MEDIA HOUSES Category Application Registration Renewal Late renewal fee Mass media service US$300 US$2 000 US$1 000 US$500 Community mass media service US$200 US$1 000 US$800 US$500 Production and digital platforms US$200 US$1 000 US$800 US$500 News agencies US$200 US$1 000 US$800 US$500 Foreign mass media service or news agency US$500 & US$1 000 complementary permit administration fee US$3 000 (captured as permission to operate) US$800 According to MISA Zimbabwe, the fees were prohibitory, exorbitant and beyond the reach of many”.(21) MISA viewed this as contrary to the “African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ position that onerous conditions of accreditation are akin to censorship and endanger the right to receive and impart information”.(22) Concerns have also been raised about dual accreditation in Zimbabwe as already accredited journalists are required to be accredited again by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to cover elections, something deemed bureaucratic and cumbersome with costs being a potential barrier for some journalists. While there are restrictions for accreditation of foreign journalists, South Africa fares better in this regard and hosts close to 200 journalists from other countries, who report on South Africa and also cover the continent at large.(23) Among other requirements for foreign journalists is a valid work permit. Considering the backlog that the South African Department of Home Affairs is burdened with, it is not clear whether this also affects the accreditation process. Mozambique, unlike South Africa, does not easily allow journalists.(24) accreditation of foreign CONCLUSION The report has, in summary, shown that although there are positive developments across the Southern African region, meeting the international standards is still work in progress and in some instances, states are regressing. There is evidence of a plethora of challenges that hinder the practice of independent journalism and also the continuation of restrictive measures that do not promote press freedom. Journalists who face intimidation, harassment and other forms of violence, in most instances are confronted with the reality of impunity and diminishing political will to protect media workers. As a way forward, it is imperative for states in Southern Africa to adopt the necessary practical measures and implement the 2019 Declaration of Principles on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa. The calls on States to create a conducive environment for the exercise of freedom of expression, and ensure protection from 23