the bottom of many tough developments in this country".

eNCA said that Karima Brown was a "very widely respected political commentator and analyst" and that colleagues are shocked at the news. 

John Bailey, eNCA managing editor, told Newzroom Afrika in an interview about Karima Brown's death that "it is indeed a sad day for eNCA but also for the broader South African community".

"This is somebody who was completely committed to the cause of journalism and she saw it as a way of also continuing with the activism that she was involved in. She was fierce in her approach and she had strong opinions which obviously didn't sit well with some people, but Karima was that person that we needed in South Africa".

He described her as a "committed person and also a very loving mother to her son and also a good friend to us here at eNCA" and said that she was a mentor for many young and upcoming journalists in South Africa "to tell them to keep asking those difficult questions of those in power".

Besides eNCA the veteran journalist had also worked at Independent Media and Business Day where she often had the inside track and scoop with her deep contacts on the undercurrents and news within the ANC political party.

Her stint at Independent Newspapers under the Sekunjalo boss Iqbal Surve resulted in a fallout among some of her peers.

Kate Skinner, SANEF director, told eNCA that "Karima Brown was very brave and was very courageous in terms of asking the hard questions".

"It's not to say that she wasn't controversial. Some people didn't like her views and at times felt that she was too close to the ruling party - there were those kinds of issues."

Peter Bruce, former Business Day editor, said "many foreign correspondents would often remark how they read her first because she was the more reliable of all of the political correspondents".

He said Karima Brown "was a constellation all of her own. She could do things that other journalists can't do. She could actually call people that other journalists simply can't".

In her career Karima Brown also hosted programmes like Political Capital on CNBC Africa (DStv 410) and The Karima Brown Show on 702 talk radio. She later lodged a complaint accusing 702 of censorship and editorial interference and her contract wasn't renewed.

Several other eNCA workers and staffers working for eMedia Investments's TV channels and news outfits have already died from Covid-19.

In May 2020 the cameraman Lungile Tom who worked for eNCA and eNews died from Covid-19 related complications as the first South African media worker to die from this coronavirus. 

In July 2020 the longtime eNCA graphic designer Michael Wilson passed away from Covid-19.

The SABC foreign editor Sophie Mokoena apologises to the SABC economics editor Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki and 'SABC8' colleague for having retweeted a fake news article claiming the SABC8 were paid by Bosasa.

The SABC's foreign editor, Sophie Mokoena, on Friday had to apologise to the South African public broadcaster's economics editor, Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki, for having had retweeted a fake news article that claimed that some of the so-called "SABC8"-journalists were paid by Bosasa.

The fake news article first appeared in January 2019 on Times Live.

Karima Brown, anchor of The Fix on eNCA (Dstv 403) revealed that the apology happened this past on Sunday during her weekly show.

"I understood that Sophie Mokoena from the SABC apologised to her colleague of the 'SABC8'
Thandeka Gqubule-Mbeki" said Karima Brown. 

The apology apparently happened during a council meeting of the South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef).

Sam Mkokeli, chairperson of Sanef's media freedom subcommittee, explained that "Sophie Mokoena came out to apologise for retweeting a news report that said people in the SABC8 were paid by Bosassa - something that was an outright lie."

Bosasa is a controversial South African company involvement in numerous corruption allegations that were exposed during the ongoing Zondo Commission of Inquiry.

The SABC8 - eight SABC journalists who stood up against censorship at the SABC and who got fired for it were Vuyo Mvoko, Thandeka Gqubule, Suna Venter, Krivani Pillay, Lukhanyo Calata, Foeta Krige, Jacques Steenkamp and Busisiwe Ntuli.

The labour court later ordered the SABC to reinstate them.

The fake Times Live article claimed that Bosasa paid them R100 000 but the truth is that they never received any money and that Bosasa never made any payment to them whatsoever.

Within the SABC Sophie Mokoena is seen as an erstwhile and alleged so-called "Hlaudi-enforcer".

She is allegedly one of the high-ranking staffers who allegedly sided with the now-fired former famously matricless chief operating officer (COO) at the SABC, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, who during his reign of terror, clamped down on press freedom within the SABC News division with censorship decrees and got rid of journalists and staff who didn't follow his draconian commands.

The SABC announced a commission of inquiry into alleged editorial interference at the SABC and SABC News at the end of May 2018. 

More than a year later the SABC has not released the findings of the commission. The inquiry has been completed according to the SABC although the broadcaster has not given any reason as to why the inquiry report has not been released.

eNCA condemns EFF attack on Karima Brown after the political party reveals her cellphone number, leading to a barrage of abuse.

The eNCA (DStv 403) South African TV news channel is condemning the attack of the EFF on Karima Brown after the political party revealed her cellphone number, leading to a barrage of abuse.

Karima Brown received threatening and abusive message after the EFF publicised her cellphone number on social media.

It happened after Karima Brown posted an editorial brief in an EFF media Whatsapp group instead of to eNCA journalists, after the political party posted an invitation to an EFF "Breakfast with rhe Elderly" event set for Wednesday.

Karima Brown posted: "Keep an eye out for this. Who are these elders. Are they all male and how are they chosen. Keep watching brief". After a while she deleted the message from the Whatsapp group.

Julius Malema, EFF leader then retweeted a screenshot of the message and added Karima Brown's cellphone number, saying: "Karima Brown is sending moles to our breakfast with the elders tomorrow, she incidentally sends the message to the EFF media Whatsapp group and deleted it immediately."

Karima Brown immediately started to get messages ranging from verbal abuse to insults and threats, including rape threats.

eNCA in a statement says it condemns the EFF attacks on Karima Brown.

"eNCA condemns in the strongest possible terms threats of violence and verbal attacks by supporters of the EFF including its leader Julius Malema against current affairs host Karima Brown," says Jeremy Maggs, eNCA acting managing director and editor.

"In particular, we take extreme exception to her life being threatened, threats of rape; her telephone number being disseminated and the derogatory names she is being called."

"We stand in full agreement with the South African National Editors Forum (Sanef) that this is also a hostile attack on media freedom in this country, particularly in a highly charged pre-election political climate in which all media houses are operating."

"We concur with Sanef that party leader Julius Malema owes Karima Brown an apology and call on the EFF to immediately cease this intimidation and bullying."

"Karima Brown is the presenter of a Sunday morning show called The Fix which takes a robust and analytical look at political issues facing the country."

"She also performs the role of political commentator where she is called on from time to time to provide analysis and insight into political stories. In the short term, she is also performing the role of consulting producer on the evening show Tonight with Jane Dutton where she assists in developing content and providing guidance when called upon."

"With reference to a WhatsApp message that Karima Brown put out, it was simply one of guidance to our political team and pertinent questions we would ask of any political party."

"The issues queried in the message revolve around a point of how a young party with no significant body of retired past leadership selects a body of elders. It is, therefore, a legitimate question that deserves an answer rather than an attack on the questioner," says eNCA.

"eNCA believes it would have been instructive and less damaging to all concerned had the EFF simply engaged on the matter with the station before resorting to what amounts to unfair harassment and aggression."

"If the EFF has any complaints about content on the station or issues with individual presenters and reporters there are accepted avenues to follow including the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa."

The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) in a statement on Wednesday said it condemns the "systemic, abusive and cruel social media attack levelled against KarimaBrown by the Economic Freedom Front leader Julius Malema and his supporters".

"Malema published the cellphone number of Karima Brown and, shortly thereafter, his supporters began a barrage of insults against her - calling her, among other derogatory names, 'an Indian whore and bitch' and levelling insults, threatening her life, and accusing her of allegedly sending moles to spy on them."

"This after Brown posted a message on an EFF Whatsapp group. The message was meant for a journalist group instead."

Sanef said the EFF should "stop with this vicious attack on the media and allow journalists to do their work without fear and intimidation".

"If the EFF leadership has evidence and/or concerns about Karima Brown or any other member of the media they must deal with this in the correct forum including the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCCSA) and online or the Press Ombudsman/Council for Print and Online."

"From a Sanef position there is empirical evidence to show that when senior party leaders and politicians muzzle journalists, their supporters follow in their footsteps."

The EFF in a statement on Wednesday said "The EFF has long held a position that Karima Brown is not a journalist, but an openly admitted ANC operative".

"All journalists who hold legitimate positions, and whose integrity has always been consistent with journalistic ethics, should care about what role Karima Brown plays in the media."

"Upon accidentally dropping what looks like briefing notes in an EFF media statements Whatsapp group, we have since exposed those notes to the public. As a result, she has argued that those were editorial notes for eNCA journalists."

"We know for a fact that Karima Brown holds no editorial positions, not even an assignment editor's position at the eNCA. We urge the eNCA to explain in what capacity, she would be briefing journalists who are going on assignments to cover EFF meetings."

"Our argument is with her, because we believe she holds no position, anywhere, to be deploying journalists to cover any news. If Karima Brown is no official editor, and yet the eNCA allows her to hold such power, they must say so. This will make matters easy for us, as we will, from henceforth, deal with her and not the officially designated editors".

eNCA adds new weekend programming strands, The Tim Modise Network on Saturday and The Fix with Karima Brown on Sunday.

eNCA (DStv 403) has added new weekend programming strands, The Tim Modise Network with Tim Modise on Saturdays, and The Fix with Karima Brown on Sundays, starting this weekend.

The Tim Modise Network is a spin-off extension of the same-named podcast show Tim Modise did for TouchHD. The veteran broadcaster also did a current affairs talk show Tonight with Tim Modise on SowetoTV since 2015 and that was extended to 4 days a week in January 2016, but that is apparently now finished.

The hourlong The Tim Modise Network will be broadcast on eNCA on Saturdays at 18:00 and will see Tim Modise do interviews with politicians, musicians, celebrities and sports heroes. The show will also be shown on Sundays at 18:00 - likely a rebroadcast although eNCA didn't specify.

In the first episode of The Tim Modise Show on eNCA he will talk to the Market & Joburg City Theatre artistic directors, James Ngcobo and Makhaola Ndebele about the topic of whether South African theatre still has the same social and cultural impact as it used to have.

"I want to use The Modise Network to engage with the people who are taking our country forward," says Tim Modise. "Politicians, musicians and sports heroes all have a role to play in how we shape our future. I am very excited about bringing them into our network and onto my couch."

eNCA is also adding The Fix with Karima Brown on Sundays at 19:00 to 21:00 as a new 2-hour programming strand from this Sunday.

The veteran political journalist and commentator will have a panel of guests who will discuss and analyse the past week's big news events and also look forward to the new week's upcoming events.

The panellists will also debate issues, described as "nothing's off the table in this no-holds-barred debate show".

"The Fix will be a platform to engage on the big issues. I want honest views, robust opinions, and real debate," says Karima Brown.

"Yes, we will hold the powerful to account, but we will also challenge each other to get to the heart of any issue we tackle – be it how to run the economy, sports hooliganism or sexual politics. We promise that you will still be talking about it on Monday morning," says Karima Brown.