Media freedom in many parts of Africa is under threat. In Morocco, a cultural television programme has been suspended while in Uganda, the police raided a private newspaper and arrested four of the staff.

In Sudan, authorities there are holding a radio journalist apparently without charging him.

In South Africa, with its much-vaunted 'best constitution in the world', the governing party, the ANC, is intent on steamrolling their controversial Protection of Information Bill through Parliament. The media and civil society are bitterly opposed to the bill because in its present form it will muzzle the media and, the bill's critics claim, enable the ruling party, which many people see as corrupt, to plunder the State's resources at will.

The bill, if passed, will almost certainly be challenged in SA's Constitutional Court, but the question is: When will governments like that in SA, Uganda, Morocco and all the rest understand that muzzling the media has never worked, and never will.

The people will always find a way to make their voices heard.

Rod Baker: GM Content


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