Journalist: Rita Kakelo

Rita Kakelo (22) is a journalist at Republikein. She has been working as a journalist for close to two years, following a stint as a TV presenter at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation.

Kakelo has always been in the media industry, with her main focus currently on the court reporter beat.

Although aspiring journalists can pursue a three-year bachelor of arts degree in journalism and information sciences, this is not the road most journalists take.

“A degree in journalism might help you, but there is nothing that can prepare a person for this job, except first-hand experience,” Kakelo said.

“This job requires a lot of attention to detail, communication skills and willpower,” she explained. “This is a very fast-paced industry and you need to think on your feet.”

Kakelo explained that being a journalist can be mentally taxing, especially when it comes to court reporting. “Every day I am exposed to complicated cases. Some include very disturbing and horrifying details that I have to rewrite in such a way that everyone understands what’s going on.”

Demanding work

An average day in the life of a journalist starts with a morning diary meeting to ensure everyone knows what stories will be pursued for the day.

Journalism involves wide-ranging tasks and responsibilities.

It involves attending court cases and taking notes, reading press releases, and interviewing people, which often involves convincing those who are hesitating to speak on the record as well as writing articles.

Planning for the day can seem impossible.

“Things change on a whim. What you set out to do for the day is almost never what you end up doing. At least it doesn’t become boring,” Kaleko said.

“You must love what you are doing to be a journalist; it is a demanding job that requires a lot of time – even on some weekends,” Kakelo said.

“But often it is worth it when you get to tell the world what is going on.”