Pretoria - Government and the media play crucial roles in upholding and protecting a democratic society, says Performance, Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane.
Addressing the inaugural Media Freedom Lecture and Colloquia on Tuesday evening, Chabane was of the view that in a democratic society, the one cannot exist without the other.
"This government sees freedom of the media as essential to build an open and inclusive information society, and to peace and development in general."
However, the minister said that instead of focusing on national dialogue, the media was concentrating on the individual rather than the policy.
"Political news often focuses on personality rather than policy, with calls to cynicism rather than calls to action often infused into coverage."
He said the challenge was in mobilising the nation in support of the developmental objectives and building faith in public institutions, rather than creating a crisis of confidence.
"This is a challenge to which media could rise with the possible outcome of a vigilant, yet motivated and high-achieving society," said Chabane, adding that it was in the national interest.
He reiterated government's commitment to the Constitution, saying it had no intention of doing anything to undermine freedom of expression. He stressed that both government and the media had a common responsibility to promote a free, open and democratic society.
