SECTOR 1 • • Southern African Freelancers Association of Freelancers (Safrea) – subdued, but operational; Communication Workers Union (CWU), Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA) and Broadcasting and Electronic Media Allied Workers Union (BEMAWU) – very vocal in regard to the SABC. In the past the media fraternity had rarely linked up with civil society at large over media issues, but since 2009 there has been growing cooperation between the two sectors. This applies in particular to the trade unions, with umbrella bodies Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) and, to a lesser extent, the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) being highly critical of political and economic influences being exerted on the SABC, for example. Many civil society groups, however, seem to have other priorities like housing, sanitation and health. They do not see the basic fact that freedom of expression is the pre-condition for their own existence, not just that of the media, and instead perceive this right and freedom as a kind of “elite bourgeois luxury”. Many are dissatisfied with the performance of the media because they do not see themselves properly reflected in it and so they will not engage in media freedom issues. The main reason for this passivity seems to be that for 16 years since the first democratic elections in 1994, there has been no significant attempt to curtail media freedom in South Africa. As a result it has largely become taken for granted. Now with the threats of the Protection of Information legislation, the statutory media tribunal and regressive broadcasting bills on the table, media lobby groups are increasingly finding to their dismay that the hearts and minds of the people have not been won in terms of getting them to understand that freedom of expression is something worth fighting for because it concerns each and every citizen. Scores: Individual scores: 1 Country does not meet indicator 2 Country meets only a few aspects of indicator 3 Country meets some aspects of indicator 4 Country meets most aspects of indicator. 5 Country meets all aspects of the indicator Average score: 22 AFRICAN MEDIA BAROMETER SOUTH AFRICA 2010 3.5 (2008 = 3.9; 2006 = 2.7)