Zuma said the media must help educate society because it also stands to benefit by increasing its readership.

However, he warned that it must be responsible and safeguard against abuses and stereotypes.  “Even when there are negative developments, it is better when both sides are truthfully.”

The media must not allow itself to be used by government officials, big businesses or other people with vested interest because once it does this, it loses its credibility, said Zuma.

Zuma, who is suing a number of South African newspapers for defamation, said that ordinary citizens do not have organisations representing them if their rights are violated by the media.

“When writing stories about individuals, big letters are used on the front pages, but when there is a mistake and have to make a correction, you write them in small letters hidden somewhere in the inside pages – that’s unfair because the first impression always remains,” said Zuma.

Questioned why he is persisting on suing a cartoonist, Zuma said he is not just suing the cartoonist but also a number of newspapers and he had no intention of withdrawing the case.

“I did this after very serious consideration,” he said.

“I believe in press freedom, but I also believe that press went overboard in reporting about me. In respect of my dignity and privacy I felt violated, the media went overboard, and they went beyond that and tired and convicted me and I think that was wrong,” he said.