Daily Maverick is seeking a sharp, driven, and community-minded Junior Food Justice Reporter to join us. This is an opportunity for a budding journalist to dive deep into systemic issues affecting South Africa's food systems, rural development, and human rights. If you're passionate about Food Justice, we would love to consider your application.
This role features a specialized 75% editorial focus on producing high-impact food justice articles, with the remaining 25% allocated to broader coverage for Maverick Citizen. As an Independent Contractor, you will collaborate closely with the Human Development News Editor to translate complex supply chain economics, agricultural policies, and grassroots struggles into compelling, human-centric narratives.
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Journalistic Core Knowledge: A strong foundational understanding of the South African Press Code and a commitment to 100% factual accuracy and ethical reporting practices.
Sector Familiarity: Demonstrated interest or background in South African food systems, food inflation, land rights, agricultural policy, or socio-economic development. Familiarity with statutory bodies (e.g., Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development) and research institutions (e.g., PLAAS) is highly advantageous.
Technical Literacy: Experience working with content management systems (CMS), basic social media management, and the ethical integration of AI tools for research and brainstorming.
Legal & Compliance: Sound understanding of POPIA compliance regarding source protection and data privacy.
As a Junior Reporter, your core deliverables will be split between Food Justice (75%) and Maverick Citizen (25%), encompassing the following workflow:
Story Generation & Research: Continuously monitor news landscapes, food price indices, agricultural reports, and legislative calendars to pitch unique story angles.
Field Sourcing & Networking: Actively build and cultivate a robust network of contacts within NGOs, research bodies, community food hubs, and grassroots organizations.
Investigative Reporting: Conduct structured, balanced interviews with a diverse cross-section of stakeholders, including small-scale farmers, policy experts, activists, and everyday citizens.
High-Quality Content Production: Plan, structure, and write engaging, people-centric articles tailored to the Daily Maverick style guide.
Rigorous Fact-Checking & Integrity: Ensure absolute technical accuracy regarding nutritional data, legal frameworks, and economic statistics. You will work under a strict 100% right-of-reply framework, ensuring all subjects of critical reporting are given a fair, documented opportunity to respond.
