A joint statement released on Wednesday afternoon by Media24 and Vusi Mona confirmed an earlier report by the Mail & Guardian Online that Mona had resigned as editor of the City Press newspaper.
Mona said he is sorry to leave City Press and enjoyed the challenge of editing the newspaper during a period of change in the Sunday market.
“I believe City Press is today a stronger, better balanced paper with a good business section and broad coverage of news, entertainment and sport.”
He believes, however, that it would be difficult for him to return to City Press after a period of absence and due to press reports that there was a conflict between his business interests and his duties as editor.
Jan Malherbe, CEO of Media24 Newspapers, said that City Press improved during Mona’s three years as editor.
“City Press is a well-regarded newspaper serving a loyal and higher-income reader base and is doing well in spite of two new entrants into the Sunday market.”
Media24, with the agreement and cooperation of Mona, had in October requested a legal firm to investigate press allegations that the editor of City Press had personal interests in agreements with the Mpumalanga Parks Board and the Mpumalanga provincial government.
Mona specifically requested that the findings of this investigation be made public notwithstanding his resignation.
According to Thursday’s statement, the investigation established that from 2001 to September 4 2002, Mona had a 50% member’s interest in Zan Moss Technologies CC, trading as Rainbow Communications. Mona disposed of his interest on September 4 2002.
Zan Moss Technologies during 2002 conducted training for a trust connected to the Mpumalanga provincial government. Mona occasionally participated in the training.
The company also made presentations to the Mpumalanga Parks Board that resulted in an agreement with the parks board signed on September 9 2002, and Mona participated in these presentations.
However, subsequently in 2003, Zan Moss Technologies, also trading as Rainbow Kwanda Communications, successfully tendered with Kwanda Media for a contract with the Mpumalanga provincial government. Mona at that stage had no interest in either Zan Moss Technologies or Kwanda Media.
The investigation found that Mona’s interest in Zan Moss Technologies until September 4 2002 constituted a conflict of interest with his duties as editor. He did not disclose the details of his interests at the time as he should have, but realising the conflict, decided to dispose of his interests and signed an agreement to this effect on September 4 2002.
Thursday’s statement denies that Mona had any involvement or interest in a recent advertisement in City Press placed by Rainbow on behalf of the Mpumalanga government.
It says the investigation could not find specific evidence that the conflict of interest alluded to in fact led to Mona favouring any of the customers of Zan Moss Technologies in City Press.