Former president Jacob Zuma. Brian Molefe and Anoj Singh. Rajesh and Atul Gupta. Even Ace Magashule. These are names in lights now following dodgy deals done in the dark. But the real glimmer of hope in the bleakness? More arrests are coming. Trust us.

There are numerous civil society organisations working hard every day, investigators who are doing their jobs quietly and anonymously for their own protection, the NPA is bringing charge sheets and investigative journalists are fighting on your behalf.

Most importantly, those investigative journalists are fighting on your behalf independently. They’re not snuggled up in the deep pockets of any investor, advertiser or benefactor.

Think of it this way: Why did the Guptas start news channel ANN7 and the New Age newspaper? When they’d successfully bought a country and a president, why bother investing in the media? Were they after the immensely lucrative advertising budgets held by South African companies? (We’re kidding, those budgets keep dwindling).

Or were they, like generations of autocrats, dictators and criminals before them, trying to buy the media for propaganda? They understood the power of owning information, of controlling the narrative and what the public knows about. They knew that what you report on is as important as what you choose to hide.

When the media – information, access and messaging – is in the wrong hands, it can flip the direction of a country in an instant.

So, we’re putting it in your hands. Today is World News Media day. It’s a global call to action and unlike World Pasta Day (yes, that exists), this one actually matters for the future you want to be part of. It’s an opportunity for the public to get involved and spread the word about why having an independent media is critical.

At Daily Maverick, we don’t answer to any overlords or benefactors dictating what we investigate or report on. Instead, we have a community of passionate South Africans who know that when the “good” people come together and embrace the power of media together, this country’s prospects are infinitely better.

Complaining, like cynicism, doesn’t add to the solution. If you don’t feel that enough progress is being made at the speed you have deemed appropriate, then do something about it. We’re all frustrated with the glacial pace of accountability, but if you’re still in (metaphorically and literally) South Africa and want to see our beautiful nation become all we know it can be, then support us. It’s one small action that has an enormous impact. Sign up to Maverick Insider. It takes five minutes (four if you type fast) and it’s better than hoping you get a visa to a country that you think has a better future than ours.

Only 0.2% of our readers support the work that we do. And look what we’ve been able to achieve thanks to them. Imagine what we could do for the future of all South Africans if we managed to get even 1% of our readers to support our work. Are you in?

Join The Cause

How much you choose to contribute is up to you. If you use Uber or Uber Eats then signing up for R200/month will get you that back in Uber vouchers, every month. You can pause or cancel anytime. Other benefits include an always-on 10% discount in the Daily Maverick Shop, commenting rights, ad-free browsing and 50% off our live event tickets (including the Gathering).