Recently former Naspers chairman, Ton Vosloo bemoaned the dismissive attitude towards those that warned against the policy of apartheid.
His thoughts were part of an open letter published in Media24 publications Netwerk24 and Die Burger.
Vosloo and current Naspers chairman Koos Bekker must accept that they were not innocently influenced bystanders but rather active participants and beneficiaries of the apartheid regime.
Through Naspers newsrooms across the country, the apartheid regime was propped up and its grotesque discriminatory laws justified.
There’s also that not so small fact that the architects of apartheid - the National Party owned a considerable amount of shares in Naspers.
This over and above the donations Naspers made to the National Party in the 80’s. To quote Vosloo shortly before the 1989 elections in a letter to FW De Klerk said “ Our newspaper Beeld in the Transvaal is your ally and we trust that this formidable combination will wipe out the competition."
It was also in the 80’s that Koos Bekker emerged at Naspers, through the partnership with M-Net. Bekker has gone on to become one of the richest men in the world - the basis for his wealth built on the backs of millions of South Africans that suffered during the apartheid era.
What about any atonement? Apart from a few statements, there has been nothing substantial.
In fact when summoned by the Truth and Reconciliation in 1997, they blankly refused to participate.
Of the thousands of journalists and other employees working at Naspers over the brutal period of the 70’s and 80’s only 127 employees made personal representations to the TRC in 1997 - Bekker and Vosloo were not one of them.
It took almost another 20 years before Naspers would say anything about their role during apartheid again - a short statement of apology by Media24 CEO Esmare Weideman to a single employee who had experienced problems with separate facilities.
There was no full apology for Naspers's role in supporting apartheid or any plans to return the companies ill-gotten gains.
What has changed since the 80’s ? Not much.
The top editorial management of Naspers owned News24 - the companies largest news platform is still controlled by two Afrikaaner males Adriaan Basson and Pieter Du Toit who both hail from that bastion of progressive journalism - Beeld.
Yes, the same Beeld that once described itself as a trusted ally of the National party while the regime was slaughtering black people across the country.
Until Bekker and Naspers apologise unreservedly for their role in apartheid and return their ill gotten gains, they will forever be remembered as an organisation that built its wealth at the expense of black South Africans.