JOURNALIST SAFETY Whilst southern Africa recorded fewer incidents of attacks against journalists in 2017, reports indicate a steep increase in the brutality of those attacks. Many such attacks emanated from successful anti-media campaigns by populist political and social leaders. Campaigns designed to sow distrust of mainstream media culminated in physical violence especially against journalists covering street protests or demonstrations. STRENGTHENING NORMS AND STANDARDS The Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), Lawrence Mute, in November 2017 indicated that he would prioritise the revision and/or expansion of the ACHPR’s Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression in Africa, 2002. The main objective of the Declaration is to elaborate on the scope and content of Article 9 of the African Charter, which guarantees the right to information and freedom of expression, and it has been acknowledged that over time major pertinent issues have emerged, which are either not covered at all or are covered insufficiently in the Declaration. Civil society groups have called for the inclusion of emerging internet rights and access to information in the proposed revision of the Declaration. NOT ALL IS LOST Namibia hosted its inaugural internet governance forum in September 2017. Efforts to promote mutli-stakeholder policy-making in Information and Communication Technology (ICTs) are bearing fruit. 12 So This is Democracy? 2017 Malawi’s access to information law was promulgated in January 2017, over twelve years after it was introduced. The law facilitates access to information about elected officials and government institutions. The change of guard in South Africa ushered in President Cyril Ramaphosa who appears more committed to an open society than former President Zuma. Looming threats of a statutory Media Appeals Tribunal which would inevitably usurp the self-regulatory functions of the Press Council appear to have been abated.