SAHRC warns of threats to media freedom
· Citizen
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has warned about growing threats to independent journalism as South Africa commemorates Black Wednesday. The commission urged the protection of media freedom and responsible reporting.
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The commission highlighted the financial pressures facing newsrooms, intimidation of journalists, online harassment and legal action. These are all aimed at silencing critical reporting.
Black Wednesday is observed annually on 19 October to remember the apartheid government’s banning of The World and Weekend World newspapers in 1977.
It also commemorates the detention of journalists and the crackdown on organisations resisting apartheid.
The SAHRC said the day remained “a stark reminder of the dangers of censorship and the importance of a free and independent media in a constitutional democracy”.
Journalists face growing threats
The commission said section 16 of South Africa’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, including freedom of the press and other media. It also guarantees the right to receive and impart information and ideas.
It described freedom of expression as a “gateway right”, enabling people to “know, claim, assert and enjoy their other fundamental rights”.
“Independent journalism is indispensable for promoting a culture of human rights, facilitating a plurality of opinions, encouraging contestation and robust public debate, and contributing to the vibrancy of our democracy,” the SAHRC said.
The commission also highlighted journalism’s role in addressing inequality and corruption.
“Journalism also plays a critical role in confronting South Africa’s unresolved National Question by interrogating persistent inequalities, challenging exclusionary narratives, exposing corruption and maladministration, and fostering belonging and social cohesion,” it said.
The SAHRC said it remained concerned about the challenges facing journalists and media institutions.
“Economic and financial pressures continue to undermine the sustainability of independent journalism, leading to staff cuts and reduced newsroom resources,” the commission said.
It added that journalists faced “intimidation, harassment, physical threats and violence from powerful actors seeking to silence critical reporting”.
The commission also raised concerns about the use of strategic litigation against public participation (SLAPP) suits to censor journalism.
It singled out women and non-binary journalists as particularly vulnerable to “gendered disinformation, online harassment, doxxing and digital gender-based violence”.
Call for ethical journalism
While defending media freedom, the SAHRC stressed that journalists and media institutions must uphold their ethical responsibilities.
“Freedom of expression does not absolve the media of its duty to report accurately, fairly and in context,” it said.
The commission warned about the amplification of disinformation, hate speech and divisive narratives. These factors undermine human dignity, equality and social cohesion.
“Responsible journalism requires careful consideration of the distinction between reporting on harmful expression and unnecessarily amplifying it,” the SAHRC said.
The commission reiterated recommendations four and five of its Policy Brief on Information Integrity and Human Rights: Disinformation, Platform Accountability and Democratic Resilience in South Africa.
The recommendations call for a diverse and resilient media environment supported by community media, indigenous-language platforms, public-interest journalism and fact-checking organisations.
They also call for sustained investment in media, information and digital literacy.
Protecting media freedom
The SAHRC said one of the five pillars of its Promoting a Culture of Human Rights through the Resolution of the National Question campaign focused on the media’s role in nation-building.
It reaffirmed its commitment to working with journalists, media institutions, fact-checking organisations, civil society and other stakeholders.
The commission said the collaboration aimed to “defend media freedom, strengthen information integrity, promote media diversity, and advance a society founded on human rights, equality and social cohesion”.