When the South African Muslim Network (Samnet) noticed an unusual pattern in a community newspaper, they decided to act. The Rising Sun newspaper group, which usually limits itself to local stories in KwaZulu-Natal, repeatedly highlighted Africa Tikun, a charity tied to pro-Israel organisations.
For Samnet, this raised serious concerns about what was being prioritised and why.
Why the letter was written
Samnet’s Muhammad Kharwa explained that the organisation privately addressed a letter to Rising Sun’s chief executive, questioning the frequent coverage of Africa Tikun. The charity’s work was often promoted even when it fell outside the paper’s distribution areas. According to Kharwa, this amounted to “charity washing”, using positive charitable activities to cover deeper political ties and agendas.
Shortly after, a video posted online by a spokesperson for the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) accused Samnet of threatening the media and freedom of speech. The claims were unfounded. Samnet clarified the situation and the video was later removed.
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How activism works in practice
For Kharwa, the incident shows the importance of holding the media accountable. He pointed out that Samnet’s private letter, which was shared publicly without redaction, also raised questions about breaches of privacy under the POPI Act. Despite this, he insisted that activism can take many forms and that constructive engagement with editors is as important as protests or public campaigns.
“I think it’s important for us to understand and and firstly to start off by saying the reason that we are raising this and why we want to be able to to put this out there is because it demonstrates that activism works,” he said.
The issue is linked to a wider failure by some South African outlets to disclose conflicts of interest when reporting on Israel. This silence, particularly around the killing of journalists in Gaza, makes it even more urgent for the public to demand transparency.
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Accountability and the public voice
At the centre of Samnet’s message is the belief that ordinary people have power. “Everyone can make a difference and it doesn’t take an organisation to do this. … They are impactful. We must not underestimate the value and the impact of public opinion,” Kharwa noted.
This call ties into global accountability efforts, where activists across the world are pushing for justice against alleged war crimes. Kharwa urged South Africans to learn from these examples, use all available legal and ethical tools, and remain persistent in holding individuals, organisations, and media outlets to account.
As media coverage continues to shape public perception, the responsibility falls not just on editors and publishers, but also on citizens to question bias, demand fairness, and use their voices to push back against injustice.
For more on this, watch the video below:
Image via Peters Papers.
