This Mother’s Day, we honour the remarkable women of SABC News – trailblazers who continue to redefine the media landscape while navigating the profound journey of motherhood.
For more than a decade, these phenomenal women have been breaking barriers, shaping narratives and bringing stories to life. All while being the heartbeat of their families. In an industry known for its relentless pace and high standards, their strength, resilience and grace are a powerful source of inspiration.
VIDEO | Mother’s Day: The beauty of motherhood
Author and researcher Genevieve Lanka, herself a media professional and mother, explored this very experience in her academic thesis, which delves into the realities faced by mothers in the media space.
“Moms carry a massive mental load and one of the things that was really remarkable about the women who are in my study is that when it came to the actual work, they were single-minded about it. They wanted to put out the best product, and they were pretty brilliant at being reporters and journalists. However, they carried a load that they say their male colleagues would not carry. Because often times it’s not the male colleagues running out of the office saying ‘I’ve got to go and pick up my kid,’ ‘I’m gonna probably take some child responsibility leave.’”
VIDEO | SABC News mothers breaking media barriers
PODCAST | Happy Mother’s Day: Being More Than A Mum
Meanwhile, these mothers share some of the challenges that they come across while balancing a demanding media career with the equally demanding role of motherhood…
“I’m never there for the first day morning photos. So, I have to rely on my husband. If I don’t tell him in advance, I’ll never get the first school day photo.”
“Most of the things happen during the week, during working hours. Nobody wants to miss a sports day. Every child would want to look out in the field and see their parent there. I try to be there as much as I can, but unfortunately, when I’m out doing interviews, it can’t happen. I try to make up for it over the weekends. Luckily, they are very sporty kids and they have weekend sports as well.”
