I know this is more important than me. It’s about journalistic freedom. About the media being able to do their job in a court environment.
‘It’s unfortunate, but one of the most dangerous things that you can be in the world right now is a woman with an opinion.’
Disconcerting words from Karyn Maughan, a 43-year-old News24 veteran legal journalist. But she should know – she’s experiencing it first-hand. Karyn is currently at the centre of a grave political attack on journalism and media freedom.
In September 2022, former president Jacob Zuma began his private prosecution of Karyn, who has covered his court cases for nearly 20 years, and senior state prosecutor Billy Downer, alleging a crime was committed when a letter detailing his medical condition was ‘leaked’ to Karyn. The letter in question was contained in court papers filed in 2021