THEMBA SEPOTOKELE | Freedom of the media a cornerstone of any democracy

The powerful and poignant words by SA's first democratically elected president could not have been more relevant today.

Addressing the International Press Institute's World Congress on February 14 1994, barely two months before the country's watershed elections, Nelson Mandela said, “a critical, independent and investigative press is a lifeblood of any democracy”.

Three decades later, these words ring true with the birth of the Network of Independent Media Councils in Africa (Nimca) and the country heading to elections. Media activists from 13 councils from East, West and Southern Africa converged in Cape Town for the inaugural meeting of the African media councils. 

The idea is a step in the right direction in ensuring and safeguarding the freedom of the media and promoting ethical journalism in the African continent as an integral part of democracy. 

In a joint statement, the new body called for unity among independent media regulators, emphasised the importance of ethical journalism, and free and independent media. 

“Nimca’s objective is for the professional media to report freely and without fear of reprisals while at the same time being accountable for living up to journalistic ethical standards and codes of practice.

“Nimca’s ethos and operations will be guided by the declaration of principles on freedom of expression and access to information in Africa, issued by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2019. The Cape Town meeting agreed that the media, irrespective of whether it is privately or government funded, needs to operate in a free environment with no threats of censorship, intimidation, harassment or threats against journalists.”

The new organisation has called on independent media regulators in other African countries to join it to promote self-regulation as the cornerstone of a free, professional and credible media. 

The meeting agreed that independent and professional journalism is a critical pillar of society that holds governments and other powerful actors accountable, informs the citizenry and help them understand their societies and events as they unfold.

The meeting also discussed and deliberated on range of issues including the governance of digital platforms and companies, through developing a Pan-African media ethics framework and ethos. 

“The regulators emphasised that in jurisdictions where co-regulation is constitutionally stipulated, media councils and similar bodies must be allowed to self-regulate and act independently from the government. They agreed that trust in and credibility of the media is vital for its survival, and that self-regulatory mechanisms are key to uphold professional standards and consider complaints where media fall short of meeting these...”

Nimca's launch was followed by the Organisation of News Ombuds and Standards Editors' conference, another high level meeting attended by global press ombuds, with Press Council of SA chairperson of the appeals committee, judge Bernard Ngoepe, calling on the media to be ethical. 

“The media does not want to be regulated by the state because it fears censorship, whereas the state’s fear is that the media, left alone, would go overboard and should therefore be regulated. The mistrust is reflected in the kind of mechanisms proposed by the state or the media. The state would want a rigid statutory regime, dominated or controlled by its machinery, in particular, by ensuring that it dominates the regulating mechanism; on the other hand, the media would want a mechanism structured...

“There is only one way to ward off the pressure for state regulation: it is to have an effective and credible self-regulatory mechanism...,” Ngoepe said. 

It is in this context that Mandela's words ought to be understood and reflected upon, especially ahead of the elections with media organisations facing a plethora of challenges. 

• Sepotokele is a journalist, communication strategist, media trainer and a member of the Press Council of SA.