The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) is deeply saddened by the death of three South African journalists. Within a short time frame, South Africa lost News Free State editor Teboho Letshaba, veteran SABC News Sepedi Radio Current Affairs Producer and Presenter Matome Maupi in Limpopo, and former EWN reporter in Cape Town, Graig-Lee Smith.

Acting Director General of the GCIS, Michael Currin, said: "The news of the passing of these journalists, in a short space of time, is shocking and upsetting. They all had the experience of working in a dynamic and robust South African media industry. They took complex issues across a range of areas, and delivered them in the languages of the people. They reached the communities, heard their challenges, and told their stories."

Teboho Letshaba is a multiaward winning journalist, who authored about five Sesotho books, of which one was turned into a theatre production. Matome Maupi passed away after losing a battle against lung cancer. He joined the SABC as the host of popular Current Affairs show Hlokwa La Tsela on Thobela FM in the early 2000s, and was known for his vigorous interaction with government officials especially around service delivery issues. Graig-Lee Smith, a former EWN reporter based in Cape Town, was known for going into the heart of communities and telling their story.

"The GCIS works closely with journalists and media houses, and we send our condolences to their families and the media fraternity at large. It is truly a sad moment in the country's media history, one loss of a dynamic journalist is one too many. We mourn with the media industry."