The resignation of The Star newspaper’s editor Makhudu Sefara on Monday was amicable and mutually agreed upon, Independent Newspapers said.<\/p>\n
“The company has today [Monday] announced that Makhudu Sefara, editor of The Star, has left the company with immediate effect,” deputy executive chairman Tony Howard said in a statement.<\/p>\n
“The parting of ways between Makhudu and Independent Media SA was amicable and mutually agreed upon.”<\/p>\n
Howard said Sefara, having worked for the company previously, returned in 2009.<\/p>\n
Sefara was the editor at the Saturday Star before being appoitned editor of The Star.<\/p>\n
“He very ably led The Star for more than two years and was recently called upon to oversee difficult but necessary changes at the paper, a task he successfully completed with grace and sensitivity,” Howard said.<\/p>\n
The company and Sefara could not agree on how best to use Sefara’s talents further in the company.<\/p>\n
“As a consequence, Makhudu and the company agreed on a separation agreement that was amicable and about which they are not prepared to comment on any further,” Howard said.<\/p>\n
The Star’s deputy editor Kevin Ritchie was appointed acting editor until further notice.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Monday, Sefara confirmed to Sapa he had stepped down.<\/p>\n
“I have stepped down and I am no longer the newspaper’s editor, it was an amicable departure,” Sefara said.<\/p>\n
There had been editorial changes and resignations by senior staff at Independent Newspapers since Iqbal Surve’s Sekunjalo-led consortium bought the company last year.<\/p>\n
Last week, The Mercury editor Philani Mgwaba resigned. Mgwaba had been editing the newspaper since 2012.<\/p>\n
Former Sunday Independent editor Moshoeshoe Monare joined the Mail & Guardian as deputy editor in March. He had replaced Sefara at the Sunday Independent after became The Star’s editor.<\/p>\n
In February, veteran financial journalist Ann Crotty resigned from Business Report, the Independent Newspapers’ financial daily. Crotty joined weekly newspaper, the Sunday Times.<\/p>\n
Last year, Cape Times editor Alide Dasnois was fired after the newspaper published a front-page article on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s finding against Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson.<\/p>\n
It found the minister was guilty of maladministration and improper and unethical conduct in the awarding of an R800 million tender to a Sekunjalo subsidiary to manage the state’s fishery vessels.<\/p>\n
Surve denied that Dasnois’s dismissal was due to the fisheries tender story.<\/p>\n
Dasnois has since approached the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.<\/p>\n
Surve reportedly walked out at the Nat Nakasa Awards ceremony two weeks ago after Dasnois received the award for courageous journalism.<\/p>\n
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa gave a speech at the event.<\/p>\n
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