28 May 2026
Blaai af vir Afrikaanse weergawe.
The Free Market Foundation (FMF) relaunched the Free Speech Union of South Africa (FSU SA) at a ceremony held yesterday, 27 May, at Northwards House in Johannesburg. The FSU SA joins a growing international network of free speech organisations committed to defending the free and peaceful expression of ideas, opinions, and beliefs.
The Free Speech Union was first launched in the United Kingdom by Toby Young in 2020 and has since done remarkable work defending people who have been hounded, censured, punished, or professionally targeted for the lawful exercise of their right to express themselves. The success of that project has inspired the formation of similar organisations around the world, now operating under the auspices of Free Speech Union International, including in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Adv Mark Oppenheimer, Executive Director of the FSU SA, says:
“Free speech is not merely one right among many. It is the foundation of any open democracy. Without free speech, we cannot discover what is true, test ideas, hold the powerful to account, or participate meaningfully as informed citizens.”
The FSU SA pays tribute to Sara Gon, who played an important role in forming the organisation locally.
“We are deeply grateful for Sara Gon’s efforts in fighting for free speech in South Africa. We at the Free Market Foundation are honoured to continue that work and to build an organisation capable of defending this foundational liberty in the years ahead,” says David Ansara, CEO of the FMF.
The FSU SA will act as an advocacy organisation, championing freedom of expression in public life, universities, workplaces, civil society, and the courts. It will also play an important role in litigation, including by acting as a friend of the court in suitable cases and, where appropriate and financially feasible, assisting individuals who are unfairly victimised for the mere expression of their views.
Oppenheimer emphasises that free speech is most important precisely when views are unpopular, uncomfortable, or offensive to prevailing orthodoxies.
“Throughout history, those who challenged popular orthodoxies were often condemned in their own time. Those who fought for the abolition of slavery, for the end of apartheid, and for the legal recognition of gay marriage all expressed views that many in society once regarded as offensive, dangerous, or unacceptable. Progress depends on the ability to speak, argue, persuade, and reason freely.”
The organisation will also seek to bring leading free speech thinkers, lawyers, writers, and public intellectuals into conversation with South Africans.
“We are delighted to have access to a network of prominent free speech intellectuals around the world, and we hope to share their wisdom with South Africans in the years to come,” says Oppenheimer.
The FSU SA will rely on public and institutional support to carry out its work.
“The price of freedom is constant vigilance. But the price of running a civil society organisation is paid in rands and cents,” concludes Ansara. “If you care about free speech, we encourage you to support and donate to this cause.”
Click here to visit the website of the Free Speech Union South Africa.
Click here to visit the website of the Free Speech Union International.
Ends.
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FMF herlanseer Free Speech Union om vrye uitdrukking in Suid-Afrika te verdedig
28 Mei 2026
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Die Vryemarkstigting (FMF) het die Free Speech Union of South Africa (FSU SA) by ’n seremonie gister, 27 Mei, by Northwards House in Johannesburg herlanseer. Die VSU SA sluit aan by ’n groeiende internasionale netwerk van vrye spraak-organisasies wat verbind is tot die verdediging van die vrye en vreedsame uitdrukking van idees, opinies, en oortuigings.
Die Free Speech Union is oorspronklik in 2020 in die Verenigde Koninkryk deur Toby Young geloods en het sedertdien merkwaardige werk gedoen deur mense te verdedig wat vervolg, gesensureer, gestraf, of professioneel geteiken is vir die wettige uitoefening van hul reg om hulself uit te druk. Die sukses van daardie projek het die stigting van soortgelyke organisasies wêreldwyd geïnspireer, wat nou onder die vaandel van Free Speech Union International funksioneer, insluitend in Kanada, Australië, Nieu-Seeland, en Suid-Afrika.
Adv. Mark Oppenheimer, Uitvoerende Direkteur van die FSU SA, sê:
“Vrye spraak is nie bloot een reg onder vele nie. Dit is die fondament van enige oop demokrasie. Sonder vrye spraak kan ons nie ontdek wat waar is nie, idees toets, die magtiges aanspreeklik hou, of as ingeligte burgers betekenisvol deelneem nie.”
Die FSU SA bring hulde aan Sara Gon, wat ’n belangrike rol in die plaaslike stigting van die organisasie gespeel het.
“Ons is diep dankbaar vir Sara Gon se moeite om vir vrye spraak in Suid-Afrika te veg. Ons by die Vryemarkstigting voel geëerd om daardie werk voort te sit en ’n organisasie te bou wat in staat is om hierdie grondliggende vryheid in die jare vorentoe te verdedig,” sê David Ansara, Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die FMF.
Die FSU SA sal as ’n voorspraakorganisasie optree wat vryheid van uitdrukking in die openbare lewe, universiteite, werkplekke, die burgerlike samelewing en die howe bevorder. Dit sal ook ’n belangrike rol in litigasie speel, insluitend deur as amicus curiae in geskikte sake op te tree en, waar gepas en finansieel haalbaar, individue by te staan wat onregverdig geteiken word bloot vir die uitdrukking van hul menings.
Oppenheimer beklemtoon dat vrye spraak juis die belangrikste is wanneer sienings ongewild, ongemaklik, of aanstootlik vir die heersende ortodoksieë is.
“Deur die geskiedenis is dié wat gewilde ortodoksieë uitgedaag het, dikwels in hul eie tyd veroordeel. Dié wat vir die afskaffing van slawerny, die beëindiging van apartheid, en die regserkenning van gay huwelike geveg het, het almal menings uitgespreek wat baie in die samelewing eens as aanstootlik, gevaarlik, of onaanvaarbaar beskou het. Vooruitgang hang af van die vermoë om vryelik te praat, te argumenteer, te oortuig, en te redeneer.”
Die organisasie sal ook poog om vooraanstaande vrye spraak-denkers, advokate, skrywers, en openbare intellektuele in gesprek met Suid-Afrikaners te bring.
“Ons is verheug om toegang tot ’n netwerk van prominente vrye spraak-intellektuele wêreldwyd te hê, en ons hoop om hul wysheid met Suid-Afrikaners in die jare wat kom te deel,” sê Oppenheimer.
Die FSU SA sal staatmaak op openbare en institusionele ondersteuning om sy werk uit te voer.
“Die prys van vryheid is voortdurende waaksaamheid. Maar die prys van die bedryf van ’n burgerlike samelewingsorganisasie word in rande en sent betaal,” sluit Ansara af. “As jy omgee vir vrye spraak, moedig ons jou aan om hierdie saak te ondersteun en skenkings te maak.”
Klik hier om die webwerf van die Free Speech Union of South Africa te besoek.
Klik hier om die webwerf van die Free Speech Union International te besoek.
Einde.
