As South Sudan's transition period draws towards its end, with a new constitution and national elections planned to take place by December 2024, the question of democratic and civic space has assumed heightened importance. Based on the Commission's independent investigations, this paper examines the current situation of South Sudanese media and civil society actors. The repressive treatment of media and civil society are key indicators of prospects for accountable governance and a democratic society. The paper details how the National Security Service has instituted a pervasive and unlawful censorship regime to curtail independent media, and imposed widespread restrictions and surveillance on civil society groups and their activities. It further highlights the persistence of attacks on journalists and human rights defenders both in and outside South Sudan, as well as online, often involving human rights violations carried out with absolute impunity.