By Enock Sithole
When Criselda Lewis was just 12 years old, a chance visit by television talent scouts to her school changed the course of her life. Her teachers and parents encouraged her to attend the auditions, and the rest is history.
The shy schoolgirl from the former Transkei, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, was selected to become a children’s television presenter for the then Transkei Broadcast Corporation.
Standing in front of television cameras transformed her confidence and ignited a passion for storytelling that would eventually lead her to become one of South Africa’s most recognisable television journalists.
Today, Lewis is a senior reporter and news anchor at the SABC, having built a career through the Sowetan newspaper, the former South African Press Association (SAPA), Talk Radio 702 and eventually the SABC.
Yet, after more than two decades in the newsroom, she made what she describes as “an incredibly scary decision”, returning to university to pursue a BA (Honours) degree in Journalism and Media Studies at the WJC.
Her decision reflects a wider challenge confronting journalism worldwide: how the profession should adapt to digital disruption, citizen journalism, artificial intelligence, misinformation and rapidly changing news consumption habits.
In this interview with AJENda, Lewis reflects on her remarkable career, explains why journalism education remains indispensable, and argues that journalism schools must evolve alongside technology if the profession is to survive.
Q: You have had a remarkable journalism career. Where did it all begin?
Lewis: My journey really began when I was 12 years old. Scouts came to my school looking for children’s presenters for what was then called the Transkei Broadcast Corporation. One of my teachers thought I would be suitable and encouraged me to audition. Fortunately, my parents gave me permission, and that experience completely changed my life. I fell in love with television, storytelling and communicating with people. I had been quite a reserved child, but presenting on television gave me confidence and helped me come out of my shell. From that moment, I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. After finishing school, I studied journalism because I knew it would eventually lead me into television.
Q: How did your professional career develop after graduating?
Lewis: My first opportunity came through an internship at the Sowetan newspaper in 2003. That’s where I learned how to write properly and developed the fundamentals of reporting. Writing was important because I always saw it as the foundation for my ultimate goal, which was television journalism.
From there, I moved to the South African Press Association and later to Talk Radio 702. Radio taught me how to broadcast and communicate effectively with audiences. Eventually, I applied for a producer’s position at the SABC. It wasn’t the job I really wanted because I wanted to be on camera, but I believed getting into the organisation was the first step. Six months later, I was given an opportunity to read the news, and it worked out. I found myself anchoring alongside respected broadcasters such as Desiree Chauke, Hope Zinde and Peter Ndoro. That was when I knew I had achieved a lifelong dream.
Q: After more than 20 years in the industry, why did you decide to return to university?
Lewis: It was one of the scariest decisions I’ve ever made. I hadn’t been in a classroom for about 22 years. I realised that what I had learned many years ago was no longer enough for today’s newsroom. Journalism had changed dramatically, and if I wanted to continue growing professionally, I needed to update my knowledge. Returning to university wasn’t easy. I had to balance demanding newsroom responsibilities with academic work, and I had never really done academic writing before (a major part of the Journalism and Media Studies anchor course). My first assignment didn’t go well because everything felt new again. Fortunately, I had wonderful support from lecturers and fellow students. Today I’m close to completing my honours degree, and I’m looking forward to graduating from Wits University.
Q: What has studying at Wits meant to your journalism career?
Lewis: It has been a very emotional journey. I come from a background where attending a university like Wits simply wasn’t financially possible when I was younger. The institution where I first studied had very limited resources, so arriving at Wits later in life was an eye-opening experience. I found incredible academic support, counselling services and lecturers who genuinely wanted students to succeed. I almost felt like I was entering university for the very first time. Most importantly, I realised that in today’s world, a bachelor’s degree alone is no longer sufficient. You need to continue learning because journalism itself keeps evolving.
Q: Some people argue that journalism education is becoming irrelevant because anyone with a smartphone can become a journalist, a so-called citizen journalist. What is your response?
Lewis: I disagree completely. Owning a smartphone doesn’t automatically make someone a journalist. Technology has made it easier for people to capture events, especially in places where professional journalists cannot immediately reach, and that is valuable. But journalism involves much more than recording and sharing an event. Professional journalists are trained in media law, ethics, verification and responsible reporting. We understand the importance of confirming information before publishing it. One of the biggest dangers today is misinformation and disinformation. False information can damage reputations, inflame tensions and even undermine democracies.
Q: Can you give an example of why professional training matters?
Lewis: A good example is when a well-known Johannesburg DJ was murdered (in downtown Johannesburg). People immediately began posting photographs and videos of his body on social media before his family had even been informed. That is something a trained journalist would never do. Professional journalism teaches us that we have responsibilities to victims, families and society. We understand that speed should never come before humanity and ethics.
Q: How serious is the misinformation problem in citizen journalism?
Lewis: It is extremely serious. We’ve seen misinformation spread during elections, we’ve seen old videos recycled as if they depict current events, and we’ve seen false information fuel tensions around protests involving undocumented foreign nationals. Professional journalism insists on one fundamental principle: verify, verify, verify. Without verification, misinformation can damage communities, create diplomatic tensions and undermine public trust.
Q: Has journalism education adapted to the digital age?
Lewis: Absolutely, and that’s one of the things that has impressed me most about Wits. When I first studied journalism in the early 2000s, digital journalism wasn’t really part of the curriculum because the industry looked very different. Today it is central. Modern journalists need to write, report for radio, appear on television, produce digital content and update audiences on social media—all while maintaining professional standards. People no longer wait until seven o’clock in the evening to watch a news bulletin. They consume news continuously throughout the day on multiple devices. The curriculum reflects that reality.
Q: Has your return to university changed the way you practise journalism?
Lewis: Definitely.
Earlier in my career, I focused mainly on getting the story first. Now I also think much more deeply about how stories affect people. For example, when covering grieving families, I no longer believe there is any need to zoom in on someone’s pain. I can still tell a powerful story without causing additional trauma. I’ve become much more conscious of avoiding secondary victimisation while still fulfilling my responsibility as a journalist.
Q: Finally, what message would you give journalism schools?
Lewis: Journalism has to evolve, or it will struggle to survive.
Universities need to review their curricula continuously so that graduates are prepared for the newsroom of today, not the newsroom of twenty years ago. At the same time, they must never abandon the foundations of journalism: ethics, verification, fairness and accuracy. Technology will continue changing, but those principles remain timeless. That’s what distinguishes journalism from simply posting information online.