Eyewitness News (EWN) Associate Editor for Politics, Tshidi Madia, has passed away after a short illness.

She died in hospital on Wednesday morning.

In a statement by EWN, Editor-in-Chief, Nisa Allie, described Madia as “the jewel in EWN’s crown,” a powerhouse who raised the bar for political reporting in South Africa.

In May, Madia reported from the Oval Office in Washington, where President Ramaphosa met with US President Donald Trump which marked her drive as a journalist.

She was the only journalist to secure a one-on-one interview with President Cyril Ramaphosa before the 2024 elections marking it as one of her career highlights.

Colleagues say Madia will be remembered not only for her  reporting on EWN, but will also be missed by the listeners, viewers and dreaders who followed her throughout.

I will miss those late calls. Rest in perfect peace. Tshidi Madia. Condolences to the family and friends.😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/LtwY0A6Fk8

— Sophie Mokoena (@Sophie_Mokoena) August 27, 2025