Criminal trial News24 Legal journalist Karin Magoon is the first case of South Africa’s democratic era this week. Ironically, nine days later, the country remembers Black Wednesday.
Appearing in the Pietermaritzburg High Court on Monday, 10 October Maughan is being charged with requesting information about former President Jacob Zuma’s health in the public domain.
October 19 celebrates what is called Black Wednesday in the country’s history. It was during this period that the apartheid government banned it in 1977. World, weekend world And The voice Newspapers, jailed editor Percy Koboza, and several Black Consciousness organizations were outlawed.
A free media is critical to democracy.
Commenting on Black Wednesday and the South African media in an open letter to the country, President Ramaphosa said: “We are fortunate to have come a long way since Black Wednesday.”
“Free media is an integral part of our democracy and the government is committed to the freedom of the press,” Minister Mondli Gungubele said in a statement at the Presidency.
He added that the government accepts the media as a partner in strengthening the country’s democracy and protecting its rights, for which many have fought and died during the years of struggle.
“We welcome any platform that allows us to strengthen our relationship with the media, as well as allow us to talk about the work of the government and share our successes and challenges,” says Gungubele.
South Africa is ranked 35th in the world by Reporters Without Borders. This is from 180 countries. It should be noted here that In 2021, the country was ranked 32nd, falling three places.
Therefore, while Ramaphosa said that media freedom in South Africa is “a source of optimism and pride,” he expressed concern that “we are seeing attacks on journalists online and elsewhere in our national life.” .
Various threats
The threat to journalism today is very different from what it was 45 years ago, Glenda Daniels Daily Maverick.
The threat to media freedom, independence and diversity today is different than it was in 1977, she said.
These threats range from job loss. of Newsroom status (Wits Journalism) Reports from 2013 to 2022 show that in the last decade, half of all jobs have been lost in journalism, and social media in particular has been destroyed.
Other threats are cyberbullying and misinformation, misinformation, police and court bullying, and community harassment.
Difficult business conditions
Latifah Mobara, executive director of the Press Council, said South Africa’s media “can be extremely proud of their achievements in strengthening, extending and protecting media freedom in our country under very difficult business conditions.”
mentioned in City Press Mobara said that since 2013, the Press Council has received more than 5,000 complaints against its members and most of them were supporting the media.
In the year In 2021, the Council received 845 complaints, 32 of which were referred to the Press Ombudsman for adjudication and three of which were appealed to the Press Council’s Appeals Panel.
“As a result, the South African media – especially those who are members of the Press Council – are trusted in a world where fake news and unsubstantiated allegations and rumours abound,” says Mobara. City Press.
Taking inventory
BeetlesManaging partner Sam Sole said on their website that it’s worth examining where we are as a medium today. Sole cites examples of how journalists continue to do “special, invaluable work” despite the environment they work in today.
Examples of this include:
- Xena24’s Exposing the background to the murder of Health Department whistleblower Babita Deokaran.
- Daily Maverick’s Evacuation of Zweli Mekhize.
- Arena Holdings’ search for political and criminal links to the Zama Zama mining gangs.
- GroundUp’s Unmatched, chasing corruption in the National Lotteries Commission.
But he cited examples of abuses against female journalists in particular, calling Magun’s attempt to criminalize “an incredible example of violence” against female journalists.
“It is no coincidence that the ongoing campaign against critics of the state-owned media, or the beneficiary, is Jacob Zuma’s commander-in-chief,” Sole said.
A new threat
A new threat comes from the government itself: the new anti-terrorism bill that Parliament is rushing through.
BeetlesHe made a last-minute statement to Parliament expressing concern over the new anti-terrorism bill.
“In our view, the bill in its current form will have a negative impact on freedom of speech, political debate and the work of journalists and other publications,” Sol said.
“Our media ecosystem is fragile,” he added. Iqbal Surve has shown how to capture and disintegrate once proud publications.
The eagerly awaited Sol supports the president’s statement: “The only defense against the spread of disinformation is the growth and expansion of credible news outlets.” The only opponents of bad journalism are honest, well-trained journalists whose only interest is to educate and inform the public.
