Xhosa News

Daily SABC1 (*191) 19:00 News

Sisanda Jonas always had an eye on the media spotlight and for the last three years, she has been front and centre anchoring the Xhosa news bulletin on SABC1. She started her career in her home city of Port Elizabeth at Xhosa-language radio station Umhlobo Wenene FM, before making the move to Joburg in 2007 and getting into TV. But while delivering the news to the entire country is nerve-wracking, the newsreader takes it in her stride as she settles down in front of the camera.

Being a news anchor is more than being handed a script and reading like a robot, so what does your preparation look like? I get to the studio an hour-and-a-half before the bulletin at 19:00. That gives me time for the make-up and wardrobe process, but more importantly reading the script. We’re in studio by 18:45 at the latest, ready to start rolling. Who does the translation work to get the scripts into Xhosa for you? We get news from the SABC reporters and for each particular desk – English, Afrikaans, isiXhosa, isiZulu, etc – you have bulletin writers who translate their work. How are stories decided for the show, because they vary from other SABC bulletins? Issues of national interest and newsmakers determine which stories make the bulletins. It’s that simple. This isn’t your first newsy job, is it? No, I’ve got a few on my CV. Working in media and as a news anchor is my dream job that I’ve built up to. I’ve been a current affairs content producer and radio presenter at SAfm since 2009. I was a host on consumer show Yilungelo Lakho until 2014 and then I moved here.