Miriam Mannak in a nutshell
I am a freelance journalist and freelance photographer based in Cape Town, South Africa. I have been working as a journalist since 2002.
Born in The Netherlands (1977), I had the honor to grow up in Africa, Angola and Rwanda. This is where my passion for this continent was born.
Over the past years I have traveled to various parts of the world, including Canada, China, Turkey, Ghana, Vietnam, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Gabon. I have lived in the United States (Michigan and New York) and Israel. In 2004, I finally settled down in Cape Town, the most beautiful city in one of the most fascinating countries in the world.
Education wise, I have a degree in journalism (2000), a Master's in American Studies (2004) and another degree in International Development Studies (2004). All three were obtained in The Netherlands.
I started my career in 2002, when a national newspaper in The Netherlands asked me to become one of their business reporters (while studying American Studies and International Development Studies). After graduating in 2004, I moved to Cape Town for a temporary position at one of the Mother City's local newspapers (Cape Times). Half a year later I was appointed as the editor and writer in chief of what is currently one of the most successful online travel magazines on Cape Town (Cape Town Magazine).
A year later, I was offered a full-time job at a PR-agency in Cape Town (HWB Communications). Although I loved the new challenge, I desperately missed my life as a journalist. Therefore I decided to quit in 2007, to pursue a career as a freelance media professional and journalist (text & photography). My growing client database comprises newspapers, magazines, online publications and text bureaus (South Africa, Europe and other regions). For a list of current and past clients, click here.
Born in The Netherlands (1977), I had the honor to grow up in Africa, Angola and Rwanda. This is where my passion for this continent was born.
Over the past years I have traveled to various parts of the world, including Canada, China, Turkey, Ghana, Vietnam, Tunisia, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Gabon. I have lived in the United States (Michigan and New York) and Israel. In 2004, I finally settled down in Cape Town, the most beautiful city in one of the most fascinating countries in the world.
Education wise, I have a degree in journalism (2000), a Master's in American Studies (2004) and another degree in International Development Studies (2004). All three were obtained in The Netherlands.
I started my career in 2002, when a national newspaper in The Netherlands asked me to become one of their business reporters (while studying American Studies and International Development Studies). After graduating in 2004, I moved to Cape Town for a temporary position at one of the Mother City's local newspapers (Cape Times). Half a year later I was appointed as the editor and writer in chief of what is currently one of the most successful online travel magazines on Cape Town (Cape Town Magazine).
A year later, I was offered a full-time job at a PR-agency in Cape Town (HWB Communications). Although I loved the new challenge, I desperately missed my life as a journalist. Therefore I decided to quit in 2007, to pursue a career as a freelance media professional and journalist (text & photography). My growing client database comprises newspapers, magazines, online publications and text bureaus (South Africa, Europe and other regions). For a list of current and past clients, click here.
Topics I have covered:
- Finance, business and economics (hard financial and corporate news, socio-economic developments, business, market news, etc): including mining in the DRC, China's presence in Africa, South Africa's budget speeches, the economic impact of crime, the economic value of tourism, the nationalisation debate, South Africa's mining industry, etc.
- Politics: Mainly South Africa but also Zimbabwe, Mozambique and other countries in Southern Africa.
- South Africa's workforce, unemployment and employment laws (Black Economic Empowerment)
- Health issues: the implications of HIV/AIDS in South Africa (economic, social, health, political), TB, Malaria (in the DRC), cervical cancer, hunger, malnourishment, maternity health, cervical cancer in the developing world, etc.
- 2010 World Cup Football: the implications / pro's and cons of the FIFA world cup in the broadest sense of the word, e.g economically, socially, politically, psychologically, and with regards to infrastructure, safety and security, investments, the potential of the world cup when it comes to reconciliation in South Africa, etc.
- South Africa's film industry- Safety and security in South Africa: crime stats, business against crime, xenophobia and the position of African refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa
- Zimbabwe's social and political struggles- The street children in Lubumbashi, DRC.
- Travel writing: sustainable and fair trade tourism in South Africa, luxury tourism, backpackers travel, singles travel, train travel in South Africa, safaris, spa & wellness, restaurant reviews in Cape Town etc. Miriam mainly focuses on South Africa but also covers China, Zimbabwe and other countries she has been)
- more
- Politics: Mainly South Africa but also Zimbabwe, Mozambique and other countries in Southern Africa.
- South Africa's workforce, unemployment and employment laws (Black Economic Empowerment)
- Health issues: the implications of HIV/AIDS in South Africa (economic, social, health, political), TB, Malaria (in the DRC), cervical cancer, hunger, malnourishment, maternity health, cervical cancer in the developing world, etc.
- 2010 World Cup Football: the implications / pro's and cons of the FIFA world cup in the broadest sense of the word, e.g economically, socially, politically, psychologically, and with regards to infrastructure, safety and security, investments, the potential of the world cup when it comes to reconciliation in South Africa, etc.
- South Africa's film industry- Safety and security in South Africa: crime stats, business against crime, xenophobia and the position of African refugees and asylum seekers in South Africa
- Zimbabwe's social and political struggles- The street children in Lubumbashi, DRC.
- Travel writing: sustainable and fair trade tourism in South Africa, luxury tourism, backpackers travel, singles travel, train travel in South Africa, safaris, spa & wellness, restaurant reviews in Cape Town etc. Miriam mainly focuses on South Africa but also covers China, Zimbabwe and other countries she has been)
- more
Career highlights
In July 2009, I was awarded an International Aids Society Fellowship by the National Press Foundation.
Other highlights included the attending of the Third High Level Forum on Development in Ghana (2008) as a journalist for press agency Inter Press Service. My task was to, together with a group of journalists, produce the conference's daily newspaper. A work trip to Zimbabwe about water security in Southern Africa and an invite on behalf of the Jordanian Royal Family to attend a peace camp organized by Generations for Peace (2009) were two other highlights. During the latter trip I had the opportunity to speak to Prince Faisal for about an hour, which resulted in a magnificent story. I also had the honor to meet with the Vice prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
In 2007 and 2008 my feature about gangs and drugs (tik / crystal meth) in one of Cape Town's townships, written for The Big Issue, was shortlisted at two prestigious journalism competitions.
Other highlights included the attending of the Third High Level Forum on Development in Ghana (2008) as a journalist for press agency Inter Press Service. My task was to, together with a group of journalists, produce the conference's daily newspaper. A work trip to Zimbabwe about water security in Southern Africa and an invite on behalf of the Jordanian Royal Family to attend a peace camp organized by Generations for Peace (2009) were two other highlights. During the latter trip I had the opportunity to speak to Prince Faisal for about an hour, which resulted in a magnificent story. I also had the honor to meet with the Vice prime minister of the United Arab Emirates.
In 2007 and 2008 my feature about gangs and drugs (tik / crystal meth) in one of Cape Town's townships, written for The Big Issue, was shortlisted at two prestigious journalism competitions.
My non-journalism skills:
Apart from journalism, feature writing, news reporting and photography my non-journalism skills include:
- Translating (Dutch <-> English)
- Copy writing
- Content writing
- Proof reading
- Events organizing
- Social media strategies
- Professional blogging
- PR and media communications
- Research
- South African tourism industry (research, writing, PR)
- Dutch language: fluent
- English language: fluent
- French: advanced
- Translating (Dutch <-> English)
- Copy writing
- Content writing
- Proof reading
- Events organizing
- Social media strategies
- Professional blogging
- PR and media communications
- Research
- South African tourism industry (research, writing, PR)
- Dutch language: fluent
- English language: fluent
- French: advanced
