Job Description

Job Advert Summary

Join the Daily Maverick Team as our First-Ever Children's Reporter.

Daily Maverick is seeking a dedicated and passionate mid-level journalist to pioneer a novel and critical new beat in South African journalism: the Children's Reporter. We're looking for a journalist to be a powerful voice for the nation's children, ensuring their stories, challenges, and potential are at the forefront of the national conversation.



This is a groundbreaking initiative--we're unaware of any other South African newsroom with a dedicated journalist on this crucial beat. It's an opportunity to make a tangible difference in the lives of children and shape the public discourse around their well-being and rights.




This is a full-time position on a two-year contract (with a potential option to renew) that requires a blend of investigative depth and daily news acumen, all with a strong multimedia focus.



You will report directly to the News Editor, who is also the Editor of Maverick Citizen and oversees all social justice reporting, ensuring you have the mentorship and resources needed to succeed in this pioneering role.



Ready to be the voice for solutions? If you are a journalist committed to holding power to account and spotlighting the most vulnerable members of our society, we want to hear from you!

Minimum Requirements

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is a journalist with a proven track record who is ready to take ownership of this vital beat.



Requirements:


Strong Reporting Skills: A minimum of 4 years of writing and reporting experience with a demonstrated ability to conduct in-depth research, interviews, and develop compelling narratives. Multimedia Aptitude: Experience with or strong willingness to learn the production of video and other visual elements. Passion for Social Justice: A deep commitment to the rights and well-being of South African children. Proactive and Organised: The ability to manage a busy beat that requires both daily reporting and long-term investigative work. A willingness to travel often to the far-flung corners of the country.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Beat: Focus and Impact

The Children's Reporter will be instrumental in building a common understanding around the need for urgent action for children. Your reporting will directly support the objectives of the National Strategy to Accelerate Action for Children (NSAAC), translating complex policy into compelling, accessible stories that drive public mobilisation.



Your work will focus on key areas, including:


Highlighting Urgency and Stakes: Communicating that South Africa is at a "moment of fundamental consequence" where children's experiences will largely determine the nation's future. Exposing Critical Issues and Gaps: Amplifying "red flags for the future well-being of our nation" like rising child food poverty, stunting, and weaknesses in the child protection system. Informing on "Catalytic Interventions": Reporting on high-impact strategies like restoring the Child Support Grant to the Food Poverty Line, promoting responsive caregiving for young children, and reducing heavy drinking through policy reporting. Promoting Accountability and Monitoring: Serving as a crucial watchdog, scrutinising the implementation of the NSAAC, departmental responsibilities, and resource allocation.

This beat intersects directly with Daily Maverick's core reporting themes--Safety and Belonging, Age of Accountability, A Sustainable World, and Learning and Job Creation--and will bring focus to traditional beats like Politics, Crime, Health, Education, Social Justice, and Local Government.