PRESS Freedom Day on Monday passed without any major celebrations in South Africa.

PRESS Freedom Day on Monday passed without any major celebrations in South Africa.

Scores of countries have nothing to celebrate. Journalists in Rwanda were prevented from holding a rally to protest stringent media laws. Many in the Middle East have been killed or targeted by the various militia fighting for political power.

We are lucky that our Constitution guarantees press freedom.

It is, however, worrying that some of our politicians have been muttering about too much freedom. Several bills in Parliament threaten media and personal freedoms.

But we are a country that respects our rights and are ever ready to fight against tyranny.

We must always be vigilant against the encroachment by government and civil society against press freedom because once that goes there will be very little the citizens can do to fight against oppression.