Details

Eight Journalists from Malawi, Kenya, Namibia and South Africa: equipped with microphone and recorder, they wanted to investigate explosive stories in Johannesburg. The KAS- Radio- Workshop from September 1st until September 7th 2007 centered investigative journalism in Africa. During the "Power Reporting Workshop" of Joburg's University of the Witwatersrand, the participants learned theoretically what they immediately put into practice: they interviewed famous journalists, the police and African immigrants, who struggle to make a living in South Africa. The result: two interesting radio programmes.

One group researched the challenges for investigative reporting in Africa. During the "Power Reporting Workshop" they talked to different experts from Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa and came to the conclusion that the given circumstances for investigative journalism in Africa are not always easy. Especially African journalists mostly don't have the money to cover the costs for long researches or they find themselves struggling with political restrictions.

The second group of the journalists looked into the situation of foreign immigrants in Johannesburg. Several immigrants told them about their relationship to South Africans citizens and their troubles finding their feet in a country which once promised a better life. Furthermore the journalists talked to the local police about the issues of illegal immigration and experienced the strong coherence among immigrants from Kenya.

After one week of intensive working on these topics, one thing is sure: both produced radio programmes are ear-catchers:

Timothy Kateta on investigative Journalism in Africa

Phanuel Shuma on illegal immigration in Johannesburg