User:Sonja Ssmith

Sonja Ndahafa Smith (Born 3 April 1990, shortly after Namibia’s independence) is Namibian Investigative journalist. A warrior for truth and a social activist. As a journalist she has consistently delivered some of the most hard-hitting reporting in Namibia. With a passion for holding government and the economic sector of society accountable, she takes on the powerful to the benefit of the voiceless. She delivers stories that others struggle to get to the bottom of.

Early life

Smith is studying toward a degree in Journalism at the Namibia’s University of Science and Technology (NUST 2018-2020). She has previously studied Accounting but due to lack of finance, she had to drop out. Her parents are from the Namibian Kwanyama and Ngandjera clans.

Career

Smith began working for the https://www.thevillager.com.na/ in 2013 as a Columnist, a weekly newspaper which has now transformed into an online publication.

In October 2014, Smith joined http://www.confidente.com.na/ a weekly tabloid publication as one of its intern between October 2014 to September 2015: Here, she was called upon to write hard news leads, as well as human interest features and court stories, which she excelled at, leading nationwide coverage on the details of high-profile divorce stories. Smith also focused on the unfolding Caprivi High Treason trial. This is to be mention, to display her ability to source news from available sources and portray it accurately and fairly.

In October 2015, Smith joined the https://www.observer.com.na/ the oldest newspaper in Namibia which is also weekly, as a political journalist in which she rose to become one of the most trusted investigative journalist in the country.

Passionate about speaking truth to power and exposing wrongdoing, in the interest of her country and its residents, particularly the poor and vulnerable. Smith developed a core of sources, who supply her with stories that are exclusive in nature and in line with the Namibian newspaper’s news agenda. She is able to develop her own diary of stories on a daily basis.

Smith was able to work under extreme pressure, considering that she was the only national/political journalist at the publication, which means that she was required to lead the newspaper consistently. Smith has also developed a special interest in news analysis, which includes access to a growing number of commentators and analysts across Namibia. Smith has, in a relatively short space of time, created a niche for herself in local journalism. On May 30, 2018 Smith resigned from the publication to concentrate on her academic path.

Freelancing Her well connected sources couldn’t keep information to themselves, on 25 June 2018, Smith made a comeback, when she started freelancing for https://www.namibian.com.na/. Her first freelancing article was when she broke a massive secretive deal between the Namibian government through its ministry of trade and some local businessmen. The deal was without approval and knowledge of treasury. The deal was reversed after Smith’s article the next day by Namibia’s finance minister- Calle Schlettwein on 26 June 2018. Read: https://www.namibian.com.na/178811/archive-read/Broke-Govt-in-N$117m-Angola-land-deal Also read: https://www.namibian.com.na/178825/archive-read/Schlettwein-orders-abandoning-N$117m-Luanda-land-deal Smith continues to write until today.

References

1.	^ https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/8336-genocide-legal-bill-tops-n-47m 2.	^ https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/8853-ministry-buys-bar-for-n-18-million 3.	^ https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9147-kauta-mulunga-butt-heads 4.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9399-exclusive-mps-declare-assets 5.	https://www.namibiansun.com/news/katiti-pas-n800k-windfall2019-02-12 6.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9608-government-in-neckartal-dam-boob 7.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9607-mulunga-probe-eats-into-namcor-profits 8.	https://www.namibian.com.na/181229/archive-read/Namcor-to-pay-dismissed-workers-N$12m 9.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/8765-namdia-board-earns-n-4m-in-six-months 10.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9654-state-house-billed-n-3-7m-for-nujoma-rent 11.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/national/item/9366-govt-pays-more-money-to-uk-lawyers 12.	https://www.observer.com.na/index.php/business/item/5525-diescho-tears-into-geingob