New wellness guides aim to help South African journalists manage trauma, burnout, and online harassment.
As the world commemorates World Mental Health Day, the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is urging journalists, editors, and newsroom leaders across the country to prioritise mental wellness – both for themselves and their teams.
Recognising the intense emotional toll of modern journalism, SANEF has introduced two new step-by-step wellness guides:
- Managing Exposure to Traumatic Stories
- Responding to Threats Against Journalists
These guides offer practical tools to help media professionals navigate trauma, harassment, and burnout, while also strengthening support systems within newsrooms.
“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 Katy Katopodis, Chair of SANEF’s Wellness and Safety Committee.
“Safety and well-being are not optional extras; they are fundamental to media freedom and the sustainability of good journalism in a democracy,” she added.
Freelancers Face Greater Vulnerability
SANEF highlighted the particular vulnerability of freelance journalists, who often operate without employer support or medical aid. The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to promoting mental wellness, providing safety resources, peer networks, and access to professional mental health support.
Global Support for Media Safety
These efforts align with the M20 Johannesburg Declaration, which SANEF helped draft before the inaugural M20 Media Summit held alongside South Africa’s hosting of the G20 in September 2025.
The declaration endorsed by more than 64 media organisations worldwide calls on media houses to prioritise journalist safety and to develop gender-sensitive protocols that protect against online and physical violence.
Read the full declaration here: M20 Johannesburg Declaration
Mental Wellness is Key to Journalism’s Future
SANEF emphasised that protecting journalists’ mental health is vital to the integrity and sustainability of South Africa’s media.
“Journalists carry enormous responsibility in telling our nation’s stories, often under immense strain. Protecting their mental health is not just compassion but it’s an investment in truth and accountability,” SANEF said.
The organisation is calling on newsroom leaders, editors, and freelancers to adopt the new wellness guides and embed a culture of care and safety across all media platforms.
