Sunday Times Deputy Managing Editor, Politics, Mondli Makhanya has been appointed editor of the Mail & Guardian, the newspaper’s chairperson and chief executive, Trevor Ncube, announced on Thursday.
Makhanya succeeds Howard Barrell, who resigned last month for family reasons. Makhanya’s appointment was announced to staff at midday.
Ncube said: ”Makhanya’s track record speaks volumes. He is young, energetic and fiercely independent … We selected him ahead of a very impressive list of applicants.
”He brings fresh thinking to a newsroom that he is very familiar with. I am confident that readers and advertisers will not be disappointed with Makhanya. His brief is to maintain the quality of this great brand and grow the circulation of the M&G.”
Makhanya pointed to the pivotal role of the M&G in accelerating the collapse of apartheid and its important role today in building democracy and telling the story of the evolution of the new South African society.
”I aim to enhance the M&G‘s role as one of the guardians of our Constitution and the home of fresh ideas, critical thinking and investigative journalism,” Makhanya said.
Makhanya began his journalistic career at the M&G (then titled Weekly Mail) in 1990 and quickly rose through the ranks to become bureau chief in Cape Town. He subsequently spent four years at The Star before being appointed associate editor of the Sunday World. He joined the Sunday Times in 2000. Makhanya assumes his new position on October 1.
Barrell said he was ”delighted” with Makhanya’s appointment.
”He would have been my choice had I been part of the selection process which, correctly, I was not. He has exceptional professional gifts, and pizzaz. He understands the newspaper’s ethos. And he has great personal warmth.
”Quite how sensible Mondli is is also evident from the fact that he supports Orlando Pirates,” Barrell added.