Fikile Mbalula hails Tshidi Madia's integrity, fearlessness
ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has joined the growing list of tributes in honour of the late journalist Tshidi Madia.
Speaking during a visit to her family home in Leondale, near Germiston, on Monday, Mbalula described Madia as a fearless reporter who asked tough questions with respect and humility.
“She will force you long after you have left a press conference or engagement with her to reflect,” Mbalula said.
“Because she was not personal. And she was above political, petty jealousies. She would attend to matters as they come. It doesn’t matter which political party you come from, she will ask you the question.”
Mbalula highlighted her work on both local and international stages, including during President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House, where she challenged false claims of a so-called white genocide in South Africa.
“She didn’t pull punches and she was not frightened by titles because she was asking relevant questions. And she knew that the questions she was asking were not only for herself, but for the broader society in South Africa,” he said.
He praised her professionalism and integrity, calling her a journalist who carried herself with dignity at all times.
“History will judge her fairly. She did what she needed to be done in executing a profession she loved most, without fear or favour,” Mbalula said, underscoring her dedication to ethical, fearless journalism.
Addressing the grieving family, he added: “From all walks of life, sport, politics, everywhere else, she was somebody who was well-loved, not only in the political terrain which she dealt with in her profession, but across the country.”
Reflecting on the shock of her passing, he noted it came after a short illness.
“She was a journalist on a journey, and death took us by surprise and shock. But we say to everybody, friends, journalists, all of you who have lost a friend, we are with you. On behalf of the African National Congress, we have lost a great citizen, a patriot in Tshidi Madia.”
Mbalula’s tribute reinforced Madia’s legacy as a journalist who demanded accountability, promoted fairness, and never shied away from asking the questions that mattered, for politicians, for society, and for the country as a whole.
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