VETERAN STRUGGLE JOURNALIST, SUBRY GOVENDER, DESCRIBED
AS A “FEARLESS, COURAGEOUS AND UNCOMPROMISING” NEWS HOUND ON THE EVE OF THE LAUNCH
OF GOVENDER’S AUTOBIOGRAPHY – “COOLIE JOURNALIST”
ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 25
January 7 2026
With only a few
weeks to go before veteran struggle journalist, Subry Govender, launches his
autobiography, “Coolie Journalist”, on January 25, a prominent former political
and social activist has paid tribute to Govender for being “a progressive and fearless”
news hound.
Mr Siva Naidoo of
Tongaat, who was a top official of the Natal Indian Congress (NIC), United
Democratic Front (UDF), Activist Citizens Forum and other anti-apartheid
organisations in the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, wrote about Govender’s
contributions to the freedom struggles through his work as a “struggle
journalist” when praising Govender for the launch of “Coolie Journalist”.
He wrote that he
wanted to add his voice “with conviction
and pride” to congratulate Govender on the launch of his autobiography.
The launch will take place at
the Umhlanga Apart-Hotel (60 Meridian Drive, Umhlanga) on January 25 at 11am.
Former colleagues, comrades, friends and family members are gearing themselves to
attend the launch.
In his support of the launch of
“Coolie Journalist”, Mr Naidoo wrote that he “first encountered Subry around
1977, shortly after I was recruited into activist work”.
“From the outset, it was clear
that Subry was not a journalist in the narrow, professionalised sense, but a
political being with a moral compass.
“He understood — instinctively
and intellectually — that journalism is never neutral in a society structured
by injustice.
“In times of oppression,
silence and false balance serve power; truth serves the people.
“Subry was, and remains, a progressive struggle journalist in the truest
sense of the word — fearless, courageous, and utterly uncompromising.”
Mr Naidoo wrote that as young activists confronting the brute force of
apartheid, he and other anti-apartheid activists in general were “inspired by
his reporting because it did more than inform; it exposed, challenged and
mobilised”.
“His words chipped away at the legitimacy of an illegitimate system, one
story at a time.
“He was well known to the NIC and UDF leadership, and later, after the
unbanning of the ANC, to the political leadership of KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa.
“This was not because he sought proximity to power, but because power
knew it was being watched. That distinction matters — then and now.
“Today, South Africa faces a different but no less dangerous conundrum.
Political freedom has not translated into social or economic justice.
“Corruption, state capture, patronage networks and the erosion of
ethical leadership threaten to hollow out our hard-won democracy.”
Mr Naidoo added that in this context, “journalists who interrogated
power rather than echo it, was not a luxury — they were essential to democratic
survival.”
In this regard, he wrote that “Subry’s life reminds us that press
freedom is not secured once and for all”.
“It must be defended constantly, especially when power becomes impatient
with accountability and hostile to scrutiny.
“The banning order, and harassment Subry endured under apartheid were
crude and overt.
“Today, repression is often subtler — through intimidation, co-option,
economic pressure, political favour and the normalisation of mediocrity. Yet
the intent remains the same: to mute critical voices.
“I recall Subry interviewing me at my home in Watsonia, Tongaat, during
his time at the SABC, when I founded the Activist Citizens Forum. That
interview symbolised what ethical journalism looks like: rooted in community
struggle, alert to power dynamics, and committed to amplifying voices from
below rather than sanitising narratives from above.
“Subry’s trust was earned, not assumed. His integrity was not
situational. He never abandoned principle for access, nor traded truth for
comfort. In an era where too many have crossed the line from journalism into
public relations for the powerful, Subry stands as a rebuke.
“He continues to speak truth to power, not as an outsider throwing
stones, but as a patriot who understands that loyalty to country means holding
it to account.
“That is why he remains respected across political generations — even
when he is inconvenient.”
Mr Naidoo added that “Coolie Journalist” was, therefore, not merely a
memoir.
“It is a warning and a call to action. It reminds us that democracy
without a fearless, progressive media will inevitably decay. It urges a new
generation of journalists to choose courage over compliance, ethics over
expediency, and the people over power.
“Subry Govender is one of our unsung heroes — not because he sought
recognition, but because he chose resistance when compliance was easier.
“The best way we can honour him is to read this book, to ensure that the
lessons of the past inform our present struggles, and to recommit ourselves to
defending media freedom as a non-negotiable pillar of democracy.
“His words remain as repellent to injustice today as they were when the
chips were down in our beautiful country. And that is precisely why they matter
— now more than ever.” Ends – subrygovender@gmail.com
January 7 2026
