Mail & Guardian editor and deputy editor both announce resignation
The Chief Executive Officer of M&G Media, Hoosain Karjieker, has confirmed that Mail & Guardian Editor Khadija Patel and Deputy Editor Beauregard Tromp will be stepping down from their positions at the weekly investigative newspaper.
Karjieker said the resignations of Patel and Tromp were not because of financial difficulties, but personal decisions.
Patel was appointed editor of publication in October of 2016, while Tromp was announced as deputy editor in September of the same year. Tromp is a veteran investigative journalist, while Patel is also the founder of advocacy journalism platform The Daily Vox.
“During their time at the Mail & Guardian, they have both played an important role in bringing stability to the newsroom and in the process assembled one of the best newsrooms in South Africa,” said Karjieker in a separate statement to staff.
“We have put in place measures that will ensure that the Mail & Guardian continues to produce agenda-setting, exceptional and people-driven journalism, as it has been under their stewardship that resulted in the organisation being the recipient of numerous awards and accolades in a multitude of categories.”
“Despite these being difficult times for all media organisations, I have been encouraged by your tenacity and agility to adapt to the new norm that we have had to grapple with. It is through your hard work and sacrifices that we have managed to weather the storm thus far, and while the worst may still be heading our way, I believe that we will be are now better equipped to navigate the challenges we may still be facing,” he said.
The M&G has been a lot more than a job to me. It’s been my whole life. And I am so proud of my team. And I am so proud of what we have done together. And I am so grateful to all of them for their unflinching support.
— Khadija Patel (@khadijapatel) May 8, 2020