Makhudu Sefara is the editor of the Sunday Times and the chairperson of SANEF.
- Sunday Times editor Makhudu Sefara has been placed on special leave.
- The Special Investigating Unit says R550 000 in misappropriated grant money flowed to his company, Unscripted Communication.
- Sefara has denied wrongdoing, accusing the SIU of “grandstanding” and using his name to “generate undue publicity”.
- For more financial news, visit News24 Business.
The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has linked Makhudu Sefara, editor of the Sunday Times and chairperson of the SA National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), to lottery-related wrongdoing.
The SIU said on Tuesday it had recovered R1.5 million that was “misappropriated” by the Todi Media Development Foundation in 2018.
The unit said that while the money was supposed to fund a media project including journalists’ accommodation, car hire, catering and marketing, it was “diverted into private pockets and toward property purchases”.
R550 000 was “diverted” by Todi Media to Unscripted Communication, a company directed by Sefara.
Company records show that Unscripted Communication was registered in April 2018 with Sefara as its sole director. It was deregistered in 2024 for failing to submit annual returns.
The SIU said another R900 000 went to Black Dangaree, which was apparently used to purchase a property. Black Dangaree is not linked to Sefara.
The SIU said Todi Media’s directors were “unable to account” for how they spent the money.
Sefara denied wrongdoing on Tuesday afternoon, saying the funds were used for a legitimate community media event at the Birchwood Hotel near OR Tambo Airport.
He said he was asked to host the event by Daniel Makwela, the head of Todi Media.
“To claim that some funds were ‘diverted’ into private pockets to create an impression of impropriety on my part is not just false and therefore harmful, but a poor strategy to use my name to generate undue publicity,” he said.
“There could be no doubt on whether or not the event took place. As CEO of a communications firm, I was entitled to pursue business which included organising community media workshops.”
Special Leave
Arena Holdings, which owns the Sunday Times, said in a statement that it had placed Sefara on special leave.
“Arena Holdings has engaged directly with Mr Sefara regarding the allegations. Mr Sefara has denied any wrongdoing and has provided the company with his account of the events in question,” it said in a statement.
“Having considered the matter, management has resolved to afford Mr Sefara the necessary time and space to address the allegations and to seek to clear his name.”
Arena added that it would appoint an independent investigator to undertake a “comprehensive review of all relevant facts and circumstances surrounding the matter”.
“The findings of this independent process will guide the company’s decisions going forward. Pending the conclusion of this process, Mr Sefara will take special leave.”
Deputy Editor Mike Siluma has assumed the role of acting editor of the Sunday Times with immediate effect.
SANEF, where Sefara has been chairperson since February last year, said he had stepped aside pending an investigation. The forum noted he denied the allegations.
Sefara (52) previously served as editor of the Sunday World and The Star.
*This article was updated on 28 April 2026 to include comment from Arena Holdings and Makhudu Sefara. It has also been updated to show he stepped aside from SANEF.
