If the media are not the official opposition of the government, then the time is now for South Africans to enjoy the benefits of “peace or development” journalism.

In peace journalism, there is no oppression and divisive reporting. Through this practice, the journalist tells a good story of those individuals making a difference in their respective communities.

Community development projects, especially those initiated by the government, are the cornerstone of determining the newsworthiness of a potential story.

This is the only type of journalism which could do justice to the black majority who are often portrayed as the leading racial group attracting negative publicity.

During the apartheid era, one way of oppressive reporting was to refer to those who were involved in the liberation struggle as terrorists who were responsible for causing instability in the country.

A call to urge the South African media to practice peace journalism does not suggest that journalists should refrain from playing their role of being a moral watchdog of society by holding the leadership accountable to the electorate since the Constitution does not advocate that as South Africans we should be corrupt.

However, if government communicators don’t sell their “subsidised news” on the massive role the government is playing to improve the lives of the masses, peace journalism will remain a challenge.

I am of the view that peace journalism should start at community newspapers such as the Limpopo Mirror through covering stories that reflect the rainbow nation in Vhembe if not across the province.

This can only be possible if government communicators begin to respect and take reporters from community media seriously by respecting their deadlines and availing themselves to answer questions all the time.

This view is also shared by our new Communications Minister, Faith Muthambi, who said community media are at the heart of the government’s new strategic approach of revolutionising the communication agenda in South Africa. 

“Government takes the issue of community media very seriously and it’s at the heart of our new strategic approach as department - especially with regard to communication which empowers our people.

“We need to change the mindset of feeding our communities, especially those in rural areas, only news stories happening in Parliament, Pretoria and Johannesburg. We are very serious about improving community media because they are closest to the people. This also enables us as government to localise the communication,” she said.

I fully share Minister Muthambi’s view that community media are underutilised in the country. Indeed, if we were utilising this communication platform to enhance social cohesion especially in Makhado, our country would be different today.

Muthambi wants government communicators to improve the way they communicate, as well as having a good working relationship with the entire media industry, community media included.

When we begin to utilise the community media, provincial communicators and those in local municipalities will refrain from placing advertisements that are more relevant to community media in mainstream media.

Even in community media, news is something unusual, but we still want to see the positive stories about the government development initiatives taking place in our communities.

Community media are the cornerstone of telling stories that move South Africa forward.

- Nthambeleni Gabara, Pretoria

(Gabara, a former reporter of Limpopo Mirror, is currently a senior reporter at SAnews and he writes this letter in his personal capacity.)