The 2023 African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) recently concluded at the University of the Witswatersrand's newly launched Wits Centre for Journalism. Once again, KAS Media Africa partnered with the AIJC to facilitate the participation of as many and diverse voices from the African investigative journalism community and beyond.
This year, KAS Media Africa supported the attendance of investigative journalists (IJ) such as Susanne Amaann, a seasoned German IJ who spoke on the challenges experienced by women IJs, in the workplace as a reporter but also as management, and in the field. Joel Konopo, the Director of Botswana's INK Centre for Investigative Journalism gave amaster class on open source tools that IJs can utilise in their day to day reporting as well has how to use artifical intelligence to read complex and lentghy data and tell stories.
Other important topics that were explored include how to handle whistleblowers, the safety of IJs in the field, reporting on human trafficking as well as using social media to tell investigative stories.
Further, KAS Media Africa facilitated the attendance of 10 journalism students from Walter Sisulu University and Rhodes University in the Eastern Cape as well as the University of the Free State.
This year marks the final year of the AIJC's convener, Anton Harber. It has been an honour to partner with a committed supporter of investigative journalism seeking to grow this community. KAS Media Africa wishes him all the best in his next chapter and looks forward to continuing this important work with the AIJC's incoming convener, Beauregard Tromp.
