The Mail & Guardian Online was the first internet-based news publication in Africa.

Launched in early 1994, it is one of South Africa's and Africa's major news publishers and is reputed internationally for its quality content. It is one of the country's top three biggest news sites, and continues to grow. The M&G Online has received numerous accolades and awards, including three Bookmarks awards in 2010 and 2011, one of which was was a gold award for its Nelson Mandela tribute site. It received three Webby Honourable mentions in 2008 for its Thought Leader platform site. In 2001, the site was voted one of the world's top 175 websites by Forbes.com.

The M&G Online runs numerous sites including:

The M&G Online is owned by M&G Media, which publishes the M&G newspaper and is 87.5% owned by Newtrust Company Botswana Limited, owned by Zimbabwean publisher and entrepreneur Trevor Ncube. The London-based Guardian Newspapers Limited holds 10% of the company and minority shareholders make up the rest. The M&G Online works closely with the newspaper, but has its own dedicated editorial staff to produce breaking news, analysis, multimedia and more on a daily basis. Chris Roper is editor of the M&G Online.

More about the Mail & Guardian

A 30-second guide

The Mail & Guardian
Previously known as The Weekly Mail. Some of its critics and fans still know it for short as The Wail. A South African newspaper, published nationwide each Friday, aimed at serious readers.

 
The Mail & Guardian Online
Previously known as eM&G and the Daily Mail & Guardian. First cousin, once removed, to the Mail & Guardian. A pan-African daily online newspaper, published all day, all week, aimed at serious and not-so-serious readers.

 
Mail & Guardian focus
Political analysis, investigative reporting, Southern African news, comprehensive coverage of local arts, music and popular culture, and more ...

 
Mail & Guardian Online focus
Local, international and African hard news, sport and business; publishing analytical, in-depth reports from its print edition, and more ...

 
History of the Mail & Guardian
Founded 1985 by a group of retrenched journalists from the deceased Rand Daily Mail. Built up a reputation for nose-thumbing attitude to the establishment and for uncovering Inkathagate scandal. Favourite prison reading of Nelson Mandela; banned for a while by PW Botha. In recent years, continues to be a thorn in the side of gravy-train politicians with reports on Oilgate, the police chief and more. In 2005, the M&G newspaper turned 20. Find out more

 
History of the Mail & Guardian Online
First online newspaper in Africa, founded 1994 as a service to readers outside South Africa. Evolved into a separate product run by a separate company, but now enjoys a closer relationship as a division of the newspaper. Today, it continues to be one of the top news destinations on the African continent.

 
Mail & Guardian readers
Niche market, interested in a critical approach to politics, arts and current affairs. Large numbers of readers among professionals, academics, diplomats, lobbyists, non-governmental groups. Regularly achieves the highest circulation percentage increases in the newspaper market.

 
Mail & Guardian Online readers
Broad-based readership of South Africans and Africans who prefer their daily news to be indepth and insightful. Plus a large readership abroad of expats, would-be tourists, foreigners with a special interest in Africa and more. A generally argumentative bunch: see for yourself on Thought Leader.

 
Mail & Guardian owners
Originally owned by hundreds of small shareholders who bought small blocks of shares at R1 000 each, as part of a surge of 'reader power' to respond to the death of the Rand Daily Mail. In the early 1990s, the Guardian newspaper group in London became the largest shareholder when it came to the rescue of the then-ailing company. In 2002, the Guardianreduced its shareholding to 10% and sold the majority share at 87,5% to Zimbabwean media owner and entrepreneur Trevor Ncube. Having relocated to South Africa, Ncube also took over as CEO of the company.

 
Mail & Guardian Online owners
Originally a separate division of the Mail & Guardian. In 1997 a 65% share was sold to internet service provider MWeb, but then bought back in 2008 by Trevor Ncube's M&G Media, the company that publishes the M&G newspaper.