African National Congress (ANC) First Deputy Secretary-General and former Minister of Communications Nomvula Mokonyane has called on African journalists, media executives and communication professionals to confront misinformation, declining public trust and technological disruption while ensuring that communication remains anchored in humanity, democracy and Africa\u2019s development.
\nMokonyane, who served as South Africa\u2019s Minister of Communications in 2018 and previously held the Water and
\nSanitation and Environmental Affairs portfolios, addressed the African Media & Communication Forum at the Birchwood
\nHotel in Boksburg.
\nSpeaking under the theme \u201cNavigating the New Media World: Turning Change into Opportunity\u201d, Mokonyane said digital
\ntransformation, artificial intelligence and the rapid growth of new information platforms were fundamentally reshaping the
\nrelationship between media, institutions and society.
\n\u201c \u201cWe are living through a moment of profound disruption. Digital transformation, artificial intelligence, the explosion of information platforms, the erosion of public trust and the rise of misinformation and disinformation are changing how we inform, influence and organise our societies.\u201d
\n\u2014 NOMVULA MOKONYANE
\nBehind every story is a human being
\nMokonyane urged journalists and communication professionals not to lose sight of the human consequences of the
\ninformation they publish and distribute. She said the speed and reach of digital communication meant that information
\ncould travel across communities, countries and continents within seconds, often before its accuracy or impact had been
\nproperly considered.
\n\u201cBehind every story is a human being. Behind that person is a family and a community. We must never become so
\nconsumed by technology and the race to communicate that we forget the human consequences of what we put into the
\npublic domain.\u201d
\nShe cautioned that headlines, images and social media posts could continue affecting people long after the news cycle
\nhad moved on.
\nMedia freedom must be matched by responsibility
\nMokonyane reaffirmed the importance of an independent, diverse and ethical media as a cornerstone of constitutional
\ndemocracy.
\n\u201cResponsible journalism remains indispensable. We must defend media freedom and independence, while recognising
\nthat freedom must also be accompanied by responsibility, accountability and commitment to the societies we serve.\u201d
\nShe said misinformation and disinformation were increasingly threatening social cohesion, public confidence and trust in
\ndemocratic institutions, placing an even greater responsibility on professional journalism to separate verified information
\nfrom opinion, speculation and deliberately manufactured narratives.
\nAfrica must tell the full African story
\nMokonyane challenged African media and communication practitioners to take greater responsibility for how the
\ncontinent is represented in the global information environment. She said Africa should not hide its difficulties, but neither
\nshould the continent allow itself to be defined only through poverty, conflict, migration, instability and failure.
\n\u201cWe need another side of the African story, one that speaks about our resilience, our progress and our possibilities, so
\nthat generations to come do not give up on building a better Africa and a better world.\u201d
\nShe stressed that this did not mean shielding governments or political leaders from scrutiny. African journalism, she said,
\nmust continue exposing wrongdoing, questioning those in authority and demanding accountability, while also giving
\nproper context to Africa\u2019s development journey.<\/p>\n
CONNECTING PROFESSIONALS \u2022 SINCE 2014<\/p>\n
Communication must strengthen social cohesion
\nMokonyane also addressed tensions around migration and warned against communication that reduced complex
\ncontinental challenges to simplistic or inflammatory narratives.
\nShe argued that migration had to be understood within a broader context of inequality, conflict, uneven development and
\nAfrica\u2019s unfinished development agenda. Communication, she said, should help societies understand these realities
\nrather than deepen divisions between communities.
\nShe also emphasised that political leaders and public institutions had a responsibility to communicate with greater
\nrelevance and purpose. \u201cCommunication cannot substitute performance,\u201d she said, adding that government
\ncommunication should demonstrate what institutions are doing, why it matters and how programmes improve people\u2019s
\nlives.
\nTechnology must become an African opportunity
\nWhile acknowledging the risks associated with new technology, Mokonyane said the digital revolution had also created
\nimportant opportunities for greater participation and accountability. Digital platforms had enabled people in townships,
\nrural communities and other previously marginalised areas to raise concerns, expose service-delivery failures and
\nengage directly with institutions.
\n\u201cThe new world is not something that simply happens to us. It can become an instrument for change, transformation and
\ngrowth. It can become an opportunity to identify talent, broaden participation and amplify voices that previously did not
\nhave access to traditional platforms.\u201d
\nShe called for greater investment in African content production, community media, digital literacy and the development of
\nwomen and young people across the media and communication value chain.
\nWomen must participate beyond visibility
\nSpeaking during Women\u2019s Month, Mokonyane said genuine transformation required more than simply increasing the
\nvisibility of women in media.
\n\u201cWe cannot only insist on inclusivity. We must insist on ownership, participation and involvement in the final production
\nof the story.\u201d
\nShe called for mentorship, institutional support and deliberate interventions to strengthen women\u2019s participation in
\nownership, leadership and decision-making across the communication sector.
\nForum has an important role to play
\nMokonyane welcomed the African Media & Communication Forum as an important platform for journalists, editors,
\nmedia executives, public relations practitioners and communication professionals to engage with the rapidly changing
\ninformation environment.
\nShe called for continued dialogue on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, media sustainability, ethics,
\nmisinformation, ownership, community media and the participation of women and young people.
\n\u201cLet us navigate this new world together with courage, clarity and commitment to a better Africa and a better world,\u201d
\nMokonyane concluded.
\nThe African Media & Communication Forum also expressed its appreciation to its members, journalists, media practitioners and
\ncommunication professionals across the public and private sectors for their continued support. The Forum further
\nacknowledged the contribution of its partners and sponsors, whose support enables the organisation to deliver its programmes
\nand advance its ongoing work to develop, connect and strengthen the media and communication fraternity across Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
African National Congress (ANC) First Deputy Secretary-General and former Minister of Communications Nomvula Mokonyane has<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-868","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n