ABSTRACT
Press freedom is understood broadly and is denned as an environment that enables the press to function essentially unhindered in obtaining and providing a substantially complete, timely account of the events and issues in a society. All societies place limits on the press, whether these concern libel law, fraudulent advertising, or matters of national security. The political system that postapartheid South Africa acquires will determine the vigor of press freedom in that country. If the negotiations of the early 1990s lead to a government genuinely tolerant of freedom of expression and dissenting viewpoints, then the likelihood of a free press will be immeasurably heightened. South Africa's press has its roots in the libertarian traditions of Western Europe. The English press, which comprises the country's most economically powerful papers in the country, have consistently embraced and proclaimed the legacy. These papers, as a group, have constantly reaffirmed the value of a free press.
