Category Archives: Media

When the day nearly came

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

In our newsroom it is called Operation M. Now Operation M is bit like the US president’s football, that emergency satchel that contains the codes and authorisation for a nuclear attack. What Operation M is is the paper’s plan for … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Media, stories behind the news, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

RIP Alf Kumalo

Posted on October 21, 2012 by

Veteran photographer Alf Kumalo died today. He died in his sleep, aged 82. Alf was a warm, good man. This is a blog post I wrote a year ago about Alf and one of this great friends. The press always … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Media, south african history, stories behind the news | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

When you know the dead

Posted on October 4, 2012 by

It is not often that the dead I report on I know. But the 30-year-old police constable who lay dead beneath the medic’s space blanket, last night I knew. He was a communications officer and in the past I phoned … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, stories behind the news | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Death by media

Posted on August 25, 2012 by

“Maybe the hippo has gone to the big pool in the sky,” I said to photographer Alon Skuy. “Ja, he hasn’t taken a breath in a while,” Alon replied. It was meant to be a joke but Solly the hippo … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, stories behind the news | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

More pictures from the Dawid Kruiper funeral

Posted on July 15, 2012 by
shadow portrait

This gallery contains 9 photos.

Some more pics snapped on my Blackberry from my time up in the Northern Cape province covering the Dawid Kruiper funeral. Enjoy.          

Gallery | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The state funeral of Dawid Kruiper

Posted on July 4, 2012 by
._Shaun 11

This gallery contains 8 photos.

Dawid Kruiper was laid rest on Saturday amongst the red dunes of the Kalahari. He was famous for helping orchestrate a historic land claim for the Bushmen. Through his efforts the Khomani San were given six huge farms, that total … Continue reading →

Gallery | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rock hard benches and telling it as it is for 300 years

Posted on June 25, 2012 by

The stenographer nodded off to sleep. No one could blame her, even in the public gallery the journalists were getting fidgety. Court benches became real hard when you sit on them for a couple of hours. Labour court isn’t as … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, stories behind the news | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Friend request

Posted on May 31, 2012 by

A jailbird is always on a lookout for a new friend in prison. And Brett Savage is no different. Brett is staring at some serious time. This week a Bali judge sentenced him to a life in prison, for trying … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, stories behind the news | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Hell and high water… and the refugees from the newsroom.

Posted on April 3, 2012 by

The smoke could be seen from Kensington, black plumes against the highveld blue of an early morning autumn sky. Twitter announced it: “Fire at The Star newspaper building”. A fire took out part of the second floor of the building. … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, stories behind the news, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cops and the stories they tell

Posted on March 27, 2012 by

Empty bullet casings litter Sauer street, blue lights flash and a dejected robber sits handcuffed in the back of a police van. Cops and robbers had had a shoot out in the centre of Johannesburg, two people injured and a … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Media, stories behind the news | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment