‘I’m Getting Closer To You, Say Your Final Prayer’: Death Threat Against News24 Journalist

A voice message landed on a News24 journalist’s phone this week that made their blood run cold. “I’m getting closer to you, say your final prayer.” Those words weren’t a joke or some random prank. They were a direct threat, and they came through a personal number that shouldn’t have been accessible to just anyone.

The journalist was in the middle of investigating something sensitive, the kind of story that makes powerful people nervous. Whoever sent that message knew exactly who to target and how to reach them. That level of access suggests someone with serious connections and serious intent.

News24 didn’t waste time. Management locked down protocols immediately, pulled the journalist off the streets, and got law enforcement involved within hours. The Serious and Violent Crimes unit opened a formal case, treating the audio file as evidence while digital forensics teams tried to trace where the call came from. Captain Deon Wiese from SAPS confirmed investigators are pulling out all the stops, but here’s the problem: nobody’s been arrested yet. The sender remains a ghost.

The Press Freedom Commission came out swinging, issuing statements about how attacks on journalists are eating away at democracy itself. They’re right to be worried. Between 2019 and 2023, journalist harassment in South Africa spiked dramatically. Reporters digging into corruption, land disputes, and organised crime get targeted the hardest. News24 knows this firsthand. After their coverage of the Zondo Commission, they faced campaign after campaign of intimidation. Security reviews became permanent fixtures in the newsroom.

Colleagues watched this journalist on Thursday morning, headphones pressed tight, replaying that threat over and over. Face pale under the office lights. A half-empty coffee mug sitting nearby. A notebook filled with names that suddenly felt dangerous just by being written down.

The journalist hasn’t backed off the story. That takes guts. But everyone’s asking the same question: will the system move fast enough to protect them before the next message comes, and it’s even closer than the last?

If you’ve heard anything about who might be behind these threats against journalists, would you risk coming forward knowing what’s at stake?

Jiggyyy feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com