JOURNALISM AND OPINION
Malini's journalism and opinion pieces were published on platforms including The Daily Maverick, The Mail and Guardian, The Sowetan, City Press, News24, Mahala, The Sunday Times, The Star and beyond.
Her primary areas of focus were social justice and confronting patriarchy, issues around women's rights and gender-based violence, and youth and education. Mal's sardonic flair and humour even while dropping biting social commentary are on show in her Mahala writings particularly.
No one could tell it quite like she could.
RECENT ARTICLES
Community Care Workers:
Heroes on the front line
Masked Heroes Campaign
First published in The Star
June 2020
"In light of the human devastation caused by the virus, it would be an injustice to simplify the individual complexity of each care worker. South Africa’s social disparities cannot be made to disappear in the face of this crisis. These inequalities uniquely affect individuals – both financially and emotionally. "
Getting your Kids through Lockdown and Beyond with Storytelling
Multiple Publications
April 2020
"Maintaining an engaging and interactive relationship with children in the home is crucial in helping them cope throughout this difficult time of lockdown. Children, like adults, seek to make sense of their world using stories."
MAHALA.COM
Catcher in the Braai
Mahala.com
December 2014
"Most people that feel the way Steve and Dan feel about the state of the country and the unbelievable genocide of their people, have buggered off a long time ago. But these two stalwarts have stuck around. Not to rebuild what was broken, but to hang on desperately to the notion of superiority that was once a part of their identity. The thing about apartheid is that those who enjoyed its privileges will never again experience that patented, unique feeling of self-importance, no matter where they go...."
The Julius Effect
Mahala.com
December 2014
"Many are frightened of ol’ Juju. He’s loud and opinionated and waddles around in a red jumpsuit shouting “Revolution!” – what’s not to fear? To the affluent Constantia home-owner, he’s the boogeyman. And regardless of how much he isn’t the problem, he’s been elevated to Kim Jong Un level among the South African middle class. Why? Well, because the privileged need a boogeyman, and Malema channels the voice of the one thing they fear the most – poor people..."
What his Tattoos Say about Him
Mahala.com
September 2014
"When over half his body is covered in ink, it means that he’s either RICH AS FUXX or he’s a crack addict.“It’s about the experience of getting them done,” says psychologist Michael Mantell. So you should focus on where those 100-plus tattoos are located, then compare it to the map of a man’s skull.. According to our sources at Urban Dictionary, this science is called Phrenology. So if you’re looking for relaxed nights of drinking tea and talking about your pesky emotions, then this hedonistic drug-addicted charlatan of a human colouring-in-book is probably not the one for you. Sorry ladies..."
Oscar & His Affluenza
Mahala.com
April 2014
"The Oscar Pistorius case is, at its heart, the epitome of three key socio-political issues facing the country today: money, class and gender violence. So if you’re a politically and/or socially active individual with a vested interest in the verdict and its implications, this case is your dose of extravagantly overblown social commentary. However, let’s face it – most people are as politically active as that dude at work who complains about beggars and car guards...."
Escapists, Misfits, Dreamers
Mahala.com
May 2014
"Readers Den in Cape Town celebrated annual Free Comic Book Day earlier this month. An international occasion that celebrates the importance of comic book art and the reach of human imagination, this year marked its 13th event. It was what I would imagine Comic-Con was like before it was drowned in Hollywood confetti – just a sincere, unassuming event held simply for creators and fans of comic culture. The local occasion was a melting pot of escapists, misfits and artists who came together to share their love of comic book art and storytelling...."
WOMEN24
Sulnita Manho:
We expect young women to be raped
Women24
April 2016
"If you are a woman in 2016, sexual violence (and the threat thereof) will be a big factor in how you live your life. It affects where you go, what time you go, who you go with, what you drink, where you stay, who you sleep with. The list is endless. Some call it life, but if you take the Constitution seriously, it’s glorified imprisonment."
Luister:
South Africa has mastered the art of silencing
Women24
September 2015
"Much like apologists in sexual assault cases, people only have to silence victims to nullify statistical truths and painful incidents. In fact, silencing in South Africa is a national pastime. We’ve gotten so good at the art of silencing that we do it with exceptional linguistic stealth, while genuinely believing it’s somehow altruistic."
Why men deny sexually harassing women at work
Women24
September 2015
"This was the norm. Though it was known in the office that John made most women feel uncomfortable, he had become part of the office culture. He was the guy that got rides from everyone, got drunk with everyone and joked with everyone.
People have a hard time accepting that men they know and like can be guilty of sexual misconduct. When I asked about his behaviour in my second week, I was told by a team members that that’s just who he is."
"Girls are more responsible for rape than boys"
Women24
March 2015
"That was the heading I woke up to on Monday morning. A blatant statement from one of the convicted Delhi bus rapists in the brutal attack of Jyoti Singh in 2012. Jyoti, after watching Life of Pi with a friend at night, was brutally raped by 6 men in a moving bus, tortured with an iron rod, eviscerated and thrown into the street, naked and bleeding."
Women in movies: the false narrative
Women24
November 2014
"How people understand themselves and each other is not based on conscious calculations. We’re inherently story tellers. First and foremost, we understand life as a series of narratives and we understand ourselves within the limits of those narratives.
How you see yourself will, consequently, be skewed by your overall view of the world and its ‘supporting characters’."
Why the world gives a shit about Elliot Rodger
Women24
May 2014
"Elliot Rodger’s misogynistic-driven murder is nothing exceptional. So why does everyone suddenly give a shit?"
Women are progressing, whether you like it or not
Women24
April 2014
"The feminist movement signified the start of the emancipation of an entire population, and was initially and unsurprisingly met with vehement push-back.
See, 50 years later, it’s interesting, and a very special kind of sad, to see that our stance has not evolved greatly from a position of defence."
The worldwide war against women
Women24
May 2014
Warning: Graphic content. Rape, murder, torture.
"It’s no real surprise, even in this day and age, why rape as a tool of war is so effective. In a world where girls are a symbol of a country’s purity, they will be nothing more than that – a symbol.
And in war, the symbols and ideals of a country are the first to be defaced."
Get this Zulu off my stoep
Women24
March 2014
"To middle class citizens out there who believe their success is purely a result of their “hard work”: Get your head out of your ass."
David Bullard in retrospect:
A Feminist’s Dream
Women24
February 2014
"Michelle Solomon spoke out about her rape. It was Michelle’s story. Hers to tell. And much like a woman who speaks out against abuse, she was met with more abuse. Shock, horror, surprise. Except this time, it was all three.
Enter David Bullard."