By Alan Clement
The media family and South Sudan in general mourned the death of prominent Journalist Matia Samuel Timatio.
Late Matias died in Yambio, Western Equatoria State, after drowning in Nakpangau River on Wednesday January 7, 2026.
The sudden and tragic accident has left colleagues, friends, and the wider media community in shock.
Late Matia previous work with several media outlets both print and broadcast, national and international.
Among some of the media outlets he worked with are NO.1 Citizen Daily Newspaper, The City Review Newspaper, Sama FM, Voice of America (VOA), Yambio FM among others.
South Sudanese journalist Matias Samuel, a veteran community reporter working across local, national and international media, was found dead in Yambio on Thursday after reportedly drowning in the Nakpangau River.
According Mandela, the secretary for Union of Journalists of South Sudan (UJOSS) in Western Equatoria state, Samuel went missing on Wednesday evening after leaving a field assignment, prompting an overnight search by journalists, family members and local residents along the riverbank.
His body was recovered on Thursday morning, ending hours of uncertainty and distress for the media fraternity in Western Equatoria State.
According to Mandela, information gathered from eyewitnesses at the scene, indicate that Samuel had been dropped by a boda-boda rider near the river area before walking alone toward the water.
Individuals who were guarding nearby motorbikes and vehicles told colleagues that they saw him approach the river directly before he disappeared. Personal items believed to belong to him, including his sandals, were later seen floating on the water, reinforcing fears that he had drowned.
“When I reached the scene, I found hundreds of people gathered and waiting for almost two hours, but Matias was nowhere to be seen,” Mandela said adding, “We could only see some of his belongings moving on the water. It was shocking.”
Search efforts continued through the night as journalists and community members remained at the riverbank. On Thursday morning, the body was found and later taken to the family home, where preparations for burial began.
Samuel was widely known for his dedication to community-based journalism. He worked with Yambio FM, where he regularly gathered stories from local communities and amplified the concerns of marginalized groups.
His reporting often focused on social issues affecting residents of Western Equatoria State, bringing grassroots voices into public debate.
Colleagues said he had been conducting interviews engaging communities and recording their concerns, shortly before the incident occurred. Mandela said the newsroom was unaware of what had happened when he failed to return from the assignment.
The death of Samuel has deepened a sense of loss within the media community, which has mourned several journalists in recent years.
Journalists for Human Rights described Samuel as a committed and talented media professional whose work left a lasting impact. In a condolence message, the organization said he was a former student and a “remarkable media personality whose voice, creativity and presence inspired many.”
As tributes continue to pour in, colleagues described Samuel as a journalist driven by public service, committed to telling the stories of ordinary citizens and holding attention on issues affecting communities in Western Equatoria and South Sudan at large.
His death, at a young age and in the course of active reporting, has left a profound void in the country’s media landscape.