Thanduxolo Jika is a prominent South African investigative journalist who has won numerous awards for his work during his 19 years in the field. Jika currently works for the country’s leading weekly newspaper, The Sunday Times, and has also co-authored two books; one on the Marikana massacre titled We are going to kill each other today: The Marikana Story and Black Tax, a Burden or uBuntu?

What inspired you to be an investigative journalist?

I guess being born during the apartheid era and growing up seeing the injustices that most people of this country were subjected to drove me towards seeking an avenue to challenge such. Journalism became that avenue. By the time I was in high school I was exposed to plenty of newspapers as my father was an avid reader, and I think being exposed to the power of the fourth estate to hold those in power accountable was more attractive to me than pursuing the law degree which I was admitted to study at Rhodes University.

What has been your experience as an investigative journalist in South Africa?

It is not an easy road to be in journalism, especially as an investigative journalist, because those in power with things to hide try to stifle stories and use misinformation to distort the work of journalists. But in general, journalism in South Africa has thrived and has assisted society by holding those in power accountable, and in doing so has strengthened our democracy. In the past few years though, investigative journalism has come under financial pressure, leading to downsized and under-resourced newsrooms and little time for journalists to work on long-term investigative pieces.

What is the one story that you worked on that has had a lasting impact on you?

There are many stories I have worked on but the Marikana massacre and the follow up stories we did at the City Press called, “Faces of Marikana” has had a more lasting impact on me. This is simply because for the first time under the democratic government, miners were mowed down and families left destitute after the breadwinners were killed on that fateful day. What stuck with me was my experience of travelling through a number of villages in the Eastern Cape interviewing the families of those who were killed by police in Marikana, including police who were murdered by miners. For me, it was impactful being exposed to how these miners were making a difference to their families and breaking the cycle of poverty, as some were taking their children and other family members through tertiary education. Some were bringing back dignity to their families by building bricked houses and getting rid of the mud structures. The story stuck with me because once again the State had used its resources to deal with a workers dispute instead of engaging in a fruitful manner, instead protecting the interests of big business, like apartheid government’s treatment of the majority.

What has been a career-defining moment for you?

Being at the Daily Dispatch newspaper in 2008 and doing Gonzo journalism where I told the story of xenophobia through the eyes of the Somali community in the townships of East London and Ethiopian nationals who were living in fear as Spaza shop owners. I got to live with the Somalis to experience their daily fears and I was able to also get myself into the East London prison to interview a killer who had in one weekend murdered multiple Somalis and was sentenced to double-life imprisonment in the East London High Court after he confessed.

What issues do you still want to investigate?

There are plenty of issues still on my radar. As long as there is still corruption, injustice and financial oppression of the masses, there is more for me to do. As long as there are people who want to continue exploiting the conditions of the masses for their self-enrichment and crass materialism, I still have more issues to cover and investigate.

What are your thoughts on the state of investigative journalism in South Africa?

I think we have some of the best investigative journalists in the world and they do some great work. Our investigative journalism is facing a challenge in that newsrooms are struggling to invest time and money in investigations as they look for quick fix solutions to be able to sell content. This results in rushed work which in the end doesn’t have the intended impact.

What are the challenges that you have encountered as an investigative journalist?

Threats to my life, being sued and being a victim of misinformation/disinformation. But most importantly the challenges are much bigger in newsrooms where we are unable to give our audience investigative pieces which have been thoroughly worked on over time.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job?

Getting those who are in power and abuse their positions taken to task and facing the music because of the work we do as journalists is the most satisfying reward.

How have you dealt with personal attacks, harassment, and general distrust of your work?

I have dealt with those issues, but I have never given them much power over me because my view is that when these things happen, it means my work is touching a nerve and I am on the right path.

What advice would you give to the younger generation of investigative journalists in South Africa?

My advice is simple: get all sides of the story, do thorough research and allow yourself to be able to admit when you are wrong. But above all else uphold the good ethics of journalism and know that there are multiple sides to any story.

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