M.A. University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities (Journalism and Media Studies), 2012The relationship between governments and the media has historically been an antagonistic
one, and investigative journalism – the material manifestation of the role of the press as
fourth estate – is central to this antagonism. In their capacity as the fourth estate, those
newspapers that pursue and publish investigative journalism stand in opposition to
government. Governments have responded to this opposition in a variety of ways; mostly,
however, by way of legislated censorship of the press. In South Africa, the legislation that
regulated what newspapers could print under apartheid was unusually vast. In spite of
this, major exposés of government corruption – and worse – were seen on the front pages
of those publications that pursue investigations into political malfeasance. In South
Africa’s post-apartheid democracy, with constitutional protection of the freedom of
expression, there has been increasing evidence of what Jackson has called the “embedded
qualities of intolerance and secrecy” (1993: 164) in the state’s response to revelations of
corruption in the press, culminating in the Protection of State Information Bill that was
passed in Parliament in November 2011. The passing of the Bill has resulted in widespread
concern about the possibility of legislated, apartheid-style censorship of the media
and freedom of expression. I interviewed five editors who were part of exposing state
corruption during and after apartheid, in order to establish what motivates their decisions
to keep on printing stories that brings them into conflict with the political powers of the
day, in spite of the financial consequences for their publications. Regardless of the different
political landscapes, the strategies that they followed in order to keep on publishing were
remarkably similar, as is their reason for continuing to publish investigative stories: they
believe it embodies the role of the press in a democracy. Indicators are that editors will
keep on publishing, in spite of attempts by the government to gag the press
