Celebrated journalist Tshidi Madia, who was Associate Editor: Politics at EWN, passed away on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, after a short illness. She was 39 years old.
Tshidi Madia passes away after a short illness
According to Primedia Broadcasting, Madia was widely respected for her political reporting and her ability to make complex issues easier for South Africans to understand.
She was also known for mentoring young journalists and leading political coverage at EWN.
When is Tshidi Madia’s memorial service?
The memorial service for Tshidi Madia will take place on Tuesday, 2 September 2025.
- Time: 11:30 for 12:00
- Venue: Primedia, 15 Fredman Drive, Sandton
- Attendance: An RSVP is required. Mourners must confirm with Nokubonga Hlatshwayo at 073 086 2241.
A memorial service is a public event where colleagues, friends, and the community gather to pay tribute to someone who has died.
It usually includes speeches, tributes, and sometimes music or prayers, but the body is not present.
Tshidi Madia’s funeral details
The funeral service will take place two days later, on Thursday, 4 September 2025.
- Time: 08:00
- Venue: San Salvador Catholic Church, 182 Hartebeest Avenue, Leondale, Germiston
- Enquiries: Reabetjoe Mokoko can be contacted at 071 459 2783 for more information.
The Madia family has chosen the theme “Bold and Colourful” for the funeral. This means mourners are encouraged to wear bright and colourful clothes to celebrate Tshidi’s life, instead of traditional black mourning attire.
Tshidi Madia’s career in journalism
Madia began her career at EWN’s traffic desk before moving to Power FM, where she worked as a reporter and presenter. She later joined News24, where she made a strong impact in political reporting, before returning to EWN as a senior political journalist.
She rose to become Associate Editor: Politics, a leadership role where she guided political coverage and mentored younger reporters.
She also hosted the podcast Politricking with Tshidi Madia, where she interviewed leading political figures.
Among her career highlights, she was the only journalist to secure a one-on-one interview with President Cyril Ramaphosa before the 2024 elections, and she interviewed former President Jacob Zuma at his Nkandla homestead.
Primedia Broadcasting’s Chief Content Officer, Mzo Jojwana, described her as someone who “made sense of and guided us through the South African political narrative.”
EWN Editor-in-Chief Nisa Allie called her “the jewel in EWN’s crown. She was brave, professional, and tireless in pursuit of the truth.”
“Tshidi was a force in the media world, respected across the political spectrum, with an excellent network of contacts that she nurtured over the years,” Primedia Group CEO Jonathan Procter added.
Raised in a politically engaged family, Madia studied communications at the University of Johannesburg, graduating in 2008. Her education gave her the foundation to build a career focused on investigative political reporting.
Her work reached millions of South Africans across radio, online platforms, and podcasts.
She was recognised for asking tough questions while remaining respectful. In recent months, she even reported from the Oval Office in Washington during a meeting between US President Donald Trump and South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa.
