Winners announced for the 18th Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism

Marecia Damons and Daniel Steyn have taken top honours at the 18th Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism for their explosive exposé of Thabo Bester’s escape from prison, a saga which has captured the attention of millions of South Africans across the country since the story broke in 2023.

Joint second place went to Aron Hyman, Tankiso Makhetha and Graeme Hosken of TimesLive for the Kidnapping for Ransom series of investigations, as well as Dewald van Rensburg, Micah Reddy and Sam Sole of amaBhungane for the Moti Files exposé.

The judges were also impressed by the team from Oxpeckers for their #PowerTracker series examining the Just Energy Transition.

Read the full story here.

Wits Centre for Journalism and Global Investigative Journalism Network sign Memorandum of Understanding

The Wits Centre for Journalism (WCJ) and Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) are delighted to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, amplifying a common goal in working to strengthen investigative journalism in Africa.

“The WCJ is a member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network, one of only a handful on the African continent,” says WCJ Director, Dr Dinesh Balliah. “We are proud to be associated with this global leader in investigative journalism, and through this MOU, we look forward to closer engagement with the network and its people. The WCJ hopes to make a significant African-led impression on the international landscape of investigative journalism and this MOU is a strong start in that mission.”

Read more here.

The GroundTruth Project welcomes Dr Dinesh Balliah to its board of directors

The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organisation dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up, is pleased to announce the appointment of WCJ Director Dr Dinesh Balliah to its board of directors, along with Anya Schiffrin, the director of the Technology, Media, and Communications Specialization at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.

"We are honored and delighted to have Dinesh and Anya join our board during this important time for local news in communities around the world," said Rob Zeaske, GroundTruth’s CEO and president. "Both women are global leaders in journalism and bring experience and perspectives instantly valuable to our mission to bring trusted, exceptional local news to communities everywhere."

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Meet the WCJ’s new senior lecturer, Dr Collen Chambwera

The Wits Centre for Journalism is pleased to welcome Dr Collen Chambwera, a seasoned educator in the media space who joins the team as a senior lecturer and researcher.

“I bring an inquisitive attitude. I think there is always more that can be done to improve and innovate the practice of journalism in the profession’s ever-changing contexts. This should permeate into how we facilitate learning and produce knowledge through research. Networking and collaboration enhance our understanding of the field and opens avenues for innovation,” he says.

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Also in this series - Meet Your Colleague: Gillian Jones

Born and bred in Johannesburg, Gillian Jones brings over two decades of experience in journalism to her role as a financial journalism lecturer at the Wits Centre for Journalism. See more here.

Webinar: psychological first aid for first responders

In one of the first integrated workshops of its kind, the Wits Centre for Journalism (WCJ) recently hosted an in-person training session for journalists, justice officials and emergency workers from across Gauteng, looking to impart skills that can help first responders improve mental resilience during and in the wake of traumatic incidents. To lead the discussion and training, the WCJ welcomed trauma expert Professor Elana Newman, a Professor of Psychology at the University of Tulsa and Research Director at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma (Columbia University).

Following the event, Prof Newman joined WCJ lecturer Dr Nechama Brodie for a follow-up discussion looking at psychological first aid for first responders in greater detail. In this webinar, she gives a variety of useful tips on how one can improve psychological first aid and mental resilience when faced with traumatic incidents.

Watch the full webinar here. 

Science journalism in South Africa: social media is helping connect with new readers

Science journalism is about taking complex academic research and turning it into easy-to-read content that is still accurate. Aside from informing readers through evidence-based journalism, it aims to make the wider public curious about scientific research.

Associate Professor in the Linguistics Department at the University of the Western Cape, Sisanda Nkoala, conducted a study on how social media sites like X (formerly known as Twitter) can help science communication reach new audiences in South Africa. This article is a version of that study written in a way that people other than just academics can understand.

Click here to read more.

In case you missed it - dates announced for the 20th African Investigative Journalism Conference

The AIJC returns to Wits University in 2024 for its 20th edition, bringing another packed schedule of talks, panel discussions, masterclasses, workshops and networking sessions with some of Africa's finest and most renowned investigative journalists, trainers and experts.

SAVE THE DATE: October 30 to November 1, 2024. Wits University, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Keep an eye on the Wits Centre for Journalism's website and social media channels for updates and calls for input in the months ahead.

• Food for Mzansi has vacancies for a technical journalist and junior reporter, who will assist with researching and writing content related to the agricultural industry. Click here to see details on the role of technical journalist. Click here for details on the role of junior journalist.

• Journalists, students and working fact-checkers who fight dis/misinformation on the continent are invited to enter Africa Check’s 2024 African Fact-Checking Awards, now in its 11th year. Deadline: 14 July. Click here for details. 

• Do you have a deep understanding of print, digital and broadcast media and a desire to show others the ropes? Code For Africa is looking for a remote media trainer to join the Knowledge Team. Deadline: 31 July. Click here for details.