Elections 1994: ‘As journalists, we were training for war’ – Wendy Knowler
The build up to the 1994 elections was fraught with violence and harrowing moments.
Wendy Knowler and her colleagues preparing for the 1994 elections. Picture: @pjchudson/X
Pippa Hudson speaks to veteran journalist, Wendy Knowler.
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
Before she was the consumer journalist we know, Wendy Knowler was a general reporter who worked in KwaZulu Natal around the 1994 elections.
During this time, a rivalry between the ANC and IFP would often erupt in violence, and those opposing the democratic transition would stoke the flames.
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Knowler was only 30 and assigned to cover the volatile KZN South Coast area while working for the Natal Mercury.
To prepare for the elections, she and her colleagues attended lectures to prepare for war-like situations and had training on dealing with hand grenades and petrol bombs.
“We were so prepared for the absolute worst that could happen.”
- Wendy Knowler, Veteran Journalist
After all the training and fears, her election coverage was completely safe and uneventful.
“For months we were preparing psychologically, physically, practically, and nothing happened.”
- Wendy Knowler, Veteran Journalist
30 years later, Knowler says she can see where things went wrong politically, but she still feels that same rainbow nation spirit of 1994 in other ways.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.