Renowned journalist Tshidi Madia, admired for her fearless reporting and mentorship, has died at 42 after a short illness.
Renowned journalist and broadcaster Tshidi Madia, who also served as associate editor for politics at Eyewitness News (EWN), has tragically passed away.
Her family confirmed in a statement on Wednesday afternoon that the 42-year-old died earlier that morning after a short illness and hospitalisation.
“A respected journalist, she loved South Africa deeply and devoted her career to telling its stories,” the family spokesperson Mahlatse Mahlase said.
Madia dies at 42 after a short illness
“She brought joy and love to all who knew her, and her memory will forever remain in the hearts of her family and friends.”
Mahlase confirmed that the family will share funeral details in due course.
ALSO READ: Journalist sting exposes bribe attempt
Several members of South Africa’s fourth estate reacted to the shocking news of Madia’s death on social media, with many speaking highly of her commitment to journalism.
EWN’s Editor-in-Chief, Nisa Allie, described Madia as the jewel in the publication’s crown.
“She was a powerhouse. She was brave. She was the consummate professional who worked tirelessly in pursuit of the truth. She led by example, mentoring and training many young political journalists,” Allie said in an article on EWN.
‘She was a powerhouse’
“She formed a formidable politics team, which she was so proud of, and delivered one exclusive after the next, with absolute humility and professionalism.”
Allie added that Madia consistently raised the bar for herself, balancing her reporting with her editorial responsibilities.
“Laughter and robust debate would always surround Tshidi,” Allie said.
ALSO READ: Aldrin Sampear dumps journalism for government job after leaving news channel
The publication said she was renowned by its audiences for her objective reporting, in-depth interviews, and dedication to impartiality. She was a prominent figure in the political sphere of the nation, EWN said.
In May, Madia was in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, witnessing and reporting on the meeting between President Donald Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
US visit and white genocide interview
Following the visit, she appeared on the US network News Nation, where she was praised for “mopping the floor” with the anchor Leland Vittert over white genocide claims in South Africa.
Madia strongly rejected claims that white South Africans, particularly farmers, were being systematically targeted in the country.
ALSO READ: Journalist critical of Benin president extradited from Ivory Coast
“The issue is falsehood. White people are not being targeted. Crime is experienced by everybody, not just white people,” she said.
Watch Madia’s interview with News Nation here:
Why did anyone not tell me about what @tshidi_lee did to that American journalist? She completely destroyed him in that interview. He thought he was interviewing his usual clueless American journalists. She came prepared for him.🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/qLS8BzG8Pt
— Mr President (@KG_ZA2025) May 23, 2025
