Menar Conducts a Successful, Informative Mining Journalism Training
Journalists and Student Journalists meet for a mining journalism training by Menar Academy
Journalism is not as boxed as most of us had thought, the journalism world is broad. I knew that everything was news but knew completely nothing about mining journalism. My experience at the two days training that was conducted by Menar Academy is completely beautiful. Day one of the training opened up my mind and my perspective on journalism. As Joe Manciya had mentioned that the last time he attended the training he left feeling like a doctor in the field of mining journalism, I also feel the same Now. I have no doubt that the information I acquired from the training will positively impact my reporting. My highlight on day one will have to be when Lucas Ledwaba spoke about his experience covering Marikana. His experience emphasized the code of ethics that require journalists to try as hard as they can to never be emotionally attached to a story.
Day two of the training took me straight to reality. When I got to the induction, the information that was shared with regard to our safety frightened me and for a moment I was like “my emotions should not matter”. This was me putting into practice what I had acquired from what Lucas Ledwaba had shared with us on day one. Putting on PPE and rescue packs then gave me the experience of a lifetime.
Then finally going underground to learn even more about production of coal and how our fellow brothers and sisters daily lives are lived was a top on cherry. Menar Academy really gave me an exceptional opportunity to experience and acquire information that will last for a lifetime. From the two days that I spent being trained, I can proudly stand to say I am more into mining. I think if I am to be given a chance to choose which field I would like to report about, I would choose mining any day.
On the second day of the training, we visited Kangra Mine in Mpumalanga, where we were expose to the daily activities in a coal mine. During the visitor’s induction we learnt about different types of Personal Protective Equipment. The most outstanding thing for me is the importance of safety and teamwork, being a “brother’s keeper”, which means to looking out for your fellow workers.
By Diketso Tracy Mofokeng
