‘The Witness’ celebrates 180 with bold step into AI and global media alliances

On Friday, February 27, asThe Witnessturns 180, South Africa’s oldest daily newspaper has marked the milestone with a series of major announcements centred on global partnerships, digital expansion and artificial intelligence. The newspaper has received messages of support from across the province and beyond, including commendations from KZN Premier Thami Ntuli and Msunduzi Mayor Mzimkhulu Thebolla. Both leaders acknowledged and thankedThe Witnessfor its contribution to society over the course of its 180-year history.

Their messages are published alongside this report. The anniversary is being used to signal the next phase of that evolution. The title is finalising a programme with Google News AI Pilot and will be participating in the Google-supported JournalismAI programme, placing it among a select group of newsrooms exploring the responsible use of artificial intelligence to strengthen audience insight, revenue models and operational efficiency.

From March, it will introduce a sports content partnership withL’Équipe, one of the largest and most respected sports newspapers in the world. In addition,The Witnesshas launched digital subscriptions to its e-paper through PressReader, enabling readers to access the full daily edition across mobile, tablet and desktop devices locally and internationally. Managing Director Riquadeu Jacobs said the anniversary was both a recognition of history and a commitment to innovation.