Karima Brown is gone and the Western Cape has lost one of its most inspiring sisters, writes Mark Keohane.
Brown was schooled at Salt River High in the Western Cape, advanced to the University of the Western Cape and, in the South Africa media landscape, she was among the most influential voices.
She divided opinion but united the fight to have an opinion. The province and the country of South Africa are the poorer for her departure.
May she rest peacefully, but may all her opinions continue to be the cause of unease to ensure that the debate never stops when it comes to the fight for equality and rooting out prejudice.
Brown’s legacy must be the ongoing march against injustice.
Gasant Abarder, the former editor of the Cape Times and Cape Argus, celebrated Brown as having so much to do with the change within the South African media landscape and within the country.
‘I am gutted. We are poorer for losing Karima Brown and wish her family and friends my sincerest condolences,’ said Abarder.
He further told Cape Town Etc: ‘She was a champion for people and for equality. She will be so missed as a voice of change. She was huge in our industry but even bigger because of the people her voice served.’
Abarder, who coincidentally also attended Salt River High, in an interview with SABC, paid tribute to Brown’s career and also her legacy in the media industry.
ALSO READ: Broadcaster Karima Brown dies of COVID-19
Karima’s last post to one of her favourite Facebook groups:
Tributes poured in from all over after the news of Karima’s death broke:
Extremely sadenned by the passing of veteran journalist #KarimaBrown. Karima was a hard hitting journalist, a stalwart known for her excellent probing skills. My condolences to her family, colleagues & friends. The fourth estate is poorer without her. RIP Karima pic.twitter.com/tsB1HwX5bO
— Patricia de Lille (@PatriciaDeLille) March 4, 2021
Rest in peace my dear sister i will miss you dearly may god comfort your family and colleagues?❤? till meet again.#karimabrown rest in eternal peace ✌ pic.twitter.com/fX2xzdmnp3
— Minister of Transport |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) March 4, 2021
Terribly sad news #KarimaBrown https://t.co/y70dQNjvHk
— Maryke Vermaak (@MarykeVermaak) March 4, 2021
Newzroom Afrika’s @StephenGrootes pays tribute to the late veteran journalist, analyst, and broadcaster #KarimaBrown who died from COVID-19 related complications on Thursday.
WATCH: https://t.co/MA3TbtAWD7#RIPKarimaBrown #Newzroom405 pic.twitter.com/iNGuQmIouZ
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) March 4, 2021
Thinking of my comrade and friend who is fighting COVID-19. You remain in our thoughts and prayers. #karimabrown pic.twitter.com/Y3AeE1UtdU
— Ryland Fisher (@rylandfisher) March 3, 2021
#KarimaBrown was a tough customer.
She called things as they are. As she saw it.
She also demanded the best even if it wasn’t necessarily her place to do so.
An elder in the newsroom if ever there was one.
Hamba kahle mkhonto ✊?
Wemkhonto ❤️
Mkhonto wesizwe ??— Nickolaus Bauer (@NickolausBauer) March 4, 2021
Deepest condolences to #KarimaBrown’s family, friends and colleagues – especially her dearest brother @zainsemaar.
What a larger than life, fearless fighter of our times she was. May she Rest In Peace x— Katy Katopodis (@KatyKatopodis) March 4, 2021