Memorial for veteran journalist, Karima Brown in Observatory
OBSERVATORY – Brown will be remembered as a fierce journalist and an even greater friend.
Celebrating the life of Karima Brown sees friends, family and colleagues mourn their loss in Observatory on 13 March.
Here is the link for the memorial service for Karima Brown which starts at 11am. It will be broadcast live also on @eNCA @Newzroom405 & @SABCNews #KarimaMemorial https://t.co/M2Wgfbh5nB
— Eusebius McKaiser (@Eusebius) March 13, 2021
Brown’s family released a statement on her passing and said, ” It is with deep sadness that we inform the public that our beloved sister and mother, Karima Brown, passed away this morning. She died from COVID-19 related complications on 4 March. Read more here: Condolences pour in for seasoned journalist Karima Brown
Being hosted at Sacred Heart College, fellow friend and journalist of Brown, Eusebius McKaiser who opened up the service said that the values and principles of the school resonated deeply with Brown.
“Her son Mikhail also attended this school so the venue is very important to us,” McKaiser said that Brown was a lover of the arts, a creative piece by Lebo Mashile set the tone for the proceedings as tributes and condolences poured in.
“She had a life that was larger than life and it will take more than just one memorial service to do justice by her in terms of her relationship with each one of us as well as what it is that she has achieved in the country.”
Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan added that Brown was a person whose passion was mixed anguish and sometimes even despair. “Karima was not scared and very brave really, to call out even her own colleagues.
She exemplified courage, truth-telling and had an approach to her journalism and activism which cut below the surface.”
Her son Mikhail Brown took to the podium to share some sentiments about his mother. An emotional and teary-eyed Brown started off by saying what an incredible woman his mother was. Teaching him so many life lessons, he said that he is forever grateful.
“Thank you mom thank you for being so generous and giving. She gave so much, some would say she gave too much.”
“She was my best friend, my confidant, my advisor, my housemate and been my everything for my whole life. When she got sick and it dawned on me that this may be our last rodeo. Mom I feel honoured to be your son to be part of you. I’m so proud of you and I’ve always said I’m your greatest fan, I love you mom and I promise to live life with the conviction you bestowed unto me,” he said
Her proud history in the community:
She was seen at many a protest, one being #BlackFriday where she as the then editor-in-chief at Independent Newspapers, protested for journalist’s rights in 2016. Read more here.
The brave women she was, stood up for the rights of a young boy who died while at a camp from Parktown Boys High School. She stood outside the school for days in January 2020, demanding justice for Enoch Mpianzi. You can read the full article here: Veteran journalist, Karima Brown protests outside of Parktown Boys #JusticeForEnoch
