Sunday Times Suspends Editor Makhudu Sefara Amidst Allegations of Lotto Funds Scam

Johannesburg – Makhudu Sefara, the Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday Times, has been suspended amid accusations of misappropriating funds from a Lottery-supported initiative.

The Special Investigating Unit (SIU) has identified Sefara as one of those allegedly involved in the misdirection of lottery funds allocated for media projects.

Despite his claims of innocence, stating that he was managing a company named “Unscripted Communication” and was contracted to coordinate an event at Birchwood Hotel, Arena Holdings, the parent company of the Sunday Times, placed him on special leave on Tuesday, 28 April 2026.

The situation escalated after an SIU investigation revealed that Sefara’s company, Unscripted Communication, received payments totaling R550 000 from Todi Media Foundation between 21 November and 12 December 2018 for a lottery-funded “media” initiative.

Todi Media Foundation was granted R1.5 million from the lottery to cover expenses like accommodation and transportation for journalists’ training projects.

The probe by the SIU concluded that the funds were misapplied.

According to Ground Up, R550 000 was disbursed to Sefara’s company, with an additional R900 000 sent to Black Danagaree, owned by Daniel Malatji, the father of former Sunday World acting editor Ngwako Malatji.

Sefara, also the chairperson of the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), has stepped aside from that position after participating in an emergency meeting concerning the SIU allegations.

In a statement released to The Bulrushes, SANEF indicated that its chairperson, Sefara, “has stepped aside pending an inquiry into the allegations of misappropriation of lottery funds”.

During a critical meeting, SANEF reported that Sefara denied the accusations “but offered to temporarily resign while addressing them”.

SANEF has appointed deputy chairperson Tshamano Makhadi to act as chairperson in the interim.

The organization has also engaged an independent legal team to evaluate the evidence.