Ndalo Media owner Khanyi Dhlomo informed her employees that the company, which owns Elle magazine, Destiny and Destiny Men, has been having cash flow troubles and that it would be forced to close. The news made headlines on Wednesday, 12 December after Dhlomo made her official announcement.

“Given just where we are, and the various conversations we’ve had, I’ve decided to close down this company effective as of Thursday, 31 January next year,” Dhlomo said in an audio recording provided by a Sowetan source.

“This is not liquidation … it’s an orderly, voluntary wind down of the business,” said Dhlomo.

The websites will continue to run until Sunday, 31 March 2019.