Ms Amanda Mthembu, former Highvelder journalist always knew she wanted to be a writer of some sort.

According to her, growing up, she always had her nose in a book, transporting herself to kingdoms far away.

She fulfilled her childhood dream of being a writer and is occupying her space in her chosen career field.

Ms Mthembu is currently working for the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment’s Working on Fire Programme and is serving dual roles as the news editor in the communication department and is also the communication officer for Working on Fire Mpumalanga.

Her rise to her position has not been smooth-sailing, with various detours along the way.

Born in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal, Ms Mthembu moved to Volksrust, Mpumalanga at a young age, completing her primary education at the Pioneer Primary School.

She completed her secondary education at Volksrust High School and went on to pursue tertiary education at Varsity College.

Arming herself with a diploma in journalism, Ms Mthembu went on to intern as a communication assistant in her hometown’s Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality.

“Growing up I wanted to be a broadcast journalist, specialising in sport journalism. Being a communication assistant was all well and good, but I wanted to be out in the field, writing stories.”

This soon became a reality when she was employed at the Newcastle Community Radio (NCR), where she was an English news anchor and field reporter.

Ms Mthembu said being a journalist is not a walk in the park and deems it a vocation.

“Love and passion should be your driving force, you don’t get into journalism for financial freedom.

“I volunteered for about four years at the NCR and what kept me going was the love I had for radio, which is still and probably always will be my first love.”

After giving birth to her first child, a daughter, Ms Mthembu left the media sector and pursued a qualification in occupational health and safety and became a safety officer for a contractor stationed at the Majuba and Camden Power Stations.

“Being a safety officer, regardless of the financial security it offered, never grew on me. My calling was and is to write and tell people’s stories.

An opportunity to join the Highvelder arose and Ms Mthembu grabbed it with both hands and hit the ground running.

She was employed at the Highvelder for two years and became a well-known face in the streets of Wesselton and surrounding towns.

The quality work she produced at the newspaper secured her a Frewin award for Upcoming Journalist of the Year in 2017.

Read how she climbed her career-ladder in the next Highvelder Newspaper.

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