Mondli Makhanya has resigned as editor of the Mail & Guardian and is to become the editor of the Sunday Times from February 1 next year.
Announcing Makhanya’s departure to the staff on Monday morning — when the Mail & Guardian Online first reported the move — Trevor Ncube, CEO of M&G Media credited Makhanya with ”turning the M&G around” and paid tribute to his leadership, his sense of humility and sense of humour.
Ncube said he was already in discussion with several people and he expected to announce the appointment of a new editor early next year.
He said the new editor would have to be someone who ”exuded the ethos and culture of the M&G”.
Makhanya came to the M&G from the Sunday Times where he was the deputy managing editor for politics and policy. He started his career in journalism at the Weekly Mail and in 1990 was the paper’s bureau chief in Cape Town. He was a political writer and deputy editor at the The Star and an associate editor of Sunday World.
Makhanya said he would not comment on his appointment.
The top job at the Sunday paper has been vacant after Mathatha Tsedu was sacked in November.
Tsedu left the paper under a cloud after he said there had been ulterior motives behind his dismissal. Johnnic Communications hit back at his claims and Johncom CEO Connie Molusi said Tsedu was dismissed as editor of the country’s biggest-circulation newspaper for failing to ”edit the newspaper in a manner consistent with his contract of employment”.
Citing what it referred to as the ”real issues” behind Tsedu’s dismissal, Molusi asserted that ”we are committed to quality”, adding that Tsedu had also failed to meet the requirements of the Johnnic Communications board’s written mission statement that the editor of the Sunday Times produce an ”independent quality newspaper that sustains our democracy, is trusted by its readers and advertisers, is targeted at those people in living standards measures (LSM) categories 6 to 10 in South Africa and Southern Africa, and is profitable”.
”We are committed to our principles. Mr Tsedu’s failure to meet these requirements has resulted in both a loss of circulation and of readers of all races in our key target audience.
”In terms of circulation, the Sunday Times has sold an average of 5 600 fewer copies a week over the past six months than it did in the same period last year (excluding bulk and sponsored education sales). This has resulted in circulation revenue being R1,7-million behind budget. We are committed to our shareholders,” Molusi said.
The Mail & Guardian Online reported recently that Tsedu may be considering a position at ThisDay, South Africa’s newest daily newspaper.
Announcing Makhanya’s appointment, Molusi said Makhanya had both editorial and managerial experience, as well as tested leadership skills.
”He has led journalistic teams on different newspapers. When he worked on the Sunday Times he enjoyed the confidence of his colleagues and understood the culture of the newspaper.”
Molusi said Makhanya was also a journalist and a commentator of standing with an excellent understanding the South African political scene and wide-ranging contacts across the political, economic and broader societal spectrum.
In his 14 years as a journalist Makhanya had kept abreast of media trends both locally and internationally and was thus knowledgeable on all aspects and dynamics of newspaper publishing.
”He is well-placed to lead the Sunday Times as he has a thorough understanding of the product and is in tune with its audience. Having worked as Deputy Managing Editor: Politics and Policy, and as Political Editor, he understands the newspaper’s internal dynamics.
”He was part of the team brought in by the then-editor Mike Robertson, now CEO of Johncom’s media division, which was responsible for turning around the Sunday Times and for introducing innovations like the Africa Edition, the award-winning Sunday Times Investigations Unit and the much acclaimed ReadRight education supplement,” said Molusi.
Makhanya said the Sunday Times occupied an important position in South African society. He would ensure the newspaper entrenched its position as an agenda-setter and a key player in the deepening of the country’s democracy and the strengthening of its economy.
”Our 10-year-old democracy needs strong newspapers to strengthen its democracy, reflect its amazing diversity and entertain its people.
We South Africans are a people with a tough past and a most promising tomorrow. Our newspapers have a key role to play in ensuring that tomorrow.” – I-Net Bridge