Dr. Garikai Chaunza, a postdoctoral fellow at Rhodes University and a renowned Zimbabwean journalist and media activist, has been appointed Co-Chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the African University Seminar Series – South Africa (AUSS-SA). This appointment recognizes his exceptional qualifications and commitment to promoting research, academic collaboration, and knowledge production across the continent.
Chaunza’s career spans nearly two decades, with experience in media activism, resistance journalism, and community-centered storytelling. Before entering academia, he worked as a journalist for various international outlets, including ZBC, Radio VOP, and Deutsche Welle, covering press freedom violations, political repression, and community struggles. As Chair of the MISA Zimbabwe Harare Committee from 2015 to 2021, he led campaigns for community radio licensing, legal defense for journalists, and media reform.
Currently, Chaunza teaches radio and audio studies at Rhodes University’s School of Journalism and Media Studies, where he also supervises postgraduate students. His doctoral research, “Activist Radio and the Struggle to Empower Audiences,” examined the role of underground radio and alternative audio platforms in challenging state narratives in hybrid regimes.
The AUSS-SA appointment will enable Chaunza to convene scholars, practitioners, and alumni for national seminars, promoting equity, diversity, and representation across South African institutions. He will coordinate academic panels, mobilize university partners, and contribute to building an APDD alumni network grounded in African perspectives. This aligns with his advocacy for decolonial media education, community storytelling, and African-led communication research.
Chaunza’s academic credentials include a PhD in Journalism and Media Studies from Rhodes University, as well as several other degrees and certifications. He is also a recipient of the SSRC Next Generation Social Sciences Fellowship. The appointment marks a return to organized scholarly activism for a journalist who has consistently bridged research, teaching, and frontline media work. Chaunza’s selection represents a generation of scholar-practitioners pushing for African media curricula rooted in community knowledge, public accountability, and resistance to repression.
The AUSS-SA initiative aims to strengthen a self-organized intellectual community capable of shaping national and regional research agendas. With Chaunza at the helm, the program is poised to promote innovative and inclusive approaches to media education and research in South Africa. As the LOC Co-Chair, Chaunza will play a key role in shaping the future of African media studies and promoting collaborative knowledge production across the continent.
