When the financial magazine Umbele, published by the Likhanyile group, turned five in September 2025, it showed that its pioneering form of South African financial journalism is here to stay. Having consistently produced daily financial news content in isiZulu and making business and economic news accessible to audiences often excluded by the mainstream language press, Umbele has established a strong digital presence for itself in the South African media landscape.
In November 2024, Likhanyile made a bold move by launching a print edition of Umbele, the country’s first isiZulu-language financial magazine. The decision was seen internally not as a shift away from digital, but rather an expansion, a deliberate effort to reach audiences who remain under-served due to high data costs, poor connectivity, or limited access to credible information online. “We wanted to strike a balance between being a tenant and a landlord,” the team explains, building on Press Council Executive Director Dr Phathiswa Magopeni’s statement that “we (the media) have been building estates on land we don’t own.”
Since launching the print edition, Umbele has seen measurable gains in reach, visibility and advertising revenue; it now derives most of its income from its core journalism operations. The content, which celebrates small businesses and broadens access to financial literacy, has resonated deeply with readers.
To grow its audience, Likhanyile has pursued a collaborative and multi-platform strategy, syndicating content with partners like Vutivi Business News, Scrolla and Ilanga, and extending distribution through MTN’s Ayoba app. Beyond digital channels, the print edition is distributed in spaces that bring information closer to everyday people in churches, clinics, schools and libraries.
Looking ahead, Likhanyile sees indigenous-language publishing as a cornerstone of sustainable, inclusive journalism. With isiZulu as its foundation, the team envisions expanding into other languages and markets, using financial storytelling to democratize economic participation across the continent.
Likhanyile was part of Amplify South Africa, MDIF’s business capacity support program for independent media from South Africa. To find out more about the initiative, read here.