SANEF Calls on Journalists and Editors to Prioritise Mental Wellness on World Mental Health Day
10 October 2025
As the world marks World Mental Health Day, the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is calling on journalists and editors to actively prioritise their mental wellness and that of their teams.
In recognition of the growing pressures facing news professionals, SANEF has developed two new step-by-step guides, one on Managing Exposure to Traumatic Stories and another on Responding to Threats Against Journalists. These practical tools are designed to help journalists and editors navigate trauma, harassment, and burnout, and to strengthen newsroom support systems.
SANEF notes that the demands placed on journalists, both in South Africa and globally, have reached unprecedented levels. “The combination of shrinking newsrooms, increased workloads, tighter budgets, and cyber harassment has created a ‘news cyclone’ that affects both mental and physical health,” Said SANEF’s Wellness and Safety Committee Chair, Katy Katopodis.
“Safety and well-being are not optional extras; they are fundamental to media freedom and the sustainability of good journalism in a democracy,” added Katopodis.
Freelancers, in particular, remain acutely vulnerable, often working without employer support or medical aid cover. SANEF reiterates its commitment to supporting journalists through practical safety measures, peer networks, and access to professional help.
These principles are echoed in the M20 Johannesburg Declaration, which SANEF helped draft ahead of the inaugural M20 Media Summit in September 2025, an independent media initiative held alongside South Africa’s hosting of the G20. The Declaration, endorsed by over 64 media organisations globally, calls on media companies to ensure the safety of journalists and to develop gender-aware safety protocols to counter online and physical violence. Read the declaration here: https://media20.org/2025/09/02/m20-johannesburg-declaration/
Journalists carry enormous responsibility in telling our nation’s stories, often under immense personal and professional strain. Protecting their mental health is not just a matter of compassion; it is an investment in truth and accountability.
SANEF encourages all editors, newsroom leaders, and freelancers to adopt the new mental wellness and safety guides and to embed these principles into newsroom culture.
Note to Editors:
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists, and journalism trainers from all areas of South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics, and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism by fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, conducting research, and providing education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.
For more information, please contact:
Makhudu Sefara – Chairperson (079) 177-2134
Tshamano Makhadi – Deputy Chairperson (082) 223-0621
Glenda Daniels – Secretary-General (083) 229-9708
Sbu Ngalwa – Treasurer-General (073) 404-1415
Sli Khanyile – Media Freedom Chair (083) 471-0367
Katy Katopodis – Wellness and Safety Chair (082) 805-7022
Dianne Hawker – Gauteng Convenor (072) 016-5984
Judy Sandison – KZN Convenor (082) 571-3334
Rochelle De Kock – Eastern Cape Convenor (072) 969-8028
Sisanda Nkoala – Western Cape Convenor (073) 138 5564
Reggy Moalusi – Executive Director (071) 682-3695
Twitter: SAEditorsForum
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.SANEF.org.za
