About Health-e News
About Health-e News
Health-e News is a South African independent, non-profit health newsroom. Since 1999, we have reported on the health issues facing the millions of South Africans who depend on the public healthcare system — and we put patients and communities at the centre of our stories.
What we cover
We publish original journalism on public health, health systems and the social conditions that shape both: water, sanitation, housing, food security, gender-based violence, climate and mental health. Our work spans grassroots news, explainers, and long-form features. All Health-e News stories are free to read. We publish under a Creative Commons licence, so other newsrooms, NGOs and educators are welcome to republish our work at no cost, with attribution.
How we work
Health-e News is built around a network of journalists and community reporters in places national newsrooms rarely cover — rural villages, townships and small towns across multiple provinces. Through our OurHealth community journalism programme, we train and support reporters who live in the communities they cover, so the people most affected by health and service-delivery failures are the ones telling the story.
Our independence
Health-e News is editorially independent. We are funded by grants from foundations and donor partners, and by readers who choose to support our work. Funders have no influence over what we cover or how we cover it. We are a member of the Press Council of South Africa and bound by the South African Press Code; complaints may be lodged with the Press Council.
Tholakele Mbonani
Tholakele Mbonani is a seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience in community-centered storytelling, currently focusing on health, development, and social impact reporting.
Brigitte Read
Brigitte Read is Health-e News’ Associate Editor. She works on creating innovative journalism projects and believes effective health reporting can empower and transform communities.
Lerato Kodisang
Lerato Kodisang is a journalist with experience engaging communities through civil society and local platforms at district and provincial level. She is passionate about health and people-centred reporting that centres lived experiences and gives voice to issues that matter to communities.
Bernard Chiguvare
Bernard Chiguvare is a Zimbabwean-born freelance journalist based in Limpopo with more than a decade of experience. He focuses on health, social justice and issues affecting communities. His work has appeared in local and international publications.
Koketso Moeti
Koketso Moeti is the founding executive director at amandla.mobi
Moyahabo Mabeba
Moyahabo Mabeba is an all-round reporter whose journalism career spans almost three decades. He has worked for several national publications and is a former editor of The Journal newspaper. His reporting has a strong human-interest focus, particularly on the experiences of vulnerable communities. A softball fanatic, he also works in marketing and publicity in sporting circles.
Sandile Mbili
Sandile Mbili is an award-winning freelance health journalist and radio drama scriptwriter based in KwaZulu-Natal. He has contributed to Health-e News since 2016 and is an Africa Health Communications Fellowship fellow through Fraycollege. He has written and produced more than 10 radio dramas and won two MTN Radio Awards.
Bernard Chiguvare
Bernard Chiguvare is a Zimbabwean-born freelance journalist based in Limpopo with more than a decade of experience. He focuses on health, social justice and issues affecting communities. His work has appeared in local and international publications.
Keletso Mkhwanazi
Keletso Mkhwanazi is a South African investigative journalist with a proven track record of delivering impactful stories that drive change. She has worked as a freelance reporter since 2016.
Moyahabo Mabeba
Moyahabo Mabeba is an all-round reporter whose journalism career spans almost three decades. He has worked for several national publications and is a former editor of The Journal newspaper. His reporting has a strong human-interest focus, particularly on the experiences of vulnerable communities. A softball fanatic, he also works in marketing and publicity in sporting circles.
Adina Aphane
Adina Aphane is a community journalist based in Pretoria, Gauteng. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, public systems and community development, with a passion for telling stories that amplify voices and highlight issues affecting everyday people.
Lucas Phelwane
Bernard Chiguvare
Bernard Chiguvare is a Zimbabwean-born freelance journalist based in Limpopo with more than a decade of experience. He focuses on health, social justice and issues affecting communities. His work has appeared in local and international publications.
Lerato Kodisang
Lerato Kodisang is a journalist with experience engaging communities through civil society and local platforms at district and provincial level. She is passionate about health and people-centred reporting that centres lived experiences and gives voice to issues that matter to communities.
Zonja Penzhorn
Zonja Penzhorn is the founder and CEO of Human Nature Africa. Her work focuses on prevention at the intersection of human behaviour, addressing gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health and rights, HIV and mental health.
Bakang Ditibane
Bakang Ditibane is a communications professional and community journalist based in Mahikeng, North West. He has four years’ experience in communications and media relations, and two years’ experience reporting on health, public systems and their impact on communities.
Tholakele Mbonani
Tholakele Mbonani is a seasoned journalist with over 10 years of experience in community-centered storytelling, currently focusing on health, development, and social impact reporting.
Moyahabo Mabeba
Moyahabo Mabeba is an all-round reporter whose journalism career spans almost three decades. He has worked for several national publications and is a former editor of The Journal newspaper. His reporting has a strong human-interest focus, particularly on the experiences of vulnerable communities. A softball fanatic, he also works in marketing and publicity in sporting circles.
Gerald Masuku
Ditiro Gerald Masuku is a senior multimedia and digital journalist with experience across print, digital, social media, and magazine publications. I am passionate about multimedia storytelling, and have covered diverse beats.
Tracey Malawana
Tracey Malawana is the founder and Executive Director of I_Menstruate Movement.