Covering the period from 2018 to 2023, the State of Free Expression Report, titled 'The Landscape is Darkening - A Review of Freedom of Expression in South Africa', tells us that free expression is under constant threat, despite laws and policies meant to safeguard it.

The State of Free Expression in South Africa Report, published by the Campaign for Free Expression (CFE), tells of the hard road to finding the truth - which, according to popular culture, "is out there", but often is being distorted, misreported or being very well and deliberately hidden.

Looking at data from 2018, the start of the presidency of Cyril Ramaphosa, to mid-2023, the CFE has used various sources and looked at issues of access to information, including policy, legislation, socioeconomic status and other factors.

The CFE is a nonprofit "dedicated to protecting and expanding the right to free expression for all". It states: "We don't care what your view is: if it is legal, we will defend your right to have it, express it, argue it and fight for it."

In the preface of the report, CFE executive director Anton Harber paints a dire picture of an ongoing and uphill battle.

"The Campaign for Free Expression team appears to be dashing from issue to issue day after day, reacting constantly to a range of threats to free expression. In a typical week we may find ourselves making representations to Parliament... drafting amendments... in court fighting a SLAPP suit...