MISA Regional officially launched the fifth edition of the State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa report on 8 May 2025, a key evidence-based advocacy tool for improving the safety of journalists in the region.
The 2025 report was launched at the belated two-day Regional World Press Freedom Day commemorative conference in Johannesburg, South Africa, on May 7-8, 2025, hosted by the Government of South Africa, UNESCO, Media Monitoring Project, MISA, and media partners.
The commemorations were held under the global theme: Reporting in the Brave New World – The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.
The report documents urgent media issues such as the legal environment impacting access to information and media freedom across the region. It aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.10 and is part of the Media 4 SDGs Series.
Key findings indicate that in 2024, the working conditions for media practitioners remained precarious, particularly for those covering elections, issues of corruption, and matters related to state institutions.
However, there has been a notable decline in violations of media freedom and attacks on journalists across the region.
MISA Regional Director Dr. Tabani Moyo spotlighted the report’s key findings, particularly regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on media and journalism.
“I am both alarmed and inspired by the findings of the 2025 State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa Report,” he said.
“The document emphasises the urgent need to address violence amplified by technology, including sexual and gender-based violence, hate speech, misinformation, cyberbullying, and child exploitation, all while safeguarding privacy and freedom of expression.
“In line with the principles outlined in the Global Digital Compact, stakeholders must collaborate to develop an inclusive, human rights-based policy framework that upholds legal and ethical standards, ensuring a digital environment where both press freedom and personal dignity are respected and protected.”
He pointed out that journalism faced a “triple challenge” on the safety of journalists, technologically facilitated gender-based violence both online and offline and access to information.
Moyo bemoaned restrictive laws across the region targeting journalists and entrenched censorship.
“In many respects, we have taken a step forward and many backwards,” he lamented.
The event was attended by government representatives from Eswatini, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, as well as representatives from the EU Delegation, the UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa, the Regional Office of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Southern Africa, media partners, practitioners, academia, media freedom advocates, and media literacy experts.
Dr. Jonathan Gandari, Chief Director of the Ministry of Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services in Zimbabwe, stated that the report was a fair reflection of the events on the ground.
Bongani Mkhaliphi, a government official from Eswatini, stated that his country is committed to repealing repressive laws and ensuring a supportive environment for media operations.
Chikondi Chimala, representing the government of Malawi, spoke about the proactive measures the government has taken to empower information officers within departments to effectively address public information needs.
The launch of the report sparked intense debate about the state of media freedom in Southern Africa and what actions were necessary to achieve comprehensive improvements.
This year’s publication features reports on Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, supported by UNESCO, The Singrid Rausing Trust (SRT), and the European Commission.
MISA Regional Communique
