By Lukholo Mazibuko (WCJ honours student)
Wits Centre for Journalism (WCJ) honours students, together with researchers from the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS), recently took part in a one-day workshop hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), exploring ways to transform migration storytelling in South Africa.
The training was facilitated by Abibo Ngandu as part of the Global Migration Media Academy (GMMA) and organised by Prof Jo Vearey of ACMS and Dr Dinesh Balliah, director of the WCJ. Across three intensive sessions held at Wits University on 1 October, participants explored IOM’s work as a leading intergovernmental organisation on migration with 175 member states operating in over 170 countries, and explored how media framing influences public attitudes toward the million international migrants in South Africa and the ethical responsibilities that come with representing vulnerable communities.
The workshop also highlighted critical gaps in South Africa’s reporting: the underrepresentation of legal and internal migrants, insufficient research on migrants’ cultural contributions, and the challenges of data collection in informal settlements. Most importantly, it challenged attendees to move beyond narratives of illegality and burden toward stories that include migrants’ own voices and experiences.
This initiative, part of an ongoing commitment to ethical journalism education, reminded journalists that the media’s role in shaping migration discourse carries profound responsibilities; ones that extend far beyond newsrooms into the communities they serve.
Watch a short video recap of the workshop below.
