Mandisa Nyathi
Verified
(She/Her)
As seen in:
Mail & Guardian,
Sunday World,
The Namibian,
Sunday World (South Africa),
The Witness,
Rapport,
CHRO South Africa,
Energize
Covers:
Energy, Politics, General News, Digital, environmental, crime
Doesn't Cover:
None
Journalist at the Mail & Guardian.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Political journalist
Have you ever used a typewriter?
No, I am a modern child
How is social media changing news?
Enables readers to consume as much news as possible, shaping narratives before Journalists do, but will never ever replace us
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
To be honest, no one
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means I am in control of what I consume and what I communicate to the world. Gives me the power to shape narratives.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Misheardlyrics
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
via email and phone calls
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
CMS, Google docs, SEO, laptops, cameras, phones
What's your favorite social network?
Whatsapp
Who do you wish followed you?
Colleen Hoover
Why did you become a journalist?
To change the narrative of news. Breakdown hard news for ordinary readers
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, but I worked for a university website
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Sexual harassment rots the core of the SANDF during lockdown
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't do journalism for money, be passionate and don't let anyone bully you
When's the best time to pitch you?
11am to 5pm
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Cover CHRO awards
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I don't have a horrible pitch, I took every story as a way to gain experience
What's your favorite drink?
Water
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At home, Spending time with my family
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Guardian
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Biased reporting
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.