Pretoria – Communications Minister Faith Muthambi will tonight deliver the keynote address at the launch of Lekunutu News, a new monthly newspaper in the North West.
The paper is based in the Moretele local municipality but it will also cater for the community of Bela-Bela in Limpopo.
“As government, our expectations are … to see the publication promoting democracy by educating voters about developments and other issues affecting their daily lives, cover stories that protect human rights, stories that promote tolerance and social cohesion amongst various social groups.
“Through their accurate and well-balanced stories, they should also ensure that as government, we remain transparent and accountable to South Africans,” she said.
The Minister said democracy and participation are the core of community newspapers.
“When community media like this paper is owned and controlled by the local community they serve, it fosters participation, creativity, and diversity.
“We want to emphasise that they should not veer from being the vanguard of participatory democracy that is entrenched in the people’s political and cultural traditions that promote human rights in general and freedom of expression in particular.
“This government expects the media to be fearless in their reporting and to continue facilitating public discourse.
“However, we hope that this fearlessness extends to also driving a narrative that inspires hope in our people. Our country has made remarkable progress in 22 years and our continued development is unstoppable.
“I believe that there is room for deeper and more meaningful coverage of our exciting developmental journey. Such coverage would of course not be at the expense of your watchdog and checking function, but will rather live alongside it,” she said.
Minister Muthambi said a vibrant community media and a small-scale commercial media sector are essential for transforming the content and ownership patterns in South Africa’s media.
“Community newspapers are the voice and chroniclers of daily life in many areas that are not reached by the big commercial media.
At the launch, which will be held at Agrico Community Hall in Cyverskuil village at 5:30pm, Minister Muthambi will also meet the newspaper editorial team.
The monthly newspaper is a multi-lingual news and lifestyle publication that tells the region’s untold stories. The first edition was published two days ago, Wednesday, November 30. - SAnews.gov.za
