Media

Newell, the SABC and the cowardice of silence

An SABC presenter has been removed from the broadcasting schedule at the SABC for challenging Mamphele Ramphele in an interview for likening the situation in Gaza to the Holocaust. The presenter's job was to push back Ramphele for which she was pushed out. The SABC's actions diminish the public's trust in journalism to do the job required of it. The lack of support by the journalistic community makes things much worse.

“Julius Malema, a victim of hate speech. Seriously?” − Redux

Three judges of the High Court found that Julius Malema was the victim of hate speech by Kenny Kunene. Kunene repeatedly called him a "cockroach" after Malema managed to piss him off by being crass about his party. Kunene perhaps should have known that this was likely to happen and should have kept his cool. But being found guilty of hate speech is a stretch, to say the least

IRR declines National Convention invitation, says Parliament reflects “will of the people”

On 13 August the Institute of Race Relations (IRR) sent a letter to the declined an invitation (very recently) to participate in the National Dialogue. The IRR politely declined. The reasons are to be found in the attached news item in The Daily Friend (14/8/2025).

Free Speech Matters Episode 9: The National Dialogue - expensive and unnecessary

FSU SA's Sara Gon and the IRR's Terence Corrigan chat about President Ramaphosa's National Dialogue. It's a one day conference for the ANC to decide what sort of society South Africa should be. The guests are largely retired from public life and are partisan to the ANC. Everyone knows and has talked about what South Africa needs to be successful, so the ANC knows and either can't or just won't do it. What can come out of it that is valuable, relevant or necessary?

IAMHIST's discriminatory gatekeeping at UCT

The International Association for Media and History (IAMHIST) made it a requirement for Israeli academics attending an IAMHIST conference held at UCT in June that Israeli attendees provide sworn statements confirming they have no ties to the Israel Defence Forces or the broader Israeli military establishment. This was not required of any other nationalities. It appears to be an application of UCT Council's 'Gaza' resolution in 2024 which prohibits UCT academics from engaging with any research group affiliated with the IDF. The resolution is currently the subject of court application by Prof. Adam Mendelsohn to strike the Council resolution down.

Free Speech Matters Episode 8: 'Kill the Boer' - the Constitutional Court won't allow an appeal

Free Speech Union of South Africa's Sara Gon interviews Advocate Mark Oppenheimer about the Constitutional Court's rejection of AfriForum's application to appeal the court decisions that "Kill the Boer" is not hate speech.

Should freedom of speech be unlimited or should it be circumscribed to limit harm - a debate in a park

Campaign for Free Expression hosted debates about free speech on a Saturday in a park. It was a festival of music, debates and all round fun. The venue was the Kingston Frost Park in Brixton, Johannesburg. It was a family affair - kids were running around having a ball. Adults were lazying about on the grass drinking quality coffee and food set up for sale. Terence Corrigan spoke in favour of unlimited speech and this was his address.

Podcast - Free Speech Matters Episode 7: Stifling debate critical about 'gender affirming care'

Sara Gon interviews Dr. Janet Giddy, of First Do No Harm Southern Africa (FDNHSA), who discusses the difficulties faced by those who subscribe to evidence-based treatment of gender dysphoria, rather than transgender activists who promote 'gender affirming care'.