Nkepile mabuse biography templates

From the streets of Jozi to the global news stage… Nkepile Mabuse is a great example to follow if you’re considering a career in journalism. Her career is filled with many awe-inspiring moments. She studied at Wits University in Jozi.

Why did you choose this profession?

I didn’t choose it, it chose me. That may sound clichéd but it’s the truth. After school I studied civil engineering at Witwatersrand Technikon in Johannesburg. It took me five years of working in the field to realise that it was not for me and I quit. In my search for any job that would pay my bills, I landed an insignificant position at a current affairs show and fell in love with journalism.

What training did you undergo?

On-the-job training. Some say it’s the best way to learn and I believe acquiring formal training in something you love is half the journey travelled. It is through experience that most of us learn the most important lessons that end up shaping our lives.

You have got to love people and be patient – most good stories come to those who wait. Most importantly, you have to care about the people and events you report on.

I learn something new every day and meet incredibly interesting people. If a story about illegal organ transplants breaks, for example, I have to quickly familiarise myself with the laws that regulate operations in the country concerned. It’s important to be able to locate people or information that can help me become an instant expert.

Sometimes dealing with government officials can be extremely frustrating. Many of them do not return calls, have no sense of urgency and generally feel they should not be answerable to anyone. Journalists are the last people they want

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CNN Saturday Morning News

President Obama Visits Ghana

Aired July 11, 2009 - 08:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN HOST: And we also have filmmaker Spike Lee in the house today. It's the 20th anniversary of "Do the Right Thing." Can you believe it's been 20 years already? Well as you recall, this ground-breaking movie addressed racial stereotypes and forced a conversation on race relations across the country. Spike will be here to discuss the film and his friend, the late Michael Jackson.

TJ HOLMES, CNN HOST: But first, we want to start with the president on his trip to Ghana, set to speak over there in just about 40 minutes what we're told.

NGUYEN: Our White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux and CNN's Nkepile Mabuse both joining us from Ghana's capita, that being Accra. So let's begin with you Suzanne, quite a day there, a lot lined up in fact for the president.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. I want to show you just some of the headlines, local papers, the great son of Africa and America arrives. You see him with the first lady Michelle. Here the whole family it's akwaba (ph), that means welcome here, the local paper and finally today's the day Ghana's world. You see Michelle Obama there and (INAUDIBLE) we think it's photo shop, but you get the idea that they really feel a sense of kinship with the first family. This is something that people are very proud of, a welcoming home if you will.

What we are seeing earlier today, we saw President Obama with the president of Ghana, that being John Atta Mills (ph) and both of them making statements, talking about the importance of the alliance and why Ghana, the big question, of course, because Barack Obama's father was from Kenya, but Barack Obama is here to really demonstrate and highlight the importance of this co