Political satire, discussions on LGBTQIA communities and their issues and frank social and political conversations not aired on State broadcasters have become popular with online viewers and listeners. Not only has the internet provided a platform for freedom of expression, it has opened an avenue for creatives to make an income from advertising. YouTube views and the sale of merchandise. There is also training conducted by some of these creatives that empowers other younger performers to improve their craft. The Journalism and Media Lab or JamLab, a project of Wits University, which aims to enhance journalism and media in Africa, runs a mentorship project known as the JamLab Accelerator Programme for early career journalists. It also runs a week-long JamFest which showcases innovation in media. Similarly, The Hub in Lesotho provides digital media training and live events which promote freedom of expression. Long known for its presentation of contentious issues, Magamba Network in Zimbabwe, promotes democracy, freedom of expression and access to information by creating digital content, producing political satire, video productions and live events. It also provides a space where these young, resourceful political commentators can also create their content. Bloggers non-profit of Zambia, a organisation that promotes internet governance, digital rights and media rights, works on media and information literacy programmes. Both Magamba Network and Bloggers of Zambia run programmes that promote participation in parliamentary processes targeted at younger audiences, called Open Parly Zimbabwe and Open Parly Zambia, respectively. Magamba Network’s annual Shoko Festival — the region’s largest urban culture festival allows for creatives and their entities from the region to showcase their work. Also, becoming one of the most popular forms of expression online, is 3D animation. The appeal of anime content such as that produced by PaGhetto is that it is relatable to its audiences, gives a comical take on “serious social, economic and subliminally political issues and is produced in vernacular languages”. Set in the “hood”, the series tackles some serious social, economic and subliminally political issues. These types of anime productions are also being used as election related explainers and their generic content allows the material to be used across regions and borders. This new found form of commentary offers much needed comic relief to audiences always looking for great content, but tends to offend the ruling elite, who literally can’t take a joke. Tanzanian comedian, Idris Sultan was arrested by Tanzanian police twice during the reign of the late President John Magufuli. He was first arrested in October 2019 for posting a face-swap picture with Magufuli on Twitter, and charged with impersonating the president. (26) In May 2020 he was arrested again, this time after he posted a video of him laughing at a picture of Magufuli in an oversized suit, this time he was charged with using a SIM card that was not registered in his name. (27) Samantha Kureya, who is also known as Gonyeti — part of a popular comedy series Bustop TV — was allegedly abducted from her home in Zimbabwe in August 2019 by masked gunmen, who stripped her, assaulted her and dumped her in a secluded place. The government spokesperson said Gonyeti lied about her kidnapping. (28) Fumba Chama who goes by the stage name Pilato had to go into exile in 2017 after releasing a song — Kuswe Mumpoto (rat in the pot in Bemba language), which criticised Zambia then President Edgar Lungu’s government. He started receiving death threats over the song from Lungu’s supporters and fled to South Africa. (29) Upon his return from exile in May 2018, he was arrested at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and detained. He was then charged for participating in a demonstration, which took place before he left Zambia. In addition to these attacks on content creators, governments are seeking ways to control online content. Already Tanzania’s cybercrime law requires content creators to pay registration fees to the communications regulator, the Zimbabwean government has started a process of exploring how to tax content creators. Internet costs are still prohibitive, making access to content expensive. (30) STATE OF PRESS FREEDOM IN SOUTHERN AFRICA REPORT 2021 11 The advent of the internet is reshaping the media backdrop, as creatives explore the space to express themselves freely on the internet, using social media and websites to reach younger tech conversant audiences.