30 years of press freedom – an opinion from government

William Baloyi
Chief Director, Government Communication and Information System (GCIS)

Most people begin their day by scrolling through their phones to catch up on news, or current affairs, or by listening to radio or tuning into TV. Being accurately informed on current affairs and updated on the world around us relies on the prerequisite of a free and independent media.

Media freedom is one of the many rights upheld by the South African Constitution which declares: ‘Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media.’

Through our Constitution and other legislation, we have a vibrant media as well as an energetic and vocal civil society that are free to express themselves and represent the voices of the masses and marginalised.

This was not always the case as during the dark days of apartheid when media was controlled by the government. It used censorship laws to inhibit freedom of speech and to ban the media when it went against state agendas. Not only were media publications banned under apartheid, but journalists were harassed and even imprisoned simply for speaking the truth and holding public officials to account.

There is no doubt that since 1994 South Africa has made huge progress in advancing media freedom and freedom of expression. Media freedom is not only a right but a necessity as it keeps citizens informed, empowers them to engage and contribute to discussion and debates, as well as make informed decisions.

Press freedom plays a crucial role in ensuring a healthy democracy as it extends access to information that is credible, factual, reliable and unbiased, which is key to keeping our public accurately informed

This is particularly important as the current digital age we are immersed in, provides us with a plethora of information to sift through, presenting a challenge of misinformation and disinformation.

Therefore factual information is needed now more than ever and journalists bear the responsibility of reporting news objectively and accurately. Though journalists are afforded their democratic right to report news freely, they must ensure they do not fuel the challenge of misinformation or disinformation, as part of their professional ethos and commitment to serving our democracy.

The media is an important partner of government that worked over our democratic dispensation to foster a sound relationship through regular interaction with formations such as the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF), the Press Club and Press Gallery to share ideas and information of issues of national importance.

Government is committed to further strengthen these relations and cement the importance of independence of the media. The work of the media is a measure of how our society is functioning, and government’s commitment to democracy and socioeconomic development

Any form of threat to the freedom of the media, is an attack on our democracy and we must all play a role in protecting our hard-earned democracy

South African media and journalists exercise freedom without fear and have proven effective in its role as the watchdog in our democracy by publicly exposing corruption and holding those in power accountable.

We applaud journalists who continue to safeguard our democracy and the public interest. The role of the media is invaluable to our democracy and daily lives as we have witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when accurate information was essential to keeping people alive.

As journalists continue to execute their duties, seek the truth and embrace their freedoms, they also bear the responsibility of conducting themselves professionally and ethically. Journalists must subscribe to the values established by the Press Council of South Africa or the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa

These entities ensure balanced, fair and democratic reporting and prohibit the publishing of content that is racist, discriminatory, hate speech and incitement.

In the same way that journalists are to respect the democratic rights of all citizens, their rights are also to be respected and protected. As part of our efforts to drive our democracy forward, let us all work towards protecting and advancing media freedom together.

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