It has become a norm for the political elite to attack the media to deflate attention from reports of wrongdoing and corruption, so praise from the highest office in the land is most welcome.
Yesterday, President Cyril Ramaphosa applauded journalists for "the sterling work", not just for preventing human rights and state authority abuses, but for also supporting the national efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.
"We owe a debt of gratitude to South Africa’s hardworking and tenacious journalists. They have kept our people informed by disseminating key health messages about social distancing and hygiene. They have done so under extremely trying conditions, often with limited resources," he wrote in his message in his weekly newsletter.
"Our media have also shone a light on excesses that perhaps would not have ordinarily come to light. They have fulfilled their watchdog role by unearthing acts of corruption and maladministration, sparking a massive national debate and leading to a number of high-profile investigations. Through this reporting they have earned people’s trust."
Journalists' hard work is often overshadowed by threats, hostility and unfair criticism which make it difficult for them to carry out their duties freely. They also leave them prone to attacks and harassment from political parties.
Just last week, eNCA journalist Nobesuthu Hejana was harassed by EFF members. She was intimidated and told to leave while covering Clicks protests in Cape Town.
We hope the EFF will learn from this. Ramaphosa's tribute goes a long way in showing that the media is not the enemy. The enemy that we should all be fighting, as society, is corruption and looting of public funds.
As the late statesman Nelson Mandela once said: "A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy. The press must be free from state interference.
It must have the economic strength to stand up to the blandishments of government officials. It must have sufficient independence from vested interests to be bold and inquiring without fear or favour. It must enjoy the protection of the constitution, so that it can protect our rights as citizens."
Many cases of corruption would have never been uncovered without hard-working journalists in this country.
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