Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Journalist Cindy Sobati said South African media is losing public trust because shrinking resources limit sustained investigations, while commercial pressures and viral platforms increasingly shape which stories receive attention.

Sobati described investigative journalism as carrying serious personal risks, including threats, colleagues’ killings and journalists limiting travel or avoiding investigations because they fear retaliation for exposing corruption.

FOSAS leader Debo Komasilombani argued minimum-wage increases are essential as prices rise, but said government must also fix unreliable electricity, water and roads that raise business costs and destroy jobs.

The minimum-wage debate broadened into a dispute over state capacity, with Komasilombani warning that shifting public services and assets to private companies weakens government and increases workers’ living costs.

International relations commentator Ian Beros said Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz and unconventional warfare have challenged US power, while South Africa lacks a clear economic strategy to withstand external shocks.