PANOS aims to boost investigative journalism

By OLIVER SAMBOKO

PANOS Institute Southern Africa is scaling up support to media practitioners as a way of boosting investigative journalism to strengthen the media’s role in promoting accountability in decision-making processes, at local government and national levels.

Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the just ended Highway Africa Conference in Grahamstown, South Africa, PSAf Knowledge Management and Communications Manager, Vusumuzi Sifile said a lot of the development challenges in Southern Africa were rooted in the lack of accountability of decision makers. This has compelled the organisation to roll out media fellowships aimed at changing this situation. “On paper, there are many good policies on public health, education, mining, agriculture, natural resource management, and any sector you can think of. Most of these good policies are not being implemented for reasons that tend to vary from country to country, but lack of accountability appears to be a common denominator.

“A lot of communities in Southern Africa are wallowing in poverty not because there are no resources to eradicate that poverty, but because those entrusted with the power to make and effect decisions are not being accountable to the citizens. As a result, the poverty in some communities in the region is so depressing,” said Mr Sifile.