Tshegofatso Magolego

Category
Film & Media

Age
28

Organisation / Company
SABC
Website

Profile

Tshegofatso Magolego is a social justice champion; inclusion and diversity advocate; author  and investigative journalist with over seven years of experience. He has lent his skills to companies such as ANN7, eNCA and eTV.

The 28-year-old is an investigative journalist and producer at SABC News, where he aims to highlight injustices faced by minority groups and hold those in authority accountable.

In the past four years, Tshegofatso has produced over 40 documentaries for South Africa’s most-watched investigative programmes, including Special Assignment on SABC News and Checkpoint on eNCA. One of his most watched documentaries was a programme on transgender medical rights, where he exposed the injustice faced by transgender bodies in South Africa when they try to access basic healthcare in public hospitals. He did this by going undercover as a trans person in five hospitals.

In 2022, Tshegofatso wrote a children’s book titled Sipho’s Pink Dress which seeks to educate children about gender identities and roles and help curb the bullying of those considered to be different in schools.

The bullying he went through in school, because of his sexuality and gender identity, was Tshegofatso’s motivation to go into journalism and media. “I wanted to use journalism as a tool to foster strong global discourse and change narratives about communities that are often marginalised and not seen.”

List your educational background - qualifications and institutions?

• Bachelor of Arts Honours in Journalism and Media Studies, University of Witwatersrand, 2023 
• Certificate in Reporting on Matters of LGBTIAQ + community and religion, 2022
• National Diploma in Journalism, Tshwane University of Technology, 2015 to 2017  
• National Senior Certificate, Thuto Ke Maatla Comprehensive School, 2013

Any awards or achievements in your field?

• Being a respected investigative journalist who has lent their skills to various reputable companies, including ANN7, Checkpoint — eNCA, and Special Assignment on SABC, exposing injustices faced by those marginalised by race, gender and nationality.
• I have written a kids’ book titled Sipho’s Pink Dress. This book follows a gender non-conforming child on their first day at school in Soweto. The book explores themes such as self-identity, sexual orientation and gender roles at the foundation level. This is a much-needed intervention to not only help children see themselves in books but also an attempt to curb bullying of those who might be considered different in schools. 

• Another achievement that I am proud of is reporting on Hate Crime, Transgender Medical Rights in South Africa and Celebrating queer individuals doing great things in South Africa.
• I have also been chosen for a Taboom workshop in Cape Town, on LGBTIAQ+ matters and religion, in recognition of my fight to shed light on issues faced by minority groups. During my first years of investigative journalism, I have been selected to shadow world-renowned investigative journalist from amaBhungane Susan Comrie.

One childhood memory that has spurred you to such levels of achievement?

My mother’s prayers made me whole when I internalised the bullying that I went through in school, because of my sexuality and gender identity. My mother would often tell me that to be different is to be me. This is what kept me going during difficult times on school grounds. I promised myself that I was not going to let this affect me or my studies, as a result, I finished school with flying colours. This was my motivation to get into journalism and media. I wanted to use journalism as a tool to foster strong global discourse and change narratives about communities that are often marginalised and not seen. I wanted to use my platform to uphold our constitutions and democracy and for protecting the rights of LGBTIAQ+ community members, which I believe are human rights.

Advice to your younger self?

No goal is too big with the right plan and vision. Unleash the power of your goals.

What would you like South Africa to look like in five years?

I would like to see the Combat of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill passed into law so that hate crimes of LGBTIAQ+ community members can be easier to identify and prosecute. One of the biggest challenges that queer people are facing on the ground is that whilst there are laws on human rights, there are no laws that speak directly to the protection of queer people in South Africa. This needs to change with the above bill passed. It breaks my heart when I report on teenage suicide amongst gay people, which is something that has been on the rise since the beginning of time. I want to see South Africa more liberal in the manner in which it investigates hate crimes. I want a South Africa where gay men can go report crimes at the police station without any secondary victimisation. I want a South Africa that will teach young children the importance of respecting those who are different. To be different is to be yourself and South Africa should respect that.