Détails

The book runs to three volumes, in more than 1,000 pages, to cover 13 Southern African countries. The Tanzania chapter has been enhanced by the inclusion of media laws in Zanzibar. Further, the latest instalment has updated chapters on Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, eSwatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

In the foreword to the three-volume-edition, Christoph Plate, Director at KAS Media Africa, explained that the reasons for new media laws range from the advent of social media to the realisation of those in power that, with new technologies, they cannot control the narrative and discussion the way they used to.

Legal expert Justine Limpitlaw – who took up the challenge to analyse and scrutinise changes in the law media landscape in Southern Africa – commended many journalists who take grave risks in bringing important stories to light and for being serious in their responsibilities of ensuring an informed citizenry. She also paid homage to the lawyers – a field she described as much aligned profession.