FSU SA joins global free speech campaign

23 July 2024

The Free Speech Union of South Africa (FSU SA) has joined fraternal organisations across the English-speaking world in establishing the International Association of Free Speech Unions (IAFSU).

The new organisation emerges from meetings in Australia last week attended by FSU SA director Sara Gon, along with representatives from the Free Speech Unions of the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The IAFSU will shortly be joined by an FSU in Canada.

Gon notes that, recognising the erosion of free speech in the Anglophone democracies, and building on the work the unions are doing in each country, the IAFSU will work to assist those who want to defend the right to free speech in the Anglosphere and beyond.

“South Africa's free speech environment is very different from the others. The UK, New Zealand and Australia have seen a significant erosion of free speech and the proliferation of cancel culture in debates on issues such as race relations, sex and gender, Covid-19, climate change, and international conflicts, especially Israel/Palestine,” Gon says.

“South Africa has an enviable free speech environment: the end of apartheid ushered in free speech which South Africans embraced and which will not easily be taken away from them. We do have vociferous debates about the issues faced by the other unions, but our debates are unhindered.”

Gon adds, however, that “on the premise that the absence of freedom is only a generation away, and given our sadly familiar experiences of a political environment of rampant corruption, incompetence and secrecy, nothing must be left to chance”.

Pointing out that free speech is a vital ingredient of successful societies, Gon cites an opinion piece on the IAFSU in the Australian media observing that: "We need to defend free speech, not further erode it, and not just because without it we cannot raise the alarm when any of our other human rights come under threat. It is also one of the fundamental freedoms that characterise the most peaceful, prosperous, stable countries in the world, particularly the Anglosphere. Respecting the individual freedom, autonomy and dignity of every person is key to why our societies are so prosperous."

Gon says the FSU SA stands to gain a great deal through its membership of IAFSU in the “sharing of ideas, experiences and strategies with people who are intensely passionate about upholding free speech”.

“We bring South Africa’s positive experience of and ongoing right to express our views − good, bad or indifferent − to a problem that is blighting the countries of our associate unions.

“We are, in many ways, the free speech adult in the Anglosphere room. FSU SA aims to help to ensure that we keep it that way,” Gon concludes.

Issued by Sara Gon, Director, FSU SA, 23 July 2024