Ready to join our flourishing community of successful media freelancers? Read these guidelines before you fill in the online application form (Apply Now at bottom of page).

Guidelines

Work Samples
Apart from student applicants, you will be asked to send examples of your work and also advise two trade references. Since Safrea is a professional association, this is a condition of membership application. To be fair to all, no exceptions are made for anyone.

Apply Online
When you submit your online application form, you will receive an automated email to confirm that your application is in progress. If we need further information from you, we will email within a few days to ask for specific documents or details.

Review
Once we have received any additional information, it will take one to two weeks for our membership committee to review your application, check your credentials and give approval. Waiting times vary depending on the workload of the committee members, all of whom are volunteers.

Approved or Declined
Safrea will evaluate all membership applications for compliance with its mandate, vision and mission, and in line with membership criteria as revised from time to time. Safrea has the right to approve or reject such applications.

Payments

A non-refundable deposit of R50 via SnapScan or EFT is required upon application. No cash payments to our banking account are accepted due to high bank charges on cash deposits. On approval of your application, the deposit will be deducted from your membership balance. In cases where the application has been rejected, the deposit will be refunded.

Name and Surname must be used as beneficiary reference.

Proof of payment must be uploaded with the application.

Membership fees are payable immediately once your acceptance as a member has been forwarded. You will receive an automated invoice providing details of how and what to pay. Full payment of fees upon acceptance is preferred, but we do offer payment options up to a maximum of 10 payments of R50. However, membership will be put on hold during this period if a payment is missed. Payments can be made via EFT directly to our banking account or via SnapScan (see information below on payment methods).

When membership payment has been received, you will receive a further automated receipt providing details of your membership benefits and how to login and access them. You will also receive notification of your Safrea Google group membership and will begin to receive members-only emails.

Make the Most of Membership

Google Group
Most members receive automatic access to the members-only e-group. You will start to receive emails from the group as soon as your payment has been processed. If you prefer, you can choose to receive a daily digest of emails. Alternatively, you can read the messages on the Google group website.

Profile on Website
Members are entitled to a listing in the member directory on Safrea’s website. Members can be searched by name, area and fields of work. This is searchable by any visitor to the Safrea website, so you should complete your profile and use it to promote yourself.

Media Card
You may request a printable version and print the card yourself. To enable us to create your Safrea media card, you will need to upload a portrait-style photograph to your profile on the Safrea website. The media card shows your full name, your membership type and your membership expiry date, as well as your headshot and the Safrea logo. For a small extra charge, we also produce professional plastic cards and post them to members on an annual basis. You may order your media card HERE.

MediaHub
The Safrea MediaHub with its online publication, the Chronicle, is a place where members of the Southern African Freelancers’ Association showcase their talents, while providing interesting, entertaining and thought provoking content for readers and viewers. Click here to subscribe.

Training
Safrea offers all paid-up members discounted and free access to media and other training courses run by Safreans across South Africa and in diverse disciplines. Look out for updates on the latest workshops and webinars available or email us for more information.

Events Calendar
See our events calendar for details of upcoming panel discussions, coffee mornings, evening gatherings, group outings, webinars and other meet-ups organised by your local branch of Safrea. Visit our News & Events page to see what we have already been up to.

Mentoring
Experienced Safreans make themselves available to mentor new Safreans in different ways: via the Google group, informally via email or phone, in person or on an ongoing basis as part of a longer relationship. The details depend on both mentor and protégée and are agreed between them. If you would like to make yourself available as a mentor in your discipline, or if you would like to add yourself to the list of potential protégées, please email us.