Ferial Haffajee

‘South Africa still enjoys world-class Press Freedom’

In celebrating Freedom Month in April and World Press Freedom Day in May, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation in South Africa sat down with one of the country’s renowned journalists, Ferial Haffajee. She is an Assistant Editor at the Daily Maverick, one of the FNF’s long-standing partners. She was previously the first female editor of several mainstream newspapers in the country, played a key role in exposing state capture, and is a defender of freedom, particularly press freedom, while also advancing social justice in the country.

When asked what she thinks about press freedom in the country, Haffajee said she believes South Africa is still in a good space compared to other countries. “I think South Africa still enjoys world-class press freedom, enshrined in the Constitution and protected by various important organisations such as the National Editors’ Forum.”

As a journalist who played a key role in exposing state capture, she says it was no easy journey. “We did not initially understand the attacks against us, and only later realised it was political.” Political campaigns and social media attacks against journalists often have serious effects on their mental health, compounded by the toll of work and the modernisation of the media.

Haffajee says that although support remains limited, much has been done to try and assist journalists. “At some point I thought maybe I should go more into soft news like the arts, I like the arts – because, you know, what’s the point of getting attacked and having your family dragged into this?”

However, despite these challenges, Haffajee believes that she and other journalists are doing important work that must continue.