The final wave

Author

Stellen-Buzz with SMF
June 06, 2025

 

Dear reader,

It feels extremely surreal to acknowledge that our first semester of BAHons Journalism honours has come to an end. Perhaps tonight, when I experience a sudden onslaught of phantom anxiety about projects I am yet to complete, I will be able to reassure myself that I am indeed done. But for now, the realisation has not quite settled in yet.

It is tricky to describe time as moving fast and slow all at once, but the first semester has become a jumbled mass of memories that is occupying a large part of my brain. Surely five months cannot be enough to contain all that has happened? Surely the sense of familiarity that has been fostered in our class takes years to achieve. And yet, we find ourselves at the halfway mark of a journey that still regularly inspires imposter syndrome. 

It fully struck me when I saw the post on the Stellenbosch Journalism instagram account – “BAHons Journalism 2026: Applications Now Open!” Pure disbelief. Frankly, this was a harsh reminder that we won’t always have the comfort of the newsroom, and this course is not just ours. And also, we are getting old. Well, older, for some of us (you know who you are). But this is not the time for wallowing. 

We have, in fact, despite all my reservations, made it out alive! I am aware that I said “we will all survive”, and that we are “lucky” for not having to write exams, but in all honesty, this was mostly an attempt to convince myself not to drop out. Our assignments set for the June assessment period did actually seem very impossible. The collective required word count for the past two weeks was 11 550. Plus two videos, and a bunch of photos. In a word, preposterous. 

We have summited an intellectual Everest.

To cope, the class has resorted to a number of activities, such as completely sacrificing sleep and holding an impromptu handstand competition in the newsroom. Great for getting fresh blood to the brain. The results of the handstand competition were, in order of success (measured in seconds):

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Average

🏆 Reid

2,11

2,01

1,23

1,78

Anke

1,43

1,86

1,91

1,73

Daniélle

1,60

1,73

1,46

1,60

Kobus

1,36

1,73

1,43

1,52

Buhle

1,30

1,40

1,26

1,32

Iman

1,66

1,08

0,86

1,20

Kuhle

DNF

0,30

0,35

0,22

The excitement will continue when our class travels to Johannesburg next week for the annual media tour. Keep reading for SMF News’ chief-sub, Reid Donson’s musings on Johannesburg. Also watch out for a possible vlog from our very own Kobus Erasmus.

This week we share a number of profile articles that our editorial team have been working on. A whole collection of interesting people awaits.

Anke Spies, newsletter editor.

Joburg tour: thoughts from a sceptic

Technically, I have been to Johannesburg a few times in my life already. I mean, if you count OR Tambo. The very first time, I was 13 years old, and when I reached Johannesburg, I looked out the aeroplane window and what I saw was depressing. Dark clouds filled the sky. Thunder roared like God was angry at the city for existing. I thought to myself, “This is seriously not a vibe”. But I assumed it would be better on the way back (we were going on holiday and Joburg was our connecting flight). 

Lo and behold, when I flew back to OR Tambo two weeks later, dark clouds filled the sky AGAIN. Thunder roared AGAIN. It was at that moment I decided I hated Joburg. The image of a dark and dreary city was etched into my mind and that is where it remained for the next 10 years. 

A lot has changed this year though. Many of my classmates have spoken very highly of Joburg. one of our lecturers, Anneli Groenewald, loves it. Apparently, the people there are friendlier than in Cape Town (which, to me, sounds blasphemous, as Cape Town is objectively the best city on earth, but I digress). I have heard that the hustle and bustle of the city is great to experience, and that apparently you have not made it as a journalist until you have worked there. 

We leave for Joburg on Monday, and I am happy to say that I am actually quite excited and hopeful. While the image of the city from 10 years ago remains locked in my memory, it has been painted over with my classmates’ memories of the city.

Joburg, I can’t wait to meet you. 

(But if you disappoint me, there will be hell to pay)

By Reid Donson

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The weekly rundown: Our top profile articles for the week

-🚘 The TikTok sensation who stole Stellenbosch’s heart by Daniela Botha
(Masixole Wellington Ngqubungu)

 🍷 ʼn Next-level huisvrou by Rentia Weber
(Anita Lloyd)

🧵 Silk and String: A weaver’s story woven between words by Reid Donson
(Nokwakha Ndlangalavu)

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Get to know me!

  1. What is your favourite song and who is your favourite artist?

    I don’t actually have a favourite artist, but my top 3 songs of all time are Nothing Else Matters by Metallica, Chinatown by the Bleachers, and Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac!

  2. What is your favourite film?

    Harry Potter.

  3. What is your favourite book, and what are you currently reading?

    I loved The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Posten. Right now, I’m finishing The Moon Sister by Lucinda Riley.

  4. What is your favourite place you’ve ever visited and why?

    Paris!!! Shopping. Do I really need to say more?

  5. If you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

    Can I say someone fictional? If yes, I think I would faint if I met Jon Snow.

  6. If you weren’t studying journalism, what would you be doing?

    Probably studying marketing.

  7. What is something most people don’t know about you?

    I have a printers tray and every place I visit I buy a thimble!

  8. What is your current guilty pleasure?

    Oh gosh, I love watching pimple popping videos 😂

  9. What do you do if you’re not busy working?

    Spending time with my cousin. It’s been such a blessing having her in Stellenbosch.

  10. What do you want to achieve this year?

    I hope to make the most out of every moment this year and give Stellenbosch the proper goodbye it deserves.

What we’re listening to:

Von dutch

Charli XCX

*brat green did not match what we’re watching.

What we’re watching: