New owners at SA paper

JOINT ownership of South Africa's conservative tabloid newspaper The Citizen has passed into black hands after a merger, yesterday.

Perskorgroep Ltd which is run by white Afrikaners and Kagiso Publishers which is run by blacks, said, in a joint statement, the merger was "arguably the most significant deal of its kind in the new South Africa".

"Politically, it unites two entities from opposite ends of the spectrum, the statement said.

Perskorgroep owns, prints and distributes The Citizen, widely respected for its horse racing tips, which has substantial readership across the racial spectrum.

It was secretly funded by the white government when it was established in the 1970s to counter the generally anti apartheid stances taken by other English language newspapers.

"The absolute editorial independence of The Citizen, as well as other titles, will continue Kagiso chairman, Mr Eric Molobi, said.