South Africa’s independent press will find it harder to preserve its media freedom under the ANC government in the coming years, Naspers chairman Ton Vosloo said on Thursday.

“Government and the ANC, through its national democratic revolution, wants total control of big brother,” he told the Cape Town Press Club in Newlands.

Vosloo would be retiring from his position soon.

“Our free and independent press and media will be facing huge challenges in the not too distant future in preserving the very freedom they enjoy to speak out against the erosion of this freedom, corruption and other ills,” Vosloo said.

Criticism that transformation of the media was sorely lacking was unfounded given that most big newspaper houses had significant black ownership.

These included Media 24, which was 45% black owned.

Vosloo recently retired as a director of Media 24.

“All in all those who complain about transformation should have a good look at the facts. My answer to the complaints [is] the ANC does not like a free and independent owned press,” he said. — Sapa