Soweto - Hundreds gathered at the citizens dialogue in Soweto on Sunday in support of Sekunjalo Independent Media Chairman Dr Iqbal Survé and the staff of Independent Media.
This follows the Public Investment Corporation lodging an application to liquidate Sekunjalo Independent Media (SIM), a special purpose holding company set up in 2013 to buy out Independent Media SA from its Irish owners.
SIM owns 55% of Independent Media, the publisher of titles such as The Star, Pretoria News, the Cape Times and the Weekend Argus.
The speakers at the event are Pan African Congress leader Narius Moloto and the African People's Convention (APC's) Themba Godi.
Various political groups gather at Slovoville near Soweto to show their opposition to the application to liquidate Sekunjalo Independent Media. Video: Timothy Bernard/African News Agency (ANA)
Others present at the dialogue event include NEC members of the African Transformation Movement (ATM) representatives of the ANC Youth and Women's leagues, the Umkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA), business leaders and journalists.
ANC NEC member Tony Yengeni took to Twitter at the weekend to question why the ANC was not at the event. Last week, the ANC's Deputy Secretary General Jessie Duarte slammed the PIC threats to liquidate Sekunjalo Independent Media, saying she was concerned that the PIC may be targeting SIM.
Duarte said although the threats were crazy, they were also concerning. "The Independent media brand has existed for decades and decades under different ownership. Is the problem now that it is owned by the indigenous people of South Africa? As the ANC, we are applying our minds to what the cause of this really is but I can tell you that this makes no sense," Duarte said.
Last week APC President and former SCOPA Chair Godi penned an emotional note to Survé.
"Be strong my brother. This is the battle for full control. They want to control the narrative. You and your staff are all we have. You are a beacon of hope, Be strong", he said.