Transparency, storytelling, redress & accountability
Viewfinder is an accountability journalism project in South Africa. We do long term investigations into abuses of power which impact on the public interest – specifically as it relates to the need for equality and redress – in post-apartheid South African society.
Through narrative journalism, documentary filmmaking and inter-newsroom collaborations we make complex findings accessible to audiences across the spectrum of South African news media consumers. We provide our audiences with the knowledge they need to demand accountability from large institutions on the specific abuses of power that we expose.
Daneel Knoetze, Editor and Reporter
Daneel is the founder and editor of Viewfinder. His reporting focuses on police criminality and the failure of police oversight mechanisms in South Africa. This project launched with a major exposé on the country’s police watchdog in October 2019. He was a fellow with US State Department’s Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program in 2017/18, during which time he did a professional affiliation at Reveal from the Centre of Investigative Reporting in San Francisco. Previously he worked as a news reporter and a communications officer in the NGO sector. He is a graduate of Rhodes University and is a rock climber on the weekends. LinkedIn. Email: daneel@viewfinder.org.
Theresa Mallinson, Operations Manager
Theresa joined Viewfinder in 2022 as operations manager. She has worked as a journalist and media consultant for more than a decade, including as a journalist at Daily Maverick, a managing editor at Free African Media, an assistant editor at The Daily Vox and, most recently, as a subeditor at the Mail & Guardian. She also served as an exco member of Hacks/Hackers Johannesburg (2012 to 2018). When she’s not at work, you’re most likely to find her curled up with a good book. LinkedIn. Email: theresa@viewfinder.org.za.
Omogolo Taunyane-Mnguni, 2022 Fellow
Omogolo Taunyane-Mnguni is a journalist, communications professional, and a pioneer in the field of gender justice advocacy in South Africa. Her mission is to challenge historical institutional inertia associated with recognising and eradicating gender-based violence in society. Omogolo is the founder and executive director of Gender-Based Violence Monitor SA. This nonprofit focuses on research, tracking and tracking gender-based violence incidents, and conducts analysis of the rural criminal justice system. Omogolo has worked at eNCA, Parliament, and Talk Radio 702. In recent years, she occupied media advisory roles in local government at the City of Johannesburg and the City of Tshwane.
Cassandra Roxburgh, 2022 Fellow
Cassandra Roxburgh is a freelance journalist, predominantly covering the environment, who writes extensively about trans liberation, climate change, and the intersections between culture and politics. Fae has written for Yes! Magazine, Mail & Guardian, and News24. Cassandra has provided faer commentary on talk radio shows, including CapeTalk and SAFM, and has participated in leading seminars to discuss improving demographic data collection for the LGBTQIA+ community.
Cassandra graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with an LLB in 2018. Fae is currently completing faer LLM thesis on global liability regimes for environmental harms caused by multinational fossil fuel companies. Fae is also a mentee as part of the Zenith Cooperative mentorship programme.
Max Matavire, 2022 Fellow
Max Matavire is an award-winning journalist who was born in South Africa, but grew up in Zimbabwe. He is based in Gqeberha and has more than 15 years’ experience reporting on politics, local government, business, economics, health, social development in the Eastern Cape.
Max holds a higher diploma in journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Berlin, Germany, a diploma in journalism from the Zimbabwe Institute of Mass Communication and a diploma in writing international news from the Reuters Foundation. He has worked for The Herald in Gqeberha and had a brief stint with The Citizen in Johannesburg. Now he is a freelance journalist and writes for City Press, The Sunday Times, and Agence France Presse (AFP).
Zodidi Mhlana, 2022 Fellow
Zodidi Mhlana is a news reporter and photojournalist based in Johannesburg. She primarily works with the Chinese News Agency, and has published with Health-e News and the Mail & Guardian. Over the years, she has written reports on humanitarian, environmental, and health challenges in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Syria.