Vutivi
  • Business
    South Africa’s first cake picnic gives home bakers a platform to sell, network, and taste success

    Bakers aim to cash in on cake picnics

    Murendeni Mafumo, founder of Kusini Water seen processing water

    SMEs advised to reset to beat downturn blues

    Rural-based guesthouses go green for survival

    Sugarcane fields in KwaZulu-Natal face uncertainty with US tariffs

    US tariffs and imports threaten sugar farmers

    Banks begin phasing out ATMs as digital banking accelerates but for SMMEs, where cash still rules, the hustle might get harder

    ATM shutdowns could hurt SMEs as banks go digital

    CHIETA CEO Yershen Pillay

    CHIETA on a drive to put women at centre of chemical industries

    Zwakele Mbanjwa, managing director of BIG Africa

    C20 starts updating policy on digital participation

    Small business owners attend entrepreneur festival

    Entrepreneur festival ignites hope for businesses

    Companies not registered CSD will not do business with state

    Thousands of SMEs at risk of CIPC deregistration

    Small businesses struggling to stay afloat

    Many small businesses struggling to stay afloat

  • Agriculture
    U.S. slaps 30% tariff on South African citrus, a blow that could squeeze small growers out of the export market

    Citrus sector concerned as tariffs bite

    MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in North West :Madoda Sambatha

    Livestock SMEs want access to retailers

    Lebohang Dhludhlu who runs a poultry farm

    Woman farmer making a mark in tough poultry sector

    Award-winning farmer to expand her business

    Mdu Lepele, an an agro-processor and entrepreneur in the cannabis industry. Photo supplied

    Policy shift opens cannabis opportunities

    MEC of North West Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha

    Youth agriculture drive aims to empower rural SMEs

    Small-scale sugarcane farmers are facing  uncertainty

    Sugarcane farmers struggling with rising cheap imports

    New smart farming app set to boost small scale farmers

  • Innovation

    Women entrepreneurs find the going tough on online platforms

    Rich Tshepo helps SMMEs break into e-commerce

    E-commerce guru “Rich Tshepo” shares secrets

    Mulilo Renewable Energy LTD proves that there's energy market in South Africa.

    Mulilo is powering South Africa’s energy revolution

    The founder and CEO of Q4ME Vuledzani Mathavha

    Q4ME turns the hassle of queuing into a business opportunity

    Business analyst James Mavundla who launched Agrowex

    Agrowex App bridges farmer market gap

    Coin powered connectivity delivers easy profits for small businesses

    Portable power station by Vincent Mosebe

    Innovator develops portable station to power up SMEs

    Lillian Barnard, president for Microsoft Africa. Picture: Microsoft

    Empowering SMMEs through AI: Microsoft’s new vision

    AI-driven disinformation becoming a threat

    How businesses can fight back against cybercrime

    Owen Lekala

    Innovative transport app set to expand

  • Finance
    Navigating SARS' 2025 tax season

    Tax season puts spotlight on compliance for new businesses

    MEC Lebohang Maile during his budget vote at Gauteng Legislature

    Gauteng’s budget offers strategic investment in SMEs

    South African National Parks, in partnership with Sanlam, offers an interest-free loan program at Table Mountain in Cape Town. Photo: Facebook.

    More businesses to benefit from SANParks loan deal

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana

    R402 billion budget could open doors for construction SMEs

    Small Business Finance Development Agency has helped an entrepreneur to secure funding to invest in a filling station. Pic: Shell

    Franchise funding for entrepreneurs

    SMEs happy with Limpopo budget

    Limpopo Budget: hope for small businesses

    GEP deputy chairperson Phosane Mngqibisa

    Gauteng increases support for small businesses to access funds

    Heineken is investing in a malting plant

    Heineken’s R1.9bn investment set to boost local barley farmers

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Picture: GCIS

    Value Added Tax hike has SMMEs worried

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to deliver revised budget

    Revised Budget 2025: What SMMEs Expect

  • Tourism
    Mpumalanga tourism to benefit from G20

    G20 could mark a turning point for Mpumalanga’s tourism sector

    Flysafair pilots on strike

    Tourism hit hard by FlySafair pilot strike

    Creativity and collaboration key to coastal SMME survival

    Premier Panyaza Lesufi

    New initiative offers hope for SMMEs, fairer contracts

    Economic development, environment, conservation and tourism MEC Bitsa Lenkopane

    SMEs sceptical despite promise of R71 million for tourism

    G20 Tourism Hackathon

    Tourism enterprises call on hackathon to help bridge digital divide

    The Unveiling of the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre in the Free State

    Kgodumodumo Centre boosts tourism and empowers SMMEs

    Tourism companies eye opportunities in digital visa surge

    Astrotourism is emerging as a promising niche for the sector

    Space-related tourism offers economic lift-off for entrepreneurs

  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Vutivi
  • Business
    South Africa’s first cake picnic gives home bakers a platform to sell, network, and taste success

    Bakers aim to cash in on cake picnics

    Murendeni Mafumo, founder of Kusini Water seen processing water

    SMEs advised to reset to beat downturn blues

    Rural-based guesthouses go green for survival

    Sugarcane fields in KwaZulu-Natal face uncertainty with US tariffs

    US tariffs and imports threaten sugar farmers

    Banks begin phasing out ATMs as digital banking accelerates but for SMMEs, where cash still rules, the hustle might get harder

    ATM shutdowns could hurt SMEs as banks go digital

    CHIETA CEO Yershen Pillay

    CHIETA on a drive to put women at centre of chemical industries

    Zwakele Mbanjwa, managing director of BIG Africa

    C20 starts updating policy on digital participation

    Small business owners attend entrepreneur festival

    Entrepreneur festival ignites hope for businesses

    Companies not registered CSD will not do business with state

    Thousands of SMEs at risk of CIPC deregistration

    Small businesses struggling to stay afloat

    Many small businesses struggling to stay afloat

  • Agriculture
    U.S. slaps 30% tariff on South African citrus, a blow that could squeeze small growers out of the export market

    Citrus sector concerned as tariffs bite

    MEC for Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in North West :Madoda Sambatha

    Livestock SMEs want access to retailers

    Lebohang Dhludhlu who runs a poultry farm

    Woman farmer making a mark in tough poultry sector

    Award-winning farmer to expand her business

    Mdu Lepele, an an agro-processor and entrepreneur in the cannabis industry. Photo supplied

    Policy shift opens cannabis opportunities

    MEC of North West Agriculture and Rural Development, Madoda Sambatha

    Youth agriculture drive aims to empower rural SMEs

    Small-scale sugarcane farmers are facing  uncertainty

    Sugarcane farmers struggling with rising cheap imports

    New smart farming app set to boost small scale farmers

  • Innovation

    Women entrepreneurs find the going tough on online platforms

    Rich Tshepo helps SMMEs break into e-commerce

    E-commerce guru “Rich Tshepo” shares secrets

    Mulilo Renewable Energy LTD proves that there's energy market in South Africa.

    Mulilo is powering South Africa’s energy revolution

    The founder and CEO of Q4ME Vuledzani Mathavha

    Q4ME turns the hassle of queuing into a business opportunity

    Business analyst James Mavundla who launched Agrowex

    Agrowex App bridges farmer market gap

    Coin powered connectivity delivers easy profits for small businesses

    Portable power station by Vincent Mosebe

    Innovator develops portable station to power up SMEs

    Lillian Barnard, president for Microsoft Africa. Picture: Microsoft

    Empowering SMMEs through AI: Microsoft’s new vision

    AI-driven disinformation becoming a threat

    How businesses can fight back against cybercrime

    Owen Lekala

    Innovative transport app set to expand

  • Finance
    Navigating SARS' 2025 tax season

    Tax season puts spotlight on compliance for new businesses

    MEC Lebohang Maile during his budget vote at Gauteng Legislature

    Gauteng’s budget offers strategic investment in SMEs

    South African National Parks, in partnership with Sanlam, offers an interest-free loan program at Table Mountain in Cape Town. Photo: Facebook.

    More businesses to benefit from SANParks loan deal

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana

    R402 billion budget could open doors for construction SMEs

    Small Business Finance Development Agency has helped an entrepreneur to secure funding to invest in a filling station. Pic: Shell

    Franchise funding for entrepreneurs

    SMEs happy with Limpopo budget

    Limpopo Budget: hope for small businesses

    GEP deputy chairperson Phosane Mngqibisa

    Gauteng increases support for small businesses to access funds

    Heineken is investing in a malting plant

    Heineken’s R1.9bn investment set to boost local barley farmers

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana. Picture: GCIS

    Value Added Tax hike has SMMEs worried

    Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to deliver revised budget

    Revised Budget 2025: What SMMEs Expect

  • Tourism
    Mpumalanga tourism to benefit from G20

    G20 could mark a turning point for Mpumalanga’s tourism sector

    Flysafair pilots on strike

    Tourism hit hard by FlySafair pilot strike

    Creativity and collaboration key to coastal SMME survival

    Premier Panyaza Lesufi

    New initiative offers hope for SMMEs, fairer contracts

    Economic development, environment, conservation and tourism MEC Bitsa Lenkopane

    SMEs sceptical despite promise of R71 million for tourism

    G20 Tourism Hackathon

    Tourism enterprises call on hackathon to help bridge digital divide

    The Unveiling of the Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre in the Free State

    Kgodumodumo Centre boosts tourism and empowers SMMEs

    Tourism companies eye opportunities in digital visa surge

    Astrotourism is emerging as a promising niche for the sector

    Space-related tourism offers economic lift-off for entrepreneurs

  • Advertise
No Result
View All Result
Vutivi
No Result
View All Result

Media freedom is sacrosanct to our young democracy

by Staff Reporter
December 3, 2020
in Business
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
Phumla Williams who is the director general at GCIS. Picture : GCIS

Phumla Williams who is the director general at GCIS. Picture : GCIS

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Freedom of expression and media freedom is an integral part of our democracy. The Constitution entrenches the right to freedom of expression, including media freedom. Since 1994 we have been resolute in the belief that an independent and free media are vital partners in strengthening any democracy.
Access to information is the lifeblood of any democracy and is key to the development of our nation. Traditionally means such as press statements, email, media conferences or engagements, either telephonically or face-to-face were the primary means for engagement between the government and the media. However, much has changed in the communications landscape and social media has largely driven this change.
Now information is routinely shared on Twitter, Facebook or platforms such as WhatsApp. These new modes of communication have enabled us to share information in real time and to get immediate feedback.
The omnipresent WhatsApp group is now often the primary means of communication when several parties are involved. It provides for ease of communication and allows several parties to interact or share information. It has become an invaluable tool in the communications landscape and is routinely used in newsrooms, government departments and across civil society.
As the government, we embrace any platform that allows us to strengthen relationships with the media, while also allowing us to speak about the work of the government and to share our successes and challenges.
Recently a simple WhatsApp group, which was created to share information with media and communicators, became the subject of much conjecture and unfounded speculation.
Any platform which allows us to share and speak to the media supports GCIS’ (Government Communication and Information System) core mandate to proactively communicate with the public about government policies, plans, programmes and achievements. Media on the other hand, have a duty to interrogate such information. We fully expect in an open democracy such as ours that media may not necessarily take government information at face value and may subject such information to further inquiry or critique.
Conversely when content is used, it is simply because government communicators have done their job in publicizing the policies and activities of government. This is how the media has always operated and will continue to operate, regardless of the platform in use. Media have many checks and balances which form part of their core journalistic principles. These have not become redundant simply because of the platform in use, and to suggest otherwise is malicious.
The government has noted that the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has spoken about the issue and has expressed concern about a disinformation campaign on social media, seeking to link senior journalists, including SANEF members, on a group WhatsApp titled “Thuma Mina”.
SANEF itself notes that according to information in its possession, the group is purely used to share information and press statements. It goes on to say that it is one of the hundreds of WhatsApp groups that the government, political parties and private organizations use to disseminate information to journalists.
They end the statement by emphasizing that there is nothing nefarious or underhanded about the group, and SANEF calls on those spreading disinformation about journalists to cease doing so. Indeed, this entire episode has shown that there will always be contestation over the work of the government and how successes and challenges are shared. This is both natural and expected in an open democracy.
As the government we, however, remain resolute in ensuring that the public are well informed by having access to vital information. The media have been and will continue to be our key partner in this endeavour.
As government we remain committed to continue promoting media freedom and ensuring that the media does its work without fear or intimidation. We fought very hard for an open society and for media freedom, and we will continue to protect this safeguard to our democracy and freedom. In an era of instant information sharing, it becomes even more important that we guard against false narratives or fake news. Everyone has a responsibility to be mindful of what they share and to interrogate what they read, watch or listen to.
As the government we will continue to ensure that South Africans are armed with information to make informed decisions and to better their lives. Nothing will distract us from our duty of building a better tomorrow for all. The WhatsApp group made headlines last month after it was accused by the EFF and some journalists of being part of a cabal with a specific political agenda.

Tags: Access to informationGovernment communicatorsMedia and WhatsApp groupMedia freedom
Previous Post

Alex man manufactures flavoured condoms

Next Post

SMME owners positive about the future : Survey

Staff Reporter

Staff Reporter

Related Posts

South Africa’s first cake picnic gives home bakers a platform to sell, network, and taste success

Bakers aim to cash in on cake picnics

August 15, 2025
Murendeni Mafumo, founder of Kusini Water seen processing water

SMEs advised to reset to beat downturn blues

August 15, 2025

Rural-based guesthouses go green for survival

August 14, 2025
Load More
Next Post
David Morobe who is the CEO of Business Partners Limited. Picture : Supplied

SMME owners positive about the future : Survey

President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture : GCIS

Thousands of jobs created by presidential initiative

Vhongani Shumba who makes and sells her flavoured butters. Picture : Supplied.

Serial entrepreneur's bread is buttered on both sides

Celebrating Womenwith Vutivi Business News
Be inspired by South Africa's most remarkable female entrepreneurs this Women's Month

FEATURED POST

South Africa’s first cake picnic gives home bakers a platform to sell, network, and taste success

Bakers aim to cash in on cake picnics

August 15, 2025
Murendeni Mafumo, founder of Kusini Water seen processing water

SMEs advised to reset to beat downturn blues

August 15, 2025

Rural-based guesthouses go green for survival

August 14, 2025
Sugarcane fields in KwaZulu-Natal face uncertainty with US tariffs

US tariffs and imports threaten sugar farmers

August 14, 2025

Vutivi is a digital business news platform that will serve the Small Medium Micro Enterprises in the form of writing stories that will be informative about their sector. We pledge to deliver a commercially sustainable, world-class digital financial and business news service that is a must-read while being responsive to readership needs and tailor-making packages for SMMEs.

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Analysis
  • Business
  • Finance
  • Innovation
  • Top story
  • Tourism

Get in Touch

Email

news@vutivibusiness.co.za

© 2025 Vutivi. All rights reserved. Website by AIPX Atelier

Advertise / Privacy Policy / Contact

No Result
View All Result
  • Business
  • Agriculture
  • Innovation
  • Finance
  • Tourism
  • Advertise

© 2024 Vutivi // Website by AIPX Atelier.

Celebrating Womenwith Vutivi Business News
Be inspired by South Africa's most remarkable female entrepreneurs this Women's Month