A new chapter of hope for local journalists is gradually unfolding as the private sector has started providing full support to this formerly neglected profession, one of the oldest in the world.

This became evident when the newly elected executive committee of the Vhembe Journalists Forum and the Thohoyandou-based private entity, Leisure Lodge, agreed to work together in different community development initiatives around Vhembe. The long-awaited meeting was personally sponsored by Dr. Avhasei Khomunala, the owner of Leisure Lodge. The deliberations took place at the lodge on Saturday.

Ntakadzeni Ndou of Leisure Lodge says there is a need for different structures to establish a working relationship with journalists. “These people are working hard to make sure that we know what is happening around us. They are the eyes and ears of the community and their work deserves to be recognised.”

She says journalists must be given support so that they can execute their duties with ease. “Journalism is a passion. Most people underestimate the dedication it takes to work in the journalism field. Their job is to report the news and we are happy that we are getting news on a daily basis. To find the news, they need to understand the subject matter and the people they are reporting about. This is a step forward in building the relationship between the private sector and journalists.”

The chairperson of the Vhembe Journalists Forum, Elijar Mushiana, says the forum is going out in full force to forge partnerships with different stakeholders across the province. “We want to crush the old mentality that journalists only report negative stories about the communities. We want to know our community better, so that we may easily report their successes without battling to get information about them.”

He says the relationship with Leisure Lodge is the beginning of a fruitful community-building initiative. “We will continue to forge partnerships with different stakeholders and work closely with them because the only weapon for success is joint cooperation. We will engage these stakeholders in our calendar, which also includes the official launch of the Vhembe Journalists Forum in the near future.”