Script- News anchor

Script for news anchor

 

Welcome to Boston news, I’m Shivanie Naidoo

 

Good evening

 

In the headlines:

 

IEC staff removed after ballot boxes have been discovered in a party agents home.

AMCU’s striking platinum miners enforce violence on non-strikers

And in our studio discussion we discuss the Oscar Pistorius trial with Advocate Sabelo Mabena.

l  Electoral commission of South African staff who worked at one of the voting stations in springs, Kwatema, ward 17; where two ballot boxes were found in a party agents home, have been removed. The staff at the station have been relieved while an investigation continues.

 

l  AMCU’s on-going platinum miners strike has turned violent. A non-striking worker was allegedly intimidated by 4 members. According to police the old man collapsed after being assaulted with sticks and ‘knobkerries’ and then drenched in petrol before being set alight. He was treated for second degree burns and head injuries. The police however have promised to investigate the matter further.

 

l  The Oscar trial has recently returned to court. The Blade-runner was seen holding his head, crying while the court proceedings took place.

 

We have in studio joining us today Advocate Sabelo Mabena whose here to enlighten us on the Oscar trial happenings.

 

Good evening Mr Mabena, thank you for joining us.

(Mabena speaks)

 

1.        So the Oscar trial is now back in procession, what is your take on the proceedings thus far?

(Mabena speaks)

 

2.        The Paralympian was seen crying once again, do you think this is a way of getting people to pity him?

(Mabena speaks)

 

3.        State prosecutor Gerrie Nel says he has no remorse for the accused and believes that all the tears coming from the athlete is an entire act for people to forget what the case is initially about. Would you say that this type of statement is unfair?

(Mabena speaks)

 

4.        With Pistorius continually being unable to answer questions due to his emotional state, court has been adjourned a number of times. With expressions we see coming from the blade-runner would you agree that he is suffering from some sort of mental illness? And do you think he should get treated for this first before the verdict is given?

(Mabena speaks)

 

5.        Lastly, with reason, do you think the state has been fair to the accused thus far?

(Mabena speaks)

 

Thank you for your time and insight.

 

That was Advocate Sabelo Mabena elaborating on the recent court happenings of the Oscar trial.

 

Next : a recap for the days top stories:

i.          Ballot boxes found in a party agents home, have been removed.

ii.        AMCU’s platinum miners strike continues but turns violent and

iii.      The Oscar trial continues with the tears and confusion

 

l  And finally, the country’s elections saw many born frees voting for the very first time.  In all 9 provinces they gathered in their numbers to cast their votes and to celebrate their freedom being born in the post-apartheid era. Zinhle has more.

(Zinhle reports)

 

Well that’s all from the Boston news team and me Shivanie Naidoo, Good night and God bless.

Elections article

Elections - A Born frees experience 

The long awaited 2014 elections took place on 7 May and saw many born frees voting for the very first time, a day that had united the entire country! From the violent experiences to the quiet and calm voters, the day was experienced in many different ways. 

                                                                                                                                                 

Sarania Padayachee (20) is a born free who is from the East Rand area of Benoni and had voted at a nearby primary school where she described the atmosphere to be almost disappointing as she had‘expected more.’  However she was excited to be part of South Africa’s fifth official democratic elections. She described her experience as ‘quite chilled’ but that she hadn't expected the day to unfold in such a calm way. Also being lucky enough not to wait in the terribly long lines.

Another comment she made was that she felt a spark of excitement when the time came to actually cast her very first vote although she had admitted to being filled with a whole lot of doubt, ‘when it came to putting my mark on the ballot sheet, I still had doubt in my mind because it was inevitable what the outcome would be.’ She also brought to attention that her vote was decided upon way before the election date had come but still keeps it a secret even two weeks later, ‘ my vote was a secret but to make a change I would need a team, not just me.’

One problem that she had encountered on the day was that the IEC staff were apparently very unorganized and unconcerned. She remembered an incident were a lady had not known that the various forms should be filled out using a black pen and had instead used blue ink. An IEC staff member later told the lady that they do not have a black pen to help her rectify her mistake and allowed her to use a blue pen which Sarania believes would have ended up as a spoilt vote. Sarania’s entire family of 7 took to the polls on Election Day but all went to different venues to make their experiences memorable.

Sarania has not always taken an interest in the political issues of the country but it had come to a point where she felt she needed to make her views heard and decided to take the opportunity to vote. Being a born free to Sarania means being free to do things that people, especially young woman, could not do in the old days. Voting being one of those things. She believes that a born free is rid of any discrimination and sees that purely as historical issues of the past which she is thankful for not having to experience.

The freedom to vote was something that past heroes had died fighting for, to see South Africa as a democratic land. The term ‘born free’ literally means that these individuals were born when South Africa became a democratic country to live in, where rights were equally shared and no ill feelings were felt. Born frees will not remember what happened in the year of 1994 but are now living in the result of what South Africans fought for.

Advocacy journalism

Beware,your health insurance could disown you!

 

Health care is one of our most feared issues in todays world. Whether having health insurance makes you superior to someone who cannot afford such a luxury depends on where you actually live! Crazy or unethical? Imagine having to pay more than your homes mortgage for something health related or losing a loved one because people in higher power decide on things that benefit them and no one else.

 

Micheal Moore’s ‘Sicko’ exposes the truth behind health insurance in the United States. Most people in the US are covered with health insurance but when the time comes for them to claim for major or life threatening operations, they become victims of fraud. An example would be the case of Julie Pierce’s husband. This couple had been paying for health insurance,eventually her husband needed a bone marrow operation but was denied. So what are all the insurance payments for? The ‘motto’ that these companies and their doctors adhere to is, ‘ ...the less care we give them, the more money we make.” this alone spews out the word pathetic. I’m sure if a months payment was missed, the insurer would bombard your phone with calls and messages demanding the money but turn on you in desperate times!

 

In Britain people are actually treated like human beings where health care is free. If a person has spent money to get to the hospital they are asked to visit the cashier; not to pay  for anything but to be re-imbursed! Now that is called health care.

 

This documentary may seem unethical to some people because of the exposure that comes with it but a documentary like this gives insight to the public, the people who are robbed or their hard earned money. A journalists objective is to create public awareness of issues which the public are not clued up on. The media however, has a responsibility not to defame or invade anyone’s privacy. The media is there to inform, educate and entertain, not so much of an entertainment in this instance.

 

The documentary brought out the dirt on the irresponsible health systems that has been swept underneath the carpet. The methods used to uncover these issues were very well done as Moore had spoken to the general public who don’t have insurance and those who were cheated. If a documentary like this was not made, people around the world would not know what some people have to go through when it comes to health care. With regards to the doctors who agreed to the ‘so called motto’ of giving less and earning more, should have their medical licenses,taken away.

 

This documentary was extremely relevant and ethical. It shows the public that no matter how much is invested in a health insurance, always have a back up plan! After watching this many people would probably think twice before moving to the United States of America.