Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent consultation survey – we received 63 responses. We’re grateful for your honest feedback and valuable suggestions, which are already helping us shape the future direction of the club. Also, congratulations to Tanya Aucamp and Lufuno Madima who each won a R500 Takealot voucher in our lucky draw!

Your responses gave us a clear picture of what’s working, what needs attention, and how we can better serve you. Here are just a few key things we learned:

• Most of you want regular monthly events, especially networking sessions, media briefings, and access to newsmakers.
• Thursday evenings are the most convenient time for events.
• Our strongest support base is in Pretoria (Central and East) and Centurion, though many also asked for virtual options.
• Some of you haven’t paid your membership fees because the process isn’t clear or you haven’t received a reminder.

We’re taking this feedback seriously. Here’s what we’re doing next:

• We’re streamlining our membership payment system and will send clear instructions and reminders in the coming weeks.
• You’ll receive timely invitations to our monthly events, with most sessions scheduled for Thursday evenings.
• We will do our best to offer a mix of in-person and virtual events to improve access for everyone.
• To make it easier to get involved, we’ll be sharing a simple guide to joining the Press Club for those who expressed interest.

We’re excited about the year ahead and hope you’ll continue to engage with the National Press Club as we grow stronger together.

If you have ideas, questions, or want to get more involved, we’d love to hear from you: secretariat@nationalpressclub.co.za.

We are pleased to invite you to join us for a special event in celebration of World Press Freedom Day, hosted in partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

This event will explore the critical intersection of science reporting, artificial intelligence, and press freedom in South Africa, bringing together leading voices from journalism, science, and media.

Event details:

Title: Navigating the Future of Journalism: Science Reporting, AI, and Press Freedom

Date: Thursday, 29 May 2025

Time: 18:30

Venue: CSIR Convention Centre, Pretoria

RSVP Link: https://forms.gle/sBf4uZ3udLgyqtik9

For inquiries call 072 984 4673 or email secretariat@nationalpressclub.co.za 

The African Media and Communicators Forum (AMCF) and the National Press Club (NPC)have expressed shock, disbelief and sadness over the deaths of renowned media practitioner, Sibusiso “Aserie” Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Precious Mdhluli.

The couple’s remains were discovered on Thursday morning at an advanced stage of decomposition. The forensic team have positively identified the remains and confirmed that Ndlovu and Mdhluli were murdered and dumped in a veld in the Kwa Mhlanga area.

The couple had been missing since 18 February 2025.

The media fraternity across South Africa has, for the past two and half months, laboured with the agony of not knowing where the couple had gone. We joined hands and the chorus of our voices in calling for communities and law enforcement agencies to find the couple.

Following the formation of the task team, more resources were allocated, leading to a breakthrough in the case. This resulted in the arrest of five suspects, three of them appeared in court on Wednesday.

“I am terribly sad. We held out hope that despite the number of days that the couple had gone missing, they would still be found alive. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of our brother and sister,” said Elijah Mhlanga, the Chairperson of the African Media and Communicators Forum.  

The AMFC and NPC have undertaken to continue supporting the family during this difficult time, including attendance of the court cases of all the suspects.

“We are confident in the work of the authorities, that they will use all the available resources to bring to book everyone that was involved in the killing of our colleague and his partner,” said Acting Chairperson of the NPC Antoinette Slabbert.

We will be in court on Friday where the media application for access to cover the media will be heard. The application was brought by the AMCF and NPC on behalf of the media houses.

ISSUED JONTLY BY THE AFRICAN MEDIA AND COMMUNICATORS FORUM AND THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB.

Elijah Mhlanga – 071 950 1148 (AMCF)

Antoinette Slabbert – 082 320 2153 (NPC)