Max du Preez
Encyclopedia
Max du Preez is a South Africa
n author, columnist and documentary filmmaker and was the founding editor of Vrye Weekblad
.
-language weekly newspaper, in November 1988. During his tenure as editor, the newspaper's offices were bombed and Du Preez received death threats as a result of the paper's opposition to apartheid.
He was sentenced to six months in jail for quoting Joe Slovo
, then leader of the South African Communist Party
and a banned person.
, an investigative television show, after he objected when a documentary was barred from being shown. Though initially it was simply stated that his contract would not be renewed, the SABC later said he had been dismissed for gross insubordination.
The decision led to a public campaign to call for his reinstatement
and the handling by the SABC led to complaints to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa
. The incident was seen as symptomatic of a public broadcaster voluntarily transforming itself into a state propaganda apparatus.
was a philanderer
were controversially brought to light by a comment Du Preez made on a national radio show in 2001. During a discussion on the lack of examination of the private life of Mbeki, Du Preez said: "He is seen as a womaniser. It is publicly known and I think we should start talking about this, that the president has this kind of personal life. I'm not saying it's scandalous. He's a womaniser."
The remark was subsequently carried on the front page of the The Citizen
, leading to multiple complaints, apologies
and a statement by a provincial branch of the African National Congress
that it accepted "declaration of war by Max du Preez and his political masters who have unleashed an unprecedented vitriol against the ANC, its leadership, the President and its supporters."
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n author, columnist and documentary filmmaker and was the founding editor of Vrye Weekblad
Vrye Weekblad
Vrye Weekblad was a groundbreaking progressive, anti-apartheid Afrikaans national weekly newspaper that was launched in November 1988 and forced to close in February 1994. The paper was driven into bankruptcy by the legal costs of defending its charge that South African police general Lothar...
.
Vrye Weekblad
Du Preez founded Vrye Weekblad, an AfrikaansAfrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
-language weekly newspaper, in November 1988. During his tenure as editor, the newspaper's offices were bombed and Du Preez received death threats as a result of the paper's opposition to apartheid.
He was sentenced to six months in jail for quoting Joe Slovo
Joe Slovo
For Joe Slovo Informal Settlement in Cape Town, see: Joe Slovo .Joe Slovo was a South African politician, long-time leader of the South African Communist Party , and leading member of the African National Congress.-Life:Slovo was born in Obeliai, Lithuania to a Jewish family who emigrated to South...
, then leader of the South African Communist Party
South African Communist Party
South African Communist Party is a political party in South Africa. It was founded in 1921 as the Communist Party of South Africa by the joining together of the International Socialist League and others under the leadership of Willam H...
and a banned person.
Dismissal from the SABC
In 1999, Du Preez was dismissed by the SABC from his position as the executive editor of Special AssignmentSABC Special Assignment
Special Assignment is an investigative current affairs programme on SABC. Since August 1998 the programme has covered news events in South Africa and beyond, often disclosing criminal activities and atrocities unknown to the public.-External links:**...
, an investigative television show, after he objected when a documentary was barred from being shown. Though initially it was simply stated that his contract would not be renewed, the SABC later said he had been dismissed for gross insubordination.
The decision led to a public campaign to call for his reinstatement
and the handling by the SABC led to complaints to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa
Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa receives and considers complaints of offensive broadcasts from member stations programs that appear on television and radio.- References :* at Libération Afrique - External links :...
. The incident was seen as symptomatic of a public broadcaster voluntarily transforming itself into a state propaganda apparatus.
"Womaniser" remark
Rumours that then-President Thabo MbekiThabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
was a philanderer
were controversially brought to light by a comment Du Preez made on a national radio show in 2001. During a discussion on the lack of examination of the private life of Mbeki, Du Preez said: "He is seen as a womaniser. It is publicly known and I think we should start talking about this, that the president has this kind of personal life. I'm not saying it's scandalous. He's a womaniser."
The remark was subsequently carried on the front page of the The Citizen
The Citizen (South Africa)
The Citizen is a tabloid style newspaper that is distributed nationally in South Africa.In 1998, The Citizen was acquired by CTP/Caxton. Its core readership is now black middle-class men.- See also :* List of newspapers in South Africa...
, leading to multiple complaints, apologies
and a statement by a provincial branch of the African National Congress
African National Congress
The African National Congress is South Africa's governing Africanist political party, supported by its tripartite alliance with the Congress of South African Trade Unions and the South African Communist Party , since the establishment of non-racial democracy in April 1994. It defines itself as a...
that it accepted "declaration of war by Max du Preez and his political masters who have unleashed an unprecedented vitriol against the ANC, its leadership, the President and its supporters."
Awards
- 1991 - Louis M. Lyons Award for conscience and integrity in journalism
- 1996 - Excellence in Journalism award from the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Southern Africa
- 2006 - Yale Globalist International Journalist of the Year
- 2008 - Nat Nakasa Award for fearless reporting
External links
- Pale Native at Google Books
- Max Du Preez in conversation on the BBC World Service discussion programme The ForumThe Forum (BBC World Service)The Forum is the BBC World Service's flagship discussion programme. It brings together prominent thinkers from different disciplines and different parts of the world to try and create stimulating discussion, informed by highly distinct academic, artistic and cultural backgrounds.-Format:Each...