“Meaning in the Service of Power”: A Marxist Analysis of Media Discourse on Presidential Elections in South Africa

Abstract

This study adopts a Marxist lens to critique media discourse in IOL and News24’s coverage of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Cyril Ramaphosa during the 54th ANC elective conference in December 2017. It examines how these platforms framed their candidacies and how such framings reinforced or challenged structural power dynamics. Using Fairclough’s (1992) critical discourse analysis, 200 news articles were analysed to identify dominant ideological narratives. The study argues that media discourse is not neutral but serves capitalist and patriarchal interests by legitimising certain political figures while undermining others. Findings reveal that the media framed Ramaphosa’s economic policies as market-friendly and necessary for stability, whereas Dlamini-Zuma’s Radical Economic Transformation agenda was portrayed as a threat. Coverage also reinforced gendered power dynamics, positioning Ramaphosa as the natural leader while questioning Dlamini-Zuma’s legitimacy. This analysis underscores how media operates as an ideological state apparatus, shaping public perceptions in ways that sustain existing power structures.