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Behind the media coverage of SA's tightly contested 2024 general election with Ferial Haffajee

Behind the media coverage of SA's tightly contested 2024 general election with Ferial Haffajee
Ferial Haffajee reporting on an EFF rally in Carletonville.
Daily Maverick
By Daily Maverick
3 Sep 2024
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Ferial Haffajee goes behind the story of our coverage of the national elections, and what it meant to her reporting on a high-stakes time in South Africa’s democratic history.

We ran an elections dashboard before, during and after the election cycle to help readers make sense of information coming out about the 2024 national polls. The dashboard received 387,000 views between 29 May and 14 June 2024. Visitors spent an average of three minutes and 39 seconds on the dashboard. 

How long did it take the team to prepare the election coverage and what did the process entail?


We started planning in the third quarter of 2023 and planned in phases, from voter education to government formation. It meant regularly checking in on where we were and moving adeptly to understand where the audience interest was and how it shifted, and what the reader needs were. 

How did you ensure your reporting is impartial and balanced, especially in a politically charged environment?


I focused on manifesto analysis and we covered a broad range of parties across the spectrum. This meant we were fair. We also arranged the manifestos into easily understandable subject areas, allowing comparison across parties. People enjoyed these. Editor Heather Robertson and creative lead Bernard Kotze summarised the manifestos and created cards which took us into new audiences and helped people make up their minds about who to vote for. 


Can you describe any specific instances where you faced pressure from political parties or stakeholders, and how you managed them?


I covered Gauteng. Premier Panyaza Lesufi repeatedly attacked me, once in person where he called me a cretin because he didn’t like our coverage. It was rough, but you go on. Mostly I found hard-working and committed South Africans who welcomed us and told us their stories with hope and clarity. 

Can you share how you handled misinformation or disinformation during the election cycle?


I used Rebecca Davis’s fact checks a great deal. The tools developed by Africa Check and Media Monitoring Africa were useful. Also, analysing and deep-diving the manifestos helped, as did reading widely so I could spot and hopefully disrupt bullshit. 

How did you balance the need for timely reporting with the necessity of thorough fact-checking?


With difficulty. I was up working by 5am most days (following Robin Sharma’s principles in the book, The 5am Club) to do the reading and basic analysis. This meant that when I reported out on the road, I had a solid base to work from. 

Ferial Haffajee reporting on an EFF rally in Carletonville.


What role does social media play in your coverage, and how do you verify the accuracy of information shared online?


I use social media to stay on top of news and only ever see it as a first tip-off. Everything has to be subject to the rigorous checks of journalism. 

How did you cover the election process in more remote or underserved areas, and what unique challenges did that present?


Well, we had those marvellous Fords. The roads were really bad so that was a gift. We don’t have insurance and being a woman reporter adds an additional layer of caution to reporting in a country with high crime. I am very lucky that my husband, Spencer, very much enjoys being a co-reporter and so joined me on most reporting trips. Most areas are underserved. If I could, I would just serve those. 

What were some of the most surprising or unexpected stories you’ve encountered while covering the elections?


So many. I loved it. I enjoyed covering Clarens, the first town to stop load shedding. I enjoyed going back to Estina Dairy, the ground zero of State Capture. 

Ferial continues her coverage of all things GNU in Daily Maverick’s dedicated weekly Elections 24 newsletter. If you’re not already receiving this free treat in your inbox, you can sign up here. DM

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