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11 July 2022 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Supplied
From the left: Dr. Annelie De Man (Coordinator - advocacy division - Free State Centre for Human Rights), Deputy Minister John Jefferey, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Martie Bloem ( Private Law Lecturer, Faculty of Law), Tshepang Mahlatsi (Student Assistant - Advocacy division) and Prof Danie Brand (The Director of the Free State Centre for Human Rights).

According to the international market and consumer data company Statista’s June 2022 data, more than 4,6 billion people worldwide are using social media; this is an increase of 1 billion people compared to the total users in 2020. 

Delivering his lecture on ‘Social Media, Freedom of Expression, and the Law’ on the University of the Free State Bloemfontein Campus on 30 May 2022, John Jeffery, Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, said, “The power of social media lies in the sheer magnitude of the number of people using it.”

He said: “Section 16 of the South African Constitution provides that everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes freedom of the press and other media; freedom to receive or impart information or ideas; freedom of artistic creativity; and academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.”

He advised perpetrators of malicious social media posts about the consequences and the harm to persons who are victims.

Depending on the circumstances, a person who suffers harm because of being the subject of someone else’s social media posts, can be protected under the Protection from Harassment Act. According to the Act, this is due to mental, psychological, physical, or economic harm.

Speaking at the Odeion School of Music, Deputy Minister Jeffery said, “Social media brings with it the importance of responsible use. As a social media user, you are entirely responsible for whatever appears on your social media accounts.’

He said: “Whatever you do in life – your conduct and your words – can be put onto various platforms and they will be there for a very long time. Do better, be better – and use social media to inspire people, to have an impact on the world, and to make it a better place.”

News Archive

Living proof of transformation
2012-07-20

 Prof. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela (middle) facilitated a dialogue with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Prof. Mark Solms on the Transformation in the Solms-Delta Wine Estate.
Photo: Johan Roux

18 July 2012

“We have the capacity to make a success of South Africa. We have incredible people who refuse to leave the country and want to make a difference.” This is according to Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu who was speaking at the University of the Free State (UFS) today.

Dr Tutu took part in a dialogue with Prof. Mark Solms, owner of the Solms-Delta wine estate in Franschhoek.Prof. Solms is also an A-rated scholar and the Head of the Department of Psychology at the University of Cape Town.The theme of the dialogue was “Living Reconciliation: Winds of Change in Franschhoek and Transformation at Solms-Delta Wine Estate”.

Prof. Solms led an initiative to transform the lives of farm workers on the estate through the Wijn-de Caab Trust. This initiative was extended to empower the wider community of farm dwellers when Prof. Solms co-founded the Delta Trust and the Franschhoek Valley Transformation Charter.

The dialogue was the second in the Dialogue between Science and Society series and was facilitated by Prof. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, Senior research professor on Trauma, Forgiveness and Reconciliation at the UFS. The Dialogue series aims to inspire new ways of thinking about responsible citizenship. It also highlights the unique and important ways of engaging with the critical issues of social equality, social justice, social transformation and reconciliation in South Africa.This morning Dr Tutu said the work done in the Franschhoek community is proof that people cannot prosper alone if others are also not prospering. “We belong together. Why did it take us so long to realise it? South Africans have the capacity to make South Africa a better place. It is unacceptable that people go hungry and go to school under trees. It is unacceptable that they still have no books in the third term, and that the pass rate is 30%.

“Is this why we struggled, why people died? We want to go to our graves smiling… we will not be allowed peace and stability if we do not attend to the problems.”

Prof. Solms said the miracle of the political transformation did not trickle down to the people. A lot has been done, but much more needs to be done. “It can only be done by us. It is not the government’s responsibility. The way we live as a result of apartheid is that we are a deeply divided society. We must recognise this and do something to change it.”

He encouraged people to think “small”. An individual cannot change the whole country, but the changes in his community are there to see.

Dr Tutu also congratulated the UFS on becoming a truly South African university, recognising the transformation of the past few years.

The dialogue was presented at the Global Leadership Summit that 250 students and academic leaders from 21 international universities are participating in. The summit runs until Friday 20 July 2012.
 

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