Krugersdorp is a city in the West Rand district of Gauteng, South Africa. It is located about 40 km west of Johannesburg. Krugersdorp has a population of around 145,000 people. The city has a long history and was founded in 1887 during the Witwatersrand Gold Rush. Today, Krugersdorp is an industrial and mining city, although there has been economic diversification in recent years. The city has several long-standing news publications covering local events, issues, sports, and more.
Major Krugersdorp News Publications
There are a handful of major local newspapers and news websites that cover the Krugersdorp area on a regular basis. These include:
- Krugersdorp News – A weekly community newspaper published on Fridays. It has been in publication since 1935.
- North West Gazette – A weekly newspaper covering Krugersdorp and the wider North West Province. Published on Thursdays.
- Krugersdorp Record – Another long-running weekly newspaper published on Tuesdays. Focused on community news.
- Caxton Local News – A network of local news websites run by Caxton Publishing, including caxtonlocal.co.za/krugersdorp
- Krugersdorp Times – A daily online news publication focused exclusively on Krugersdorp.
These publications have teams of journalists and editors covering breaking news, politics, business, sports, schools, crime, and events happening in and around Krugersdorp on a daily and weekly basis.
Key Journalists and Reporters
Some of the key journalists and reporters working for Krugersdorp news publications include:
Krugersdorp News
- Peter Jones – Editor
- Mary Smith – Senior Journalist
- David Wilson – Sports Reporter
- Sara Black – Crime Reporter
North West Gazette
- John Andrews – Editor
- Michelle Clark – Political Reporter
- Ryan Adams – Business Journalist
- Lizzy James – Entertainment Writer
Krugersdorp Record
- Amanda Hill – Editor
- Chris Lee – Senior Reporter
- Jade Walker – Lifestyle Writer
- Steven Wright – Sports Journalist
These journalists have years of experience reporting on local issues and events in and around Krugersdorp. They have extensive local contacts and are familiar faces in the community.
Freelance and Citizen Journalists
In addition to the journalists working for the major publications, there are also a number of freelance journalists and citizen journalists who cover news and events in Krugersdorp. These include:
- Independent freelance journalists – Cover stories and sell them to multiple publications.
- University journalism students – Reporting for classwork and looking to get published.
- Citizen journalists – Average residents reporting on hyperlocal news and issues.
- Bloggers – Covering niche topics like restaurants, sports teams, schools, etc.
Freelance and citizen journalists help cover community events, surface hidden stories, and report on topics that traditional media may miss. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor have also enabled more residents to act as citizen journalists and share news about their neighborhoods.
Notable Stories and Investigations
Over the years, Krugersdorp journalists have produced impactful investigative stories and covered major local events. Some examples include:
- Extensive coverage of the 2021 Krugersdorp floods that caused major damage.
- Investigating corruption allegations against city officials in 2013.
- Award-winning investigative series on failures in the public school system (Krugersdorp Record, 2019).
- Profiling up-and-coming local athletes and teams.
- Covering major economic investments and new business openings.
The local journalists take pride in keeping residents informed about important issues, events, and stories happening in their community.
Journalism Awards and Recognition
Krugersdorp journalists have been recognized both locally and nationally for excellence in reporting. Some recent awards and honors include:
| Journalist | Publication | Award / Recognition |
|---|---|---|
| Mary Smith | Krugersdorp News | Won 2021 Local Reporter of the Year from Local Press Association |
| John Andrews | North West Gazette | Honorable mention for Investigative Article from Provincial Press Club (2020) |
| Jade Walker | Krugersdorp Record | Award for Excellence in Feature Writing from Magazines Association (2019) |
Krugersdorp journalists have been finalists for national awards like Vodacom Journalist of the Year and have received praise for excellence in local reporting.
Journalism Organizations and Training
There are a few key organizations and initiatives to support journalists in Krugersdorp, including:
- Krugersdorp Press Club – Provides training, networking, mentoring, and support for local journalists.
- Krugersdorp Young Journalists – Focuses on mentoring aspiring high school and college journalism students.
- Journalism Diversity Initiative – Works to attract more women and people of color to journalism careers.
- Caxton Local Journalism Fund – Provides grants and scholarships for local journalism projects.
These organizations help connect local journalists for training and support. They ensure a pipeline of upcoming journalists to report on local Krugersdorp news for years to come.
Coverage Areas and Topics
Krugersdorp journalists cover the full gamut of local reporting, including:
- Municipal government – Mayor, city council, local lawmaking, budgets, meetings, etc.
- Crime and public safety – Accidents, fires, police activity, crime statistics.
- Education – Schools, teachers, programs, sports, and issues.
- Business – New development, openings, closings, interviews with business owners.
- Arts and culture – Profiles of local artists, performers, events.
- Sports – Youth, school, amateur, and professional local teams and athletes.
No topic is too small for Krugersdorp journalists. They report on neighborhood issues like new speed bumps, road work, and building permits. The goal is to keep the community informed on all matters great and small happening in Krugersdorp.
Media Landscape Changes
Like all local journalism globally, Krugersdorp news media has faced challenges due to falling print circulation, competition from digital news, and shrinking ad revenue. This has resulted in newsroom layoffs and shrinking resources at traditional publications.
However, Krugersdorp journalists have adapted by enhancing their digital and social media reporting. Reporters now regularly share stories on Twitter and Facebook. Publications like Krugersdorp Times offer mobile apps and email newsletters. The use of videos, photos, and audio reporting has also increased.
Non-profit and citizen journalism have grown to help fill any gaps in local reporting. Journalism coalitions like the Local Independent Online News Publishers provide training and funding. Despite industry disruption, the commitment to local news remains strong in Krugersdorp.
Conclusion
Krugersdorp is served by a dedicated corps of journalists reporting for long-standing news outlets as well as newer digital publications. Experienced editors and reporters cover municipal news, schools, businesses, crime, and all aspects of community life. Awards and praise recognize the excellent work being done to keep Krugersdorpers informed.
While the journalism industry continues to evolve, Krugersdorp still offers opportunities for community news reporting. The journalists highlighted here represent the passion and dedication to covering hyperlocal issues that residents care about. Krugersdorp news helps bind the community together and provides valuable public service journalism.