Deputy Minister of Communications Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams looked to CPUT students for inspiration for her parliamentary budget speech happening today.

Ndabeni-Abrahams visited third-year journalism students in their classroom to discuss everything from the digital migration to the Protection of State Information Bill.

She told the students that wanted to hear their concerns because one day they would be shaping opinions when they head into industry as journalists.

“I will be tabling my department’s budget vote and I did not want to do that without your input. Because ultimately if government wants its voice to be heard you have to consult all the platforms which is social media, print, radio and TV,” she says.

“I also wanted to come here to discuss some of our key interventions.”

Ndabeni-Abrahams then explained the critical role community media plays in diverse South Africa.

“If we want to actively reach out to the people we need to encourage community media. That includes proper training, keeping nepotism out and encouraging females to take positions at these media outlets,” she says.

Ndabeni-Abrahams told the students that they would now form part of a platform of young students her department would consult who were studying law, journalism and communications and would analyse South Africa’s current media landscape.

Senior Journalism lecturer Jude Mathurine told the students that they were now part of an interesting relationship being forged, not only with the Communications Ministry, but also with parliament.

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

Today marks 41 years since Black Wednesday, the day on which the apartheid government banned a number of newspapers and organisations.

CPUT’s Media Department and the SABC held a seminar and panel discussion on Wednesday (October 17) to commemorate the day and reflect on the theme: 25 years of “free media” 2019 and beyond.

Retired Constitutional Judge Albie Sachs was the keynote speaker at the seminar, which was held at the SABC’s Broadcast Centre in Sea Point.

“One of the reasons I feel so hopeful about South Africa is that not only (do) we have a Constitution, but the Constitution is working, elections are meaningful and are free and fair. We have a strong judiciary to make sure the Independent Electoral Commission functions and we have some of the greatest investigative journalists in the world and they have shown their mettle,” said Sachs.

He told the journalism students in the audience that they were the generation that had to continue the struggle to “enlarge that space of journalism integrity”.

Jude Mathurine, Head of the Journalism Programme, said media seldom takes times to engage in thoughtful reflection about where it has come from, what it was getting right and wrong and how it could do better.

“The story of the South African press is a complex story and it evolves side by side with the story of our growing nation. We don’t simply reflect that story, we are part of it. We are implicated in it.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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