It’s not often that at the age of 18 one has the opportunity to venture to a new country and tell its stories. This is exactly the experience that a group of second-year journalism students had in Amsterdam recently.

The group of six second-year journalism students experienced a creative exchange with a group of students from the University of Windesheim in Zwolle, Amsterdam.

The exchange took place over two weeks, and provided the students an opportunity to experience Amsterdam culture and media.

The group had the opportunity to visit a national television studio; media group Lokaalmondiaal as well as the Anne Frank Museum and various other landmarks in the area.

The aim of the trip was to expose students to a new culture, where they could discuss various ideas with their international counterparts and ultimately communicate their stories with print or broadcast (radio or television) media.

“Many of them were nervous and needed guidance at the beginning, but at the end of the trip the students' personal and professional growth were obvious,” says journalism lecturer, Clement du Plessis.

Clement accompanied and supervised the students, offering the CPUT students lectures on various media topics that helped the students with their final products.
“The students were required to write feature articles and produce short films on their experience there, for example, Liberation Day which is celebrated each year on the 5th of May,” says du Plessis.

The group of enthusiastic students produced and wrote various pieces that focused on a range of topics from sports and politics to a feature article on Jewish-Dutch Holocaust victim and legend Anne Frank.

By: Nurahn Ryklief

Written by CPUT News
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The state of TV journalism was the focus of a thought-provoking webinar recently presented by the Media Department.

The panellists were eTV journalist Natalie Malgas, acting cameraman for the SABC’s George bureau, Sphiwe Hobasi and multi award-winning investigative journalist, documentary producer, visual art critic, writer on contemporary culture and author, Hazel Friedman.

Journalism lecturer Sisanda Nkoala said the webinar formed part of a series that will deal with different sectors of media including film, photography and communication and media broadly. “Journalism is the most topical at the moment, hence it was a starting point. The changes that are happening locally in terms of how newsrooms function and how news is understood, make exploring journalism particularly relevant,” she said.

Prof Nirvana Bechan, Head of the Media Department, said it is important to track where the professions currently are and to keep interest going in students apart from their academic studies during the unprecedented times of Covid-19.

Bechan said the next webinar, scheduled for next month, would focus on the future of motion picture and cinemas in particular.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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This project has gone a long way in the development of our community, said Ashley Searle, Director of the Office of the Consumer Protector.

Searle, who was speaking at the Service Learning Journalism Reflection event, hosted by the Service Learning Unit, commended journalism students who recently participated in a community project that saw them create awareness around Advice Offices.

These offices, which are the community arm of the Office of the Consumer Protector, a unit within the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, are mandated by law to provide consumer related advice to the public.

In a bid to increase awareness around the services offered at the offices, the students compiled newsletters which were distributed in the various communities.

The project was a collaboration between the Service Learning Unit, the Journalism Department and the Office of the Consumer Protector.

Searle, who was the keynote speaker at the event that was held on 19 February on the Bellville campus, said the newsletters stimulated and enhanced the role that Advice Offices play in communities.

He said while the project benefitted the community, it also added to the development of the students.

“Students had the opportunity to take theory and implement it in the community. This is one of the main reasons why our office saw this project as being relevant,” he said.

“Let us not make this a once off project. There is an opportunity to take this to another level,” said Searle.

Journalism Lecturer and Service Learning Convenor for the project, Clement du Plessis said students got a “taste of what journalism is all about.”

“They were exposed to the community and gained a lot from this experience,” he said.

In total six different newsletters were compiled and distributed in various communities.

Journalism student and group leader, Kobus Pretorius, said it was a “good learning experience.”

Students had to go out into the communities, interview individuals, take photographs and decide on how the information should be packaged.

Pretorius said the project helped students to develop skills which are vital for when they enter the world of work.

Associate Dean of Informatics and Design, Colin Daniels said projects such as these add another dimension to students’ education.

Daniels said it is important that teaching and learning goes beyond the classroom.

Jacqui Scheepers, Manager of the Service Learning Unit said it is important to use the youth in programmes that can impact on local communities.

Scheepers said they will look at rolling out the programme with another group of journalism students in the second term.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News
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Deputy Minister of Communications Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams looked to CPUT students for inspiration for her parliamentary budget speech happening today.

Ndabeni-Abrahams visited third-year journalism students in their classroom to discuss everything from the digital migration to the Protection of State Information Bill.

She told the students that wanted to hear their concerns because one day they would be shaping opinions when they head into industry as journalists.

“I will be tabling my department’s budget vote and I did not want to do that without your input. Because ultimately if government wants its voice to be heard you have to consult all the platforms which is social media, print, radio and TV,” she says.

“I also wanted to come here to discuss some of our key interventions.”

Ndabeni-Abrahams then explained the critical role community media plays in diverse South Africa.

“If we want to actively reach out to the people we need to encourage community media. That includes proper training, keeping nepotism out and encouraging females to take positions at these media outlets,” she says.

Ndabeni-Abrahams told the students that they would now form part of a platform of young students her department would consult who were studying law, journalism and communications and would analyse South Africa’s current media landscape.

Senior Journalism lecturer Jude Mathurine told the students that they were now part of an interesting relationship being forged, not only with the Communications Ministry, but also with parliament.

Written by Lauren Kansley

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Liaises with the media and writes press releases about interesting developments at CPUT.

The Client Service Account Manager at advertising agency M&C Saatchi Abel, Sivenathi Jayiya, says the Vice-Chancellor’s Prestigious Achievers Award assisted her in completing her Master’s degree in Public Relations Management, “which was the biggest accomplishment of my life”.

“The greatest highlights of my life were being awarded with the VC Prestigious Achievers Award and graduating with a Cum Laude for my Master’s degree,” Jayiya enthuses. The Stutterheim (Eastern Cape)-born Advertising Account Manager embarked on a higher education journey at CPUT in 2013. Jayiya had initially applied for Journalism, which she wanted to study, but my interview letter was delivered a month after the deadline. She then forfeited her spot in the Journalism department. Her name was then forwarded to the Public Relations (PR) Department, and at that point, she had no idea of what PR was.

However, Jayiya enjoyed the course, graduated with her Diploma in 2015, and enrolled for her BTech, which she completed in 2016. In 2018, Jayiya registered for a Master’s Degree in PR to further equip herself in corporate communication, strategic communication and corporate social responsibility with the hope of landing a job in corporate communications. Her Master’s degree took longer than she had expected due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, “with God’s grace, I managed to complete my Master's Degree in 2021 and graduated with a Cum Laude” with the assistance of the Vice-Chancellor Prestigious Achievers Award.

She says receiving the VC Prestigious Achievers Award motivated her to do her best to get good marks without the stress of academic finances. “Being a recipient of such an award was a great honour and a privilege as I got to study without worrying about my fees or academic expenses. I am [not] where I want to be in my career yet; I am currently an Advertising Account Manager, hoping to become a lecturer one day. It has been a struggle, but graduating for my mater and being a recipient of the VC prestigious achievers award will hopefully open up doors for me and my career.”

Reflecting on her life journey, Jayiya reveals that she comes from a family of four, raised by a single mother who never got a chance to finish high school after she lost her parents at a very young age.

“Growing up on the Cape Flats was never easy; crime was at its peak, young girls were being raped, young boys were getting pulled into drugs etc. One had to decide which route she wanted for herself.

“I grew up telling myself that I would go to school, graduate, get a job and move my family away from that life, but the reality is that life is not as smooth, but we can only do our best to navigate the hardships we go through.”

In her message to the younger generation from a similar background, Jayiya says: “Believe in yourself. Believe in your uniqueness as a person. Ignore the pressures around you, telling you you’re not anybody unless you have this or you have that. Ultimately, you have to affirm yourself and not compare yourself to someone else. Remember, you always have a choice and can always do something to change a situation.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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Journalism lecturer Sisanda Nkoala will fly the CPUT flag at the UNESCO World Press Freedom Day Global Conference in Uruguay next month.

Not only has one of her papers been selected for presentation at the conference, but she will also serve on a panel discussing "Censorious Assaults on Education and Collateral Impacts on Student Press Freedom”.

“I am excited and honoured to have been selected because the UNESCO Global Press Freedom Conference is an important event for the global journalism fraternity. It allows me to deliberate on press freedom, one of the cornerstones of a functioning democracy. It is also an important platform to network and create meaningful collaborations to advance my research and teaching in journalism studies,” said Nkoala.

The title of her paper is Language as Symbolic Action in Online Violence against South African Female Journalists on Twitter.

Nkoala said that online violence against journalists is a global phenomenon. Recent studies have documented patterns suggesting that specific groups of journalists defined by gender are likely targets of online harassment intended to prompt women journalists to self-censor.

 “My study builds on this and focuses on using language as symbolic action for mob censorship in digital spaces against selected female South African journalists. Mob censorship is understood as violence exercised by ordinary citizens against journalists to intimidate and silence the press.”

 Through a qualitative content analysis, she analysed how women journalists are subjected to mob censorship in digital spaces through the posts directed at them.

“My main finding is that the most prevalent linguistic devices used to engage in mob censorship of these women journalists are name-calling and chastisement. My analysis highlights that this occurs through belittling them based on race and gender and trying to admonish these women into silence through sexual innuendo and mentalism.”

The panel she will serve on l will consider issues and developments threatening student journalists' ability to exercise their press freedom.

This year’s conference will take place from 2 to 5 May, and the theme is Journalism under Digital Siege.

World Press Freedom Day is observed on May 3 every year and reminds governments of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is also a day of reflection among media professionals about press freedom and professional ethics. 

Asked what World Press Freedom means to her, Nkoala said it is a day to remember the centrality of a free and functioning press in all our lives.

“In the age of disinformation, knowing that there exists an institution, like the press, that can be trusted not only to help us decipher fact from fiction but also to speak truth to power and be a voice for those whose voices are muted is important. Our press in South Africa has played an important role in recent years in doing this. Through entities, such as the South African Press Council, where I serve as a public representative, it is encouraging to know that the climate of excellent and ethical journalism, which is also important for press freedom, is preserved.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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She had to overcome several hurdles before graduation, but Tamryn Christians’ perseverance paid off.

She is among the Faculty of Informatics and Design graduates and is celebrating her journalism qualification.

Tamryn, who grew up in Mitchells Plain, said her matric year was particularly hard as her family was evicted from their home.

She ended up living with teachers.

In 2015, she applied to study journalism and was placed on the waiting list.

“I worked at retail stores to help my mom financially during this period. I applied to study journalism again for 2016 and got in.”

She passed her first year of studies but struggled in her second year.  

“We were struggling again. For the majority of the time, there was no income. We moved around quite often, but attending church grounded my faith.”

She started an internship at Independent Media.

“The pressure was mounting, and I failed one of my subjects. I returned the following year, and by then, I had secured a contract job at a sister company of Independent Media (African News Agency). The team there did their best to support me on my journey, but the pressure was too much. I dropped out. I felt so defeated. I thought graduating or obtaining any qualification was just not for me.”

However, a year later, she realised she needed to return to her studies.

“A family member offered me a place to live because I was homeless. No place to go. I did my second year in 2020 again and passed.”

Tamryn completed her third year last year.

“A lot has happened these past six years. It took me double the years to graduate, but I did it. I have come a long way; finally, my perseverance has paid off. I want to encourage everyone on the brink of giving up to keep pushing. You may think something is not for you when it doesn't happen when you expected it. But it will happen if it is destined to. Don't become distracted by what everyone else is achieving around you. You have your God-ordained timeline. Focus on yourself and where you need to be. Pray about it, consult with God. “

Tamryn now works as a freelance videographer and photographer and does Public Relations work for a political party.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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Home to more than 30,000 students, CPUT is the largest university of technology in the region and has several campuses and satellite sites, stretching from the Cape Town city centre to as far as George in the Southern Cape.

Each campus boasts unique characteristics and functions.

Bellville Campus

This campus is the administrative hub of the institution and is home to the following:

• The world renowned French South African Institute of Technology, which produced and launched Africa’s first nanosatellite.
• The Electrical Engineering Building, which is CPUT’s largest teaching and research facility.

Cape Town Campus

The city’s most popular landmark, Table Mountain, is a backdrop to this campus. It accommodates the following:

• The university’s largest faculty, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.
• The Faculty of Informatics and Design.
• A select number of courses offered by the Faculties of Applied Sciences and Health and Wellness Sciences are offered on the campus.

Wellington Campus

This campus is situated in the centre of the Boland town and has become known for:

• Producing teachers trained in the Afrikaans medium.
• Training the next generation of leaders in the agriculture sector.

Mowbray Campus

The Faculty of Education recently expanded is facilities with building work completed last year. This campus is renowned for:

• Annually producing the largest number of teaching graduates in the Western Cape.
• The state-of-the-art Human Performance Laboratory and the Centre for International Teacher Education.

Athlone Campus, Worcester and George satellite campuses

• These three campuses produce nursing staff for the country’s health sector.

Granger Bay Campus

The stylish Hotel School Restaurant is the main attraction of this campus, which overlooks Robben Island. It also houses the following:

• The renowned Cape Town Hotel School.
• The Maritime Engineering Department and the Survival Centre.

Groote Schuur and Tygerberg Hospital

• The Department of Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences is located on the premises of Groote Schuur Hospital in Observatory.
• The Dental Sciences Department is based at the Tygerberg Hospital and gives students the opportunity to work directly with patients and medical staff.

Roeland Street Building

• Students and staff from Journalism, Photography, Public Relations and Multimedia call this campus home.

Media City

• Media City is based on the Foreshore and accommodates students and staff of the Architecture, Town and Regional Planning, and Interior Design schools.

For campus contact details see: http://www.cput.ac.za/about-cput/cput-at-a-glance/contact-details

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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Journalism students celebrated World Radio Day at the Western Cape offices of SA’s public broadcaster, where they gained valuable insight into the world of radio.

The event was a collaboration between the Journalism Programme, the SABC and the SA National Editors’ Forum and included a thought-provoking panel discussion led by senior lecturer and organiser, Dr Sisanda Nkoala.

The panellists were political commentator and former lecturer in the journalism programme Asanda Ngoasheng, Bush Radio managing director Brenda Leonard, Good Hope FM presenters Tamara Snow and Lorenzo Darries, journalism lecturer John Bulani and journalism alumnus Lulama Klassen, who shared their experiences with the group of second and third-year students.

Students were given an opportunity to interact with the panellists before taking a tour of the studios. Two students were also interviewed on Umhlobo Wenene FM.

World Radio Day is celebrated on 13 February each year, following a proclamation in 2011 by the member states of UNESCO, which the United Nations General Assembly later endorsed on 14 January 2013 as an international day.

This year’s theme was Radio and Peace.

Nkoala said 2023 also marks 100 years since the first experimental radio broadcasts aired in Johannesburg in December 1923.

She said the event aimed to celebrate this momentous occasion and presented an opportunity for aspiring journalists to gain valuable exposure. At the same time, students were also required to complete an assignment.

Student Namhla Monakali described the event as a wonderful experience for students, adding that she learned a lot about the radio and peace.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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