AN aspiring television journalist from Jeffreys Bay is one step closer to realising her dream, after making her small screen debut in April, this year.
Sonia Catherine White (23), a fourth year student in Journalism and Media Studies at Rhodes University, recently secured two slots on Fokus after filming and editing a profile piece on Let’s Feed JBay, a local non-profit organisation, as well as the first-ever lockdown music trail in Jeffreys Bay and surrounding areas – gradually building a credible portfolio.
And they are looking for more video stories from her.
White, who idolises actress Rolanda Marais, was inspired to pitch her short video to Fokus by a friend and mentor from 50/50 where she was an intern during the July holidays from 2017 to 2019.
However, it was not an easy path.
Struggling with depression and ending up in a psychiatric institution, White says her passion for telling the stories of the downtrodden and less fortunate was almost predestined.
She points to the several badges on the fridge, “My first ever honours bar I received in primary school was for being part of the school’s newspaper team. The following year I was the editor.”
The pattern continued through high school.”
White got recognition for her drama and acting. She founded the Kouga Community Theatre Project in 2015 with the hope of entertaining, informing and equipping communities with the power of knowledge through access to information – the best form of edutainment she had ever experienced.
This led her to studying Drama, Xhosa, Political Philosophy and African Culture at Rhodes University in 2016.
“During my first year at university, I literally went nuts,” says White, a former Global Leadership Academy learner. “I suffered from debilitating depression, because I felt like a grain of sand in the desert of human suffering, hardship, disease and all that is wrong in this world. The mountain ahead was too big for me to climb.
“As an empath, I felt everybody’s pain – the world’s pain. Back then, I could not see how I could possibly make a difference on this unjust planet of ours. So yes, I went a little nuts and ended up in a nuthouse. However, the stories there were endless.
“Little did I know that I would find myself captivated by the power of a different mode of storytelling. And a new vision emerged.”
The following year, after travelling through Thailand to find herself, White started studying journalism.
She now finds herself behind the lens, capturing stories of tragedy and triumph – focusing on the everyday trials of South Africans – she can share much further and wider.
“There are endless stories to tell, and it definitely helps to be a little nutty when you are a journalist,” she laughs. “Looking back now, I know I am exactly where I am supposed to be. I was made for journalism.”
Her ultimate person to interview: Luyanda Botha, who tortured, raped and murdered the 19-year-old University of Cape Town student, Uyinene Mrwetyana, in August, last year.
“I would like to get into the mind of Botha,” says White. “As a gender-based violence acti-vist, it would be an absolute passion project to investigate why South Africa holds some of the highest gender-based violence statistics in the world.
“I do not think that the Government’s new action plant to curb these types of crime is good enough. It is our job as journalists to step in and investigate.”
As White, who enjoys the technicalities of shooting a video clip, comes closer to finishing her degree in March, next year, she thinks it is extremely important to make industry connections.
‘’You have to be good at your job, but you also have to make those connections in order to get there – taking advantage of all opportunities available,” she says.
For more information about White, contact her at 082 738 1348 or visit www.catwhite.co.za.
