South African journalism mourns the loss of Tshidi Madia, Associate Editor: Politics at Eyewitness News (EWN), who passed away on the morning of Wednesday, 27 August 2025, following a brief illness and hospitalization. She was 42 years old.
According to a family statement, Madia “loved South Africa deeply and devoted her career to telling its stories,” and “brought joy and love to all who knew her.”
EWN Editor-in-Chief Nisa Allie described her as “the jewel in EWN’s crown,” adding, “She was a powerhouse… a consummate professional who worked tirelessly in pursuit of the truth. She led by example, mentoring many young political journalists.”
Primedia Broadcasting’s Chief Content Officer Mzo Jojwana called her one of the most respected journalistic voices in South Africa, while Group CEO Jonathan Procter said Madia was “a force that I have seldom encountered” in media.
Madia rose through the ranks at Primedia, starting at EWN’s traffic desk, later joining Power FM and News24 before returning to EWN as a senior political reporter and editor. She was also known for her popular podcast, Politricking with Tshidi Madia, and earned acclaim for securing rare one-on-one interviews with key political figures, including President Cyril Ramaphosa before the 2024 elections. She also reported from the White House during Ramaphosa’s meeting with then-President Trump.
Her passing has left a profound void in the media community. Funeral and memorial service details are expected to be shared in due course.
𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗼 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗟𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗔𝘀 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽!
