The Campaign for Freedom of Expression (CFE) and the School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) at Rhodes University are hosting the Speak Up SA Competition 2025.

This competition challenges students to produce media that raises awareness about the right to freedom of expression and its importance in society.

How to Participate

• Registration: End of March 2025 NOW CLOSED
• Final Submission Deadline: End of September 2025
• To be eligible, students must attend a series of 5 online seminars in May, July, August and September, which will provide key insights into Freedom of Expression and inspire your work for the competition.

Who Can Enter?

The competition is open to all students in the School of Journalism and Media Studies (JMS) at Rhodes University, including:
✔️ Undergraduate students (JMS1 – JMS3)
✔️ JMS4 students
✔️ Honours students
✔️ Postgraduate Diploma students
✔️ Masters & PhD students

Some lecturers have agreed to integrate competition entries into coursework for formal assessment. These include:

📌 JMS2 WEPD – Thando Ndabezitha
📌 JMS Postgraduate Diploma – Anthea Garman
📌 JMS4 Multimedia – Kayla Roux
📌 JMS4 Design – Brian Garman
📌 JMS4 Audio – Jeanne du Toit
📌 JMS3 Writing & Editing – Rod Amner

UPDATE: We have received 57 entries

Competition Themes

Students must choose one of the following Freedom of Expression themes:
🗣 Within the university space
🌍 In Makhanda
🇿🇦 In South Africa
🌎 Elsewhere in the world

Entry Categories

Participants may submit entries in one or more of the following formats:

📣 A Campaign – Create a campaign that raises awareness or sparks debate. The final submission should include all campaign materials (including links to published works on social platforms) and an explanation of how it was executed. CFE must be tagged or made a collaborator on all social media platforms. 

📰 A Story / Series of Stories – Develop a compelling story or collection of stories around Freedom of Expression. Either publish these online and tag us/make us a collaborator or submit them to us for publishing. 

🎨 A Creative Artefact – Submit posters, photographs, graphics, or other creative works.

📖 An Essay – Explore Freedom of Expression through an academic or popular-style essay, in any medium.

⚠️ Note: Entries must be designed to explore Freedom of Expression in meaningful and impactful ways. We want to see real impactful work being created. Consider an educational style video series or even a combination of various messaging techniques on social media.

Submission Requirements

Final submissions must include:

✅ A one-paragraph summary explaining the project (what, why, and how).

✅ All relevant links to content that may have been posted online. (Include stats on reach, views, likes and engagement.)

✅ Personal details of contestants.

✅ All content created and packaged ready for publication.

✅ Indication of whether the entry was individual or group work.

Social Media Considerations:

• Content posted throughout the year must be approved by lecturers before publishing.
• CFE must be tagged or made a collaborator in all posts.
• A social media analysis report (engagement, reach, impact) can be included in the final submission.
• When posting, always tag all CFE social media accounts and use the #SpeakUpSA hashtag.

Prizes & Internship Opportunity

🏆 1st Prize: R8,000
🥈 2nd Prize: R5,000
🥉 3rd Prize: R1,000

💼 Internship Opportunity:
Winners may be awarded an internship with one of our media partners. However, groups are not eligible for the internship (only individual participants can qualify).

The Bigger Vision

Currently, this competition is exclusive to Rhodes University but aims to expand to universities across South Africa in the future. This pilot project is about creating meaningful, impactful work and inspiring students to tell powerful stories about Freedom of Expression.

Marking Rubric for Judging

Judging criteria will include:
🔹 Creativity & Originality – Does the entry present a fresh perspective?
🔹 Relevance & Impact – How effectively does it engage with Freedom of Expression?
🔹 Execution & Quality – Is it well-researched, well-produced, and compelling?
🔹 Engagement & Reach – If applicable, how well did it perform on social media?

Join the #SpeakUpSA Movement!

This campaign is about encouraging South Africans to speak up. Whether it’s a local community issue or a national conversation, we want students to think big, innovate, and create impactful work.

📢 Use the hashtag everywhere: #SpeakUpSA

Seminar Timetable

For any questions or guidance, contact Catherine White: catherine.soniawhite@gmail.com