Bona Magazine
| Categories | fashion, beauty, health, relationships, and entertainment |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Monthly |
| Publisher | Habari Media |
| First issue | 1956 |
| Country | South Africa |
| Language | English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, seSotho |
| Website | bona.co.za |
Bona Magazine is a South African lifestyle magazine, first published in 1956.[1] It covers a wide range of topics, including fashion, beauty, health, relationships, and entertainment. Bona has a wide readership in South Africa, and is also sold in Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mauritius.[1]
History
It was founded by the Hyman family in 1956. and incorporated South Africa’s first black magazine, Zonk! (founded in 1949), in 1964.[1] The magazine celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2006. Its first editions were published in English, but it later expanded into Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho to reach a broader audience.[2] To reduce costs, Bona uses a "black plate exchange" method for printing multiple language editions.[1]
Ownership
Bona Magazine was owned by Caxton and CTP Publishers and Printers, a major South African publishing company. In May 2020, Caxton announced its withdrawal from magazine publishing, which led to the temporary closure of Bona.[3]
In August 2022, Highbury Media, operating under the name Habari Media, acquired the rights to publish Bona, marking its revival after the closure under Caxton's ownership.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d Ntshentshe, Dumisani (September 2006). "Cultivating a culture of reading: A uniquely South African publication" (PDF). Rhodes Journalism Review (26): 57. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
- ^ Talking with the Bona woman, The Media Online, May 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2025
- ^ Bona publisher withdraws from magazines, News24, 5 May 2020. Retrieved 28 August 2025
- ^ Bona, Media Manager, retrieved 29 August 2025