Two years ago, a funny infographic appeared on social media. It describes South Africa as one of the few regions on the world map where (1) legally married gay couples can (2) legally purchase guns to protect (3) legally owned marijuana plants. As much as the jocular frame is made for entertainment purposes, it reflects where we sit as a country.
We won’t mention that many would argue that gun ownership leads to happiness in a nation plagued by gun violence. That statement is also technically inaccurate: under the law, one can only use deadly force to protect human life, not property – sacred herbs or otherwise.
But the caves, the point remains. South Africa has kept the liberal promise it made 29 years ago.
It is not always kept another. Many are brutally denied their right to dignity, forced to live in squalid conditions and deprived of basic government services. We are also not following through on our commitment to eliminate inequality. If anything we have recently reversed progress in this regard – we are living in a moment that one of our columnists this week equated to the Great Depression.
But even in these most trying times of government and economic conditions, we have kept the wolves from destroying our liberties. Any citizen is free to criticize, protest or question. No one can be denied the right to worship whom he likes, or to love whom he wants.
The struggle to protect that freedom is in the DNA of history and continues to shape our future. In 1998, Rastafarian Gareth Prince was denied admission as a lawyer because he had a criminal record for possession of marijuana. Twenty years later he had a front row seat as the constitutional court agreed that the act was discriminatory.
Freedom, like democracy, is fluid. It does not sit static in the koppie but rather rides the swells of time, adapting when our environment changes.
Freedom of the press is no different. Over the years, the store has faced challenges with unclear ownership and downsizing. And who can forget the ANC’s dangerous attempts to introduce regulatory measures to monitor the media?
The important thing is that the effort has been rejected. In 2023, we can firmly state that the country is supported by the fourth property that remains untreated. It’s not perfect, but it’s free.
In Reporters Without Borders’ annual Press Freedom Index, we maintain a “Satisfactory” rating (one level below “Good”). We are one of the highest ranked developing countries and even higher than other larger liberal economies such as the United States and Australia.
The importance of this freedom, especially in times of crisis, cannot be underestimated.
As irredeemable as the current energy emergency is, think how it could have been if officials were allowed to keep secrets from the public. Or how powerless it is that the media has no right to investigate allegations of political interference.
Far from being an idle pat on the back, it’s worth reminding ourselves that we still have the agency to change our environment. For as gloomy as it can be, there is something great worth fighting for.
We must also not forget that freedom, like anything else, can be taken from us if we are not careful.