Adriaan Basson

  1. Home
  2. Wiki

Adriaan Basson
Born
Adriaan Jurgens Basson
EducationBrackenfell High School
Alma materStellenbosch University
OccupationInvestigative journalist
Years active2003–present
AwardsTaco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism

Adriaan Jurgens Basson is a South African journalist who has been the editor-in-chief of News24 since April 2016. Known for his investigative journalism, he was formerly the editor of Netwerk24 and Beeld.

Career

[edit]

After matriculating at Brackenfell High School in 1999,[1] Basson attended Stellenbosch University, where he was editor of Die Matie in 2002.[2] He began his career in 2003 as a reporter at Beeld, an Afrikaans daily newspaper.[3] Thereafter he spent three years as an investigative reporter at the Mail & Guardian, where, with Sam Sole and Stefaans Brümmer, he was one of three founding members of amaBhungane in 2010.[4]

He went on to become assistant editor at City Press.[3] During this period, in 2011, he was named one of the Mail & Guardian's 200 Young South Africans.[5] He left City Press on 1 October 2013 to return to Beeld as editor.[6] In September 2015 he was appointed as editor of Netwerk24, another Afrikaans-language publication in the Media24 stable.[7]

Basson became editor-in-chief of News24 on 1 April 2016.[8][9] He was also deputy chairperson of the South African National Editors' Forum between 2020 and 2022.[10]

Notable investigations and awards

[edit]

In 2006, at Beeld, Basson began investigating corruption at the Department of Correctional Services. He and Carien du Plessis received the 2006 Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism for their exposés of the relationship between prisons commissioner Linda Mti and contractor Bosasa.[11] Basson continued to investigate Bosasa contracts in later years, leading to a defamation suit in which he successfully asserted source protection privileges.[12] He later appeared before the Zondo Commission to testify about his investigation.[13]

While at the Mail & Guardian, Basson, Sole, and Brümmer received the 2008 Taco Kuiper Award for their reporting on Arms Deal corruption.[14]

At City Press, Basson and Piet Rampedi led a prolonged investigation into the commercial interests of rising youth politician Julius Malema,[15] which was recognised with the general print news award at the 2012 CNN African Journalist Awards.[16][17]

The following year, Basson and Paddy Harper won the Sikuvile Journalist of the Year Award for their reporting on the Nkandla scandal.[18][19]

Books

[edit]

Basson's books include Finish & Klaar: Selebi’s Fall from Interpol to the Underworld (2010), Blessed by Bosasa (2023), and, with Qaanitah Hunter, Who Will Rule South Africa? (2023). He has also written two books about Jacob Zuma's presidency: Zuma Exposed (2012) and, with Pieter du Toit, Enemy of the People (2017).

Personal life

[edit]

He is married to radio producer Cecile Basson.[20][21] They have two children.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Basson, Adriaan (13 November 2020). "Brackenfell High: A letter about racism and memories of our beloved school". News24. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  2. ^ Potgieter, Suzaan (21 August 2016). "Die Matie is 75 jaar jonk". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b Jordaan, Lucinda (5 April 2024). "'I get quite irritated when people say that the news or journalism is dying,' News24's Adriaan Basson". WAN-IFRA. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  4. ^ Schmidt, Christine (31 January 2018). "Digging for dung, unearthing corruption: This South African investigative nonprofit could help take down the president". Nieman Lab. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  5. ^ "2011 Young South Africans". The Mail & Guardian. 20 June 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  6. ^ "Beeld kry nuwe redakteur". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 28 August 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  7. ^ "Adriaan Basson voltyds aan stuur van Netwerk24; Jo van Eeden kry hoë koerant-pos". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). 27 August 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  8. ^ "Adriaan Basson appointed editor of News24". News24. 28 March 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  9. ^ Pretorius, Wim (10 March 2016). "News24 gets a new editor". News24. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  10. ^ "SANEF Elects New Leadership as All Journalists Covering Covid-19 Receive the Nat Nakasa Award". SANEF. 22 August 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  11. ^ "Beeld scoops prize for investigative journalism". The Mail & Guardian. 26 April 2007. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Ruling on journo's sources a victory for media freedom". The Mail & Guardian. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  13. ^ "'I will kill you' – Bosasa operative to journalist". Daily Maverick. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  14. ^ "M&G investigative journalists scoop prestigious award". The Mail & Guardian. 17 April 2009. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  15. ^ Nicolson, Greg (23 July 2012). "The price of investigating Julius Malema". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  16. ^ "South Africans shine at CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards". The Media Online. 23 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  17. ^ "CNN African Journalist of the Year Competition". CNN. Archived from the original on 9 July 2012. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  18. ^ "Basson and Harper: Nkandla investigation wins journalism honours". The Media Online. 15 May 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  19. ^ "All the 2013 Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards winners". Bizcommunity. 10 May 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  20. ^ "Our beautiful scars". News24. 19 May 2013. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  21. ^ Labuschagne, Charis (14 May 2013). "Cecile Basson: "Die Groot K in my stamboom"". Sarie (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 29 April 2025.
  22. ^ "The close-up: Adriaan Basson". News24. Retrieved 29 April 2025.
[edit]