New investigative journalism, new hires, and coverage of topical news – here’s the latest from the South Africa Media Innovation Program.
Counting the cost of rubber bullets
Ten years after rubber bullets killed Andries Tatane, investigative start-up Viewfiender published a story on the deadly use of rubber bullets by police. Viewfinder’s data analysis shows that public order police are still unaccountable when they misuse rubber bullets.
Daneel Knoetze, the founder of Viewfinder, discussed the findings on Cape Talk. Listen here.
Scrolla’s news coverage for Alexandra remains strong
Alexandra which remains Scrolla’s strongest area of coverage, through its chief reporter Everson Luhanga. This week the mobile-first bilingual platform published a story of community members in Alexandra taking the law into their own hands by killing people suspected of robbing people in the graveyard.
Graveyard goons sent to an early grave https://t.co/IjQAoHiH3v via @ScrollaAfrica #RealNewsForMobile @SAPoliceService #crime
— Zukile B Majova (@majovazb) April 22, 2021
The Daily Vox publishes a tale of two fires
The Daily Vox published news on the evacuation of UCT students following wildfires on Table Mountain, as well as a report on a fire which killed a woman in an informal settlement in Marikana on Sunday and an outpouring of support to help those affected.
UCT students speak about being evacuated during the #CapeTownFires https://t.co/OjU1mh0Yzi
— The Daily Vox (@thedailyvox) April 21, 2021
Food for Mzansi celebrates new hires and female farmers
Food For Mzansi appointed a new chief reporter, Lucinda Dordley, and a journalism intern, Nicole Ludolph. The new hires come while they run a new campaign, #SoilSistas, to celebrate female farmers across South Africa. Sponsored by Corteva Agriscience, the campaign highlights some of the women participating in the Corteva Women Agripreneur Programme 2021 at the Gordon Institute of Business Science’s Entrepreneurship Development Academy.
Call for exemplary young South Africans
Nominations are open for Mail & Guardian’s annual 200 Young South Africans, a program to celebrate exemplary young South Africans in science, arts, business, government and activism. Nominations can be made by 14 May 2021, at https://200youngsouthafricans.co.za/nominate/.