Berea Mail in a year – my top 5 articles
Berea Mail journalist Danica Hansen reflects on a busy year of reporting.
IT’S been a busy year in the Berea Mail office. With a weekly print publication and online website, we are kept busy with plenty of news to share. It’s not easy to choose from so many articles, but here are five stories that stood out to me.
Success story
It was a privilege to tell Mzisi Zondi’s story. His face lit up as he talked about his newfound freedom, after a gruelling 15-year battle with drug use. It was heartbreaking to hear of the struggle he faced, but it only made his success story all the more inspiring.
Read more here: Drug-free after a 15-year battle
A gripping follow-up
I remember rushing to the scene of the blaze when a Durban Central mall went up in flames. There was ash in the air as I tried to capture the scene. I never expected to see anyone go back into the burnt shell of the structure, but a few months later, that is just what happened.
Read more here: WATCH: Burnt China Mall shell stripped
Stepping into the community
When a local running club asked me to write about their upcoming ‘Couch to 10km’ challenge, I did not expect to find myself joining in. My Jogging Journalist series pushed me out of my comfort zone in more ways than one, but it also gave me a chance to be a part of the community I reported on so often. I loved the relaxed writing style I could use for these blog-style articles, and there were plenty of funny mishaps along the way.
Read more here: Jogging Journalist: Rush hour and rainbows
One for the books
Shocking statistics and tough topics unfolded in this piece. A journalist is tasked with representing all sides of a story as objectively as possible, and I was able to hear from several parties on this issue to give a voice to the voiceless.
Read more here – 16 000 homeless recorded in Durban
Fascinating find
One of the things I enjoy about my job is the chance to continually learn. This recent article is a good example – while reporting on a thunderstorm, I learned a few facts about lightning.
Read more here – WATCH: Incredible lightning storm across Berea
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