Breaking TV News with Passion – Nabeelah Shaikh

Breaking TV news with passion

Feisty Nabeelah Shaikh (28) has courageously covered everything from gruesome murder cases to widespread bribery and corruption as an award-winning multi-media reporter for the past seven years.

“It’s a rat race – there’s never a dull moment,” she laughed. “We’re never short of stories to tell as South Africans. Being a television reporter means you have to be on the move every day, covering breaking and other general news. It’s exciting and thrilling!” Describing herself on Facebook as a news junkie, truth seeker, storyteller and dreamer, Shaikh cut her teeth as a multi-media investigative reporter, social media manager and researcher for Independent Newspapers’ Sunday Tribune from 2013 before moving to eTV as a video journalist, covering all news beats in 2018.

She won the Vodacom Journalist of the Year regional award in 2015 at age 23 for her story ‘Isis Wants You – How we Cracked the Secret Route’ (for which her life was threatened), and again two years later for her story ‘For Sale: A place at Medical School’. This secured her the reputation as a dedicated journalist who pushed boundaries with maturity, tenacity and fearlessness.

“It was quite an achievement for me, even though I do this for passion and not for recognition,” said Shaikh modestly. “I strive for excellence by always giving my best at whatever I do. There’s no time to be mediocre.”

Her average day includes a blur of chasing stories, doing live crossings and packaging content for television. “Moving away from conventional TV journalism, I became a one-man-band, doing live crossings, shooting, scripting and editing TV stories single-handedly using an iPhone.”

Nabeelah Shaikh DUT Journalism graduate

Go out and make things happen for you instead of waiting for opportunities to come your way.

Her polished voice can also be heard on The Durban Report weekdays on Salaamedia.

Making the transition from print to broadcast journalism was definitely a successful career move for this poised and professional reporter. “Entering the broadcast media industry at a time when the industry was changing so rapidly meant that I had to adapt.”

Growing up in Tongaat as a long-awaited daughter amid three brothers to parents who always pushed her to study, she displayed an early love of writing, delivering speeches, talking at family gatherings and school events and passionately following current affairs and debating throughout her high school career. “I had great admiration for reporters and newsreaders. I would always say I

After matriculating at Fairbreeze Secondary School in 2010, Shaikh studied Journalism at DUT and obtained her BTech degree directly afterwards.

One of her most memorable experiences was venturing out on photography walks through the city with her Photography lecturer Mikhail Peppas. “One of our walks fell on Mandela Day and students distributed apples to strangers on the streets. It was amazing that something as little as an apple could put a smile on so many faces. It was a beautiful experience that I’ll never forget.”

She said that if it wasn’t for DUT encouraging students to take on in-service training, it would be difficult for many to get a break in the working world. “My lecturers at the time were extremely encouraging and they pushed us to go out there to find opportunities.”

“It really did prepare me for the working world,” she said. She wrote for a community newspaper King Shaka Weekly while in her first year and began an internship at wanted to be like them one day, and here I am!”

Independent Newspapers in her third year, which resulted in her securing a permanent position.

Her advice to current and aspiring journalists is: “Never stop learning and upskilling. There are so many new things you can learn as a journalist every day, especially at the rate at which mobile journalism is advancing. Get your name out there, be tech savvy and ensure that you have active social media profiles.”

Since her job is so stressful, Shaikh mostly enjoys “doing nothing” in her downtime. “Yes, just being in pyjamas all day, watching Netflix and chilling!” she laughed. “When you lead such a fast-paced life, it’s the perfect way to relax. I read often, love to cook and enjoy spending time outdoors doing adventurous things.”

Outspoken feminist Shaikh has been married for three years to a very supportive husband, Waseem Ally, who understands the challenges that come with being a journalist. “I think I have a good balance between work and my personal and family life,” Shaikh said. “As much as I do want to progress in my career and I’m driven, I always make the time to have fun, be with family and do the things I enjoy most.”