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.
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.
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.
Zukiswa Zimela
Zukiswa Zimela is Communications Manager at the Healthy Living Alliance (HEALA), a coalition of civil society organisations advocating for equitable access to affordable, nutritious food in South Africa.
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.
Chris Bateman
Chris Bateman is a veteran healthcare writer, having served as News Editor at the SA Medical Journal from 2000-2016, after which he went freelance.
He has won seven Discovery Health annual journalism awards (Commentary and Analysis and Best Publication categories). His earlier career was in newspapers, mostly on the Cape Times, (17 years), where he reported daily from the townships during the late 80’s struggle years. In 1992 he was posted to London as Group Correspondent for the then Morning Group of Newspapers returning to help cover the 1994 elections after which he covered the Western Cape and national legislatures. He had short stint in radio and television. A fluent Nguni speaker, he grew up in deep rural KwaZulu Natal. See www.thrive2write.co.za
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.
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.
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.
Jandri Barnard
Jandri Barnard is a registered dietitian in private practice and consults at Mediclinic Newcastle. She holds an MSc in Dietetics from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and is currently pursuing a PhD. Her work focuses on clinical nutrition, diabetes and renal care, and translating nutrition research into practical health advice.
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.
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.
