Zwelakhe Sisulu (17 December 1950 – 4 October 2012)[1] was a South African black journalist, editor, and newspaper founder.
[8] Zwelakhe Sisulu began his career in journalism in 1975 when he worked as an intern for South African Associated Newspapers.
[1][4] While at the Sunday Post, he was sentenced to prison for his refusal to reveal information about sources of one of his reporters and he led a 1980 strike which resulted in his ban from journalism for several years.
[10] After his release from a 2-year detention and after the ban was lifted on the ANC, Sisulu served as Nelson Mandela's press secretary and also the director of information of the African National Congress.
[6] After his stint at SABC, Sisulu founded New African Investments Limited, which is known as the first black-owned business on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and black empowerment.
[12] Holdings of the company include the publishing house David Philip, Soweto TV and Primedia Broadcasting.
While an editor at the Sunday Post in 1979, Sisulu was questioned by authorities about his knowledge of a source used by journalist Thamsanqa Gerald Mkhwanazi.
Other leaders who shared the same fate were Phil Mtimkhulu, Mathatha Tsedu, Subri Govende and Joe Thloloe.
A controversy was created over the redistribution of resources for other languages besides Afrikaans, which had received special privileges under the Apartheid system.
[20] Sisulu was awarded an Order of Mapungubwe - Gold, posthumously for "his exceptional contribution to quality journalism; and as a reporter exposing the cruelties of apartheid and encouraging unity among the people of different political persuasions to fight for liberation.