Cyril Ramaphosa defends media freedom at ‘Black Wednesday’ event

President Cyril Ramaphosa has strongly defended the right of journalists to scrutinise and criticise politicians, emphasising that the media freedoms enshrined in South Africa’s constitution must never be taken for granted in a constitutional democracy.

Addressing media editors and media practitioners at a Black Wednesday commemorative event in Johannesburg hosted by the ANC, Ramaphosa underscored the crucial role of an independent press in safeguarding democracy and ensuring public oversight.

“You must have the freedom to question government and press those in government to feel accountable. We must be prepared to accept criticism as leaders,” Ramaphosa declared.

Black Wednesday marks a pivotal and painful milestone in South African history. On October 19 1977, the apartheid regime executed one of its most brutal crackdowns on free speech, banning major black-oriented newspapers — such as The World and Weekend World — and outlawing nearly two dozen anti-apartheid organisations.

Reflecting on the bravery of media workers during the apartheid era, Ramaphosa commended journalists who risked their lives and livelihoods to expose oppression.

“It was one of the darkest chapters in the history of journalism in South Africa, but you refused to abandon the responsibility to tell the truth,” Ramaphosa told the gathered editors.

Ramaphosa’s defence of media freedom comes at a politically charged moment as the country prepares for the November 4 general elections. The debate over constitutional democracy has moved to the centre of the political discourse.

According to their official policy documents, certain political parties — including the MK Party— have advocated for radical constitutional reform, including doing away with the supreme authority of the constitution and the system of judicial review in favour of parliamentary sovereignty.

In response, Ramaphosa reiterated that constitutional protections — including a free, unhindered press and an independent judiciary — remain the bedrock of South Africa’s democratic order and must be vigorously defended.

Business Day