 Johannesburg: A South African Indian woman
has become the first woman editor of a national newspaper in this country.
Twelve years ago, Ferial Haffajee started her journalistic career as an
intern at the Weekly Mail. On February 1, she will take over from another
intern at the time, Mondli Makhanya, as editor of the weekly now known as the
Mail and Guardian. Makhanya will move to the weekly Sunday Times as editor.
Haffajee went on from the Weekly Mail to work at the South African
Broadcasting Corporation as a radio producer and television reporter.
She shot to national fame as one of the reporters on a panel that
interviewed national icon Nelson Mandela in his first television discussion
soon after his release from 27 years of imprisonment on Robben Island.
Describing the print media as her "first love", Haffajee went to the
Financial Mail as senior editor, rising to managing editor, before returning
to the Mail and Guardian last year as associate editor.
"I know it sounds like a cliché, but I started here in journalism and it
spoiled me for anywhere else," Haffajee said in the Mail and Guardian. "I
think that Mondli and Trevor (Ncube, chief executive of Mail and Guardian
Media), set the tone for a 21st century Mail and Guardian. So I'll continue
on that path."
The newspaper's mainstay of investigative journalism that has seen it
expose many national and continental scandals will remain the main focus area
under Haffajee's leadership, while her strong views on gender issues will
also be reflected in the Mail and Guardian.
"The key areas will remain strong investigative journalism and being
political trends leader. We will continue to be a leader in our coverage of
the rest of Africa and we will also keep our place as the home of
cutting-edge features and photojournalism."
On her plans to focus on gender issues and recognise female leadership,
Haffajee said: "It's nice that leadership in different forms is recognised,
but we must also remember this has always been a place with women in
leadership."
Haffajee plans to use leading women writers to uncover gender violence,
which is a big issue in South Africa.
Outgoing editor Makhanya said Haffajee had "one of the finest minds in
journalism."
"Another quality she possesses is integrity. At a juncture when we are
trying to strengthen South African journalism, we need editors like Ferial to
head up the powerhouses of African journalism. She has strong views about the
values that should define the character of (South Africa)."
Haffajee's appointment has brought a ray of sunshine to the gloomy mood in
the newspaper industry here.
The editors of two national publications and several senior journalists
and writers were dismissed or resigned in recent months after claims of
either having failed in their tasks as editors, engaging in plagiarism or
having a conflict of interests by running private public relations companies.
(IANS)
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