Journalism Internships Abroad in South Africa

Craig Ferriman

As a Journalism intern in South Africa, you could find yourself working for a weekly soccer newspaper, a general interest magazine, or a local magazine produced by Projects Abroad. You can also contribute to Voices of the World, an online weekly newspaper and magazine for young journalists. Based in cosmopolitan Cape Town, our Journalism internships are perfect for anyone wanting some extra experience to get their career off the ground, or for established journalists looking for a change of scenery.

For interns who are on a gap year looking to get into a related university program or those seeking employment following graduation, a Projects Abroad international journalism internship will set your resume apart from the crowd. In addition to this, you’ll come back with a large portfolio to show all you’ve done while in South Africa. Having the experience of living and working in a foreign country will act as proof of your adaptability while giving you an interesting subject of discussion in future interviews.

The South African media is one of the most progressive and best developed of any African country, despite the difficulties it faces by having such a broad demographic – 11 national languages! English is one of the main languages used in the South African media and all volunteers are expected have strong English skills.

International Journalism Internships in South Africa with Projects Abroad

In the office

We have a range of print journalism internships that you can join.

Journalism interns can write for the Projects Abroad magazine, Cape Chameleon. If you join this placement you will have the chance to be involved in the entire process of putting together a magazine, from writing, researching, and editing articles to photography and the final printing of the publication.

Interning at Cape Chameleon will give you a real opportunity to get involved, whether it be interviewing a local politician, musician, or athlete or finding out local opinions on the latest hot topic in South African society. You may travel to meet a local small business owner who is upset by a government decision, or you may be sitting on the editorial board deciding what to include in the next edition. Non-native English speakers are welcome at this placement and can choose to write articles for the online magazine section in their own languages.

You also could work with a weekly soccer newspaper, where a strong interest in international soccer is a must. Alternatively, you could write for a more general interest magazine, printed every 21 days, which includes news stories, social issues, features, and arts and entertainment pieces. Previous journalism experience is not required; however, you should be a native English speaker to join either of these two placements.

All our print journalism internships not only provide an insider's view of how publications are run, but also give you the opportunity to learn writing, editing, and interviewing skills from your local colleagues.

Voices of the World – Online Journalism

Journalism interns in South Africa also contribute to Voices of the World, an online weekly newspaper and magazine that allows aspiring young journalists to express their views, engage in dialogue, and learn about one another through journalistic exploration of topics that greatly affect our world today and their world tomorrow.

Interns who are 25 years old or younger can participate in weekly workshops, undertake assignments for Voices of the World, conduct interviews and write articles. Older interns can work as trainers and coordinators for the local young people involved or the interns who are also participants. In this capacity, they can hold workshops, proofread or edit articles, and discuss ideas for articles

Your role on a Journalism Internship Abroad in South Africa

On the beach

Whichever internship you work at, you should always be prepared to work independently but never be afraid to ask questions; your colleagues will be busy people but experience has told us that they are always willing to help a budding new journalist! We recommend that you write as much as possible during your internship as you never know how many of your articles will be published. The effort will pay off, and the stronger your desire to get involved, the more you’ll be allowed to do.

Journalism interns have constant support while on their internship from an English-speaking supervisor. Of course, the Projects Abroad staff are always on-hand to provide you with necessary support, as well as run regular writing and photography workshops for all Journalism interns.

Interns on a Journalism internship should expect to work from 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday, with the option of working longer hours if you choose. All interns need to show a good level of initiative. At the soccer newspaper and the general interest magazine you may have short deadlines for submitting work; the Cape Chameleon is a community magazine that requires well-researched, feature-length articles. All our Journalism internships offer a wide array of opportunities and volunteers who seek their own work, ask questions, and make an impression on their supervisors will have the most fulfilling experience.

All Journalism interns live with host families around Cape Town. You will normally be living in a host with one other volunteer or intern, traveling to work on public transportation.

All volunteers taking part in any of the Cape Town based projects in South Africa have the opportunity to add a 7-Day Conservation Project to the end of their main placement. For more information visit our Conservation in South Africa project page.

Need more information?

How to apply