A Joza Journey to Auto Journalism

The Land Rover brand is one that is trusted for building cars that are both reliable and of good quality. For many decades the brand built cars that were specifically made for venturing off-road and were capable enough to tackle the rough stuff.

With the changing times and the introduction of new tech, Land Rover saw that, as much as their cars were made for going off-road, that is not where they would be driven most of the time. The need for adding an “alternative”to the cars rigid suspension came about so that, as much as the car was tough for off-roading, it would also be comfortable for relaxed motorway cruising.

That has definitely been the case-in-point for me as well. From high school I have always known that I wanted to be a nurse when I pass my matric. Turned out it was not a piece of cake even getting accepted at a higher institution, so I had to find an “alternative”just like Land Rover.

People who know me know that I love reading and writing. It then struck me that I could use my love for reading and writing as a second option next to nursing as a career path, then journalism came about.

Go to any child and ask them what they want to be when the grow up, I assure you that one in three of those children will say they want to be a doctor.

Same was the case with we were growing up. As years went by I explored the world and discover the multiple career paths one could follow.

My windshield cleared of dirt slowly but surely as I discovered myself and looked at the world at how I could be of good use considering my abilities.

It is something that I discovered just yesterday that I have a soft spot for cars. It is a soft spot accompanied by a strong desire of working with cars or anywhere in the auto environment.

After sitting down and doing a self introspection I saw that if I could infuse my love for reading and writing with the passion I have for cars, I could follow the journalism path and focus on the auto world as a motoring journalist.

I have committed myself to buying issues of SA's leading motoring magazine every month - which means, I believe, I am well aware of new models on the way and that's where my focus has been, on new cars.

That has made me miss out on the motoring scene here in Grahamstown.

Iviwe, who happens to be a car enthusiast himself, tells me that I have been missing out on a lot, "because there are street auto competitions near where I stay", he says. With that being said I then saw the need to at least try and balance the focus and look at things both ways – the new and already existing models.

My journey is toward what I want. At the moment I'm letting other people who are in the journalism world drive, while I’m on the passenger seat and learning from them how the field operates.

I'm enjoying the ride so far and in learning a lot. I'm certain that this is the way to go so that one day I can be the driver and not the passenger.