This week, while protests against police brutality spread across the United States, SAMIP participants used their platforms to raise awareness of issues of police violence and accountability in South Africa, while others kept audiences informed on how the pandemic is playing out in education, sports, and agriculture.
Police brutality receives attention around the world
Highlighting the parallels to police brutality issues in the US, The Daily Vox reported on some of the names of those who have died in police encounters during South Africa’s lockdown.
[NEW] Collins Khosa, Adane Emmanuel, and Elma Robyn Montsumi are just some of the people that have died during the lockdown in cases connected to the police. https://t.co/wWkkILVwED
— The Daily Vox (@thedailyvox) June 2, 2020
Viewfinder, an investigative journalism startup that has exposed police brutality before and during the lockdown, published a series of videos this week highlighting what needs to change to fix police oversight in South Africa.
As we enter Level 3, remember: on average, police kill someone every single day in SA, lockdown or no. For sustained, data driven coverage on #policebrutality follow @viewfinderjourn pic.twitter.com/VwFnfzkt8K
— Viewfinder (@viewfinderjourn) June 2, 2020
School reopening during COVID-19
We learned this week that school re-openings have been postponed to 8 June. Health-e News showcased views of activists and public health officials on what needs to happen to send children back to school during COVID-19.
COVID-19 cases, deaths and recoveries by province
As South Africa entered level 3 of the lockdown, there have been over 40,000 cases of COVID-19 reported and over 20,000 recoveries. Media Hack Collective’s Coronavirus in South Africa dashboard continues to track COVID-19 cases, deaths and recoveries by province in South Africa.
Trying to keep track of #COVID19SA cases, deaths and recoveries by province? Then check out the numbers via our partnership with @media_hack. #COVID19inSA https://t.co/q36IEIPupj
— Bhekisisa (@Bhekisisa_MG) June 1, 2020
Reporting on women’s sports during COVID-19
The lockdown may have put a temporary hold on sports, but women’s sports platform gsport4girls continues to highlight the achievements of female athletes and members of the women’s sporting community. Their monthly Newsmaker list features achievements by women athletes in the fields of cricket, football and rugby.
Food for Mzansi speaks to the agriculture minister
This week’s episode of the Food For Mzansi podcast, Farmer’s Inside Track, features Thoko Didiza, the minister of agriculture, land reform and rural development. The agricultural digital media startup speaks to Minister Didiza about the payout-delay with COVID-19 relief vouchers for small-scale farmers, and how the pandemic revealed “fault lines of South Africa’s past”.