Sekunjalo, the controversial investment group which owns Independent News and Media (INM), has announced that its director and executive chairman, Iqbal Surv\u00e9, has stepped down from the position.<\/p>\n
In a SENS statement released late on Thursday (6 November) the group said that Surv\u00e9 has tendered his resignation as executive chairman and executive director of the company.<\/p>\n
The announcement came as a surprise to many, following the company’s healthy results for the year, announced earlier in the week.<\/p>\n
Sekunjalo on Tuesday reported an increase in profits to R102.4 million for the year ended 31 August, from a profit of R30.3 million the year before.<\/p>\n
Revenues increased to R620.5 million from R570 million before, while diluted earnings per share were up to 19.76 cents from just 6.08 cents in 2013.<\/p>\n
There have been a number of editorial changes and resignations by senior staff at Independent Newspapers since Surv\u00e9\u2019s Sekunjalo-led consortium bought the company last year.<\/p>\n
In June, The Star\u2019s editor Makhudu Sefara resigned, as did Mercury editor Philani Mgwaba. Former Sunday Independent editor Moshoeshoe Monare left in March and joined the M&G as deputy editor.<\/p>\n
In February, veteran financial journalist Ann Crotty resigned from Business Report, Independent\u2019s financial daily. Crotty joined weekly newspaper, the Sunday Times.<\/p>\n
Cape Times editor Alide Dasnois was dismissed from her position after a disciplinary hearing in May.<\/p>\n
The company said it was because she opted for a wrap-around to mark the death of former president Nelson Mandela in December instead of clearing the front page.<\/p>\n
The front page had a story relating to a fisheries tender linked to the Sekunjalo consortium.<\/p>\n
Surv\u00e9 has denied that Dasnois\u2019s dismissal was due to the fisheries tender story.<\/p>\n
Sekunjalo chases after Sapa<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n