In what it describes as a “massive coup for the online news portal”, News24 has announced that Max du Preez will be writing for their platform as a weekly columnist, starting next week. His appointment follows that of Andrew Trench as editor in chief.
“We are thrilled to be able to offer a ‘home’ to Max. His reputation for truth, his passion for press freedom and his calibre of journalism make him one of the best, and exactly the kind of unapologetic opinion we want on News24,” says Trench.
Du Preez resigned from his former home, Independent Media, after a public clash with the group’s executive editor Karima Brown over a column he wrote about President Jacob Zuma’s “wrecking ball” presidency. The group apologised to Zuma for the column.
“What a privilege to have a voice on the biggest, most vibrant, most powerful platform for news and opinion on the African continent. I’m going to do my best to make sure that my conversations with readers on News24 will help stimulate healthy, rigorous debates and contribute to an informed public opinion,” Du Preez said. “This is essential if we, the people of South Africa, want to see our freedom and democracy blossom.”
Du Preez’s first column will go live on News24 next week Tuesday and will also be carried in Media24’s daily newspapers.
