Mmegi

Venson-Moitoi: The intrepid Mmegi editor

Venson
Venson

As Mmegi readies itself to celebrate its 40th anniversary sometime in late August this year, Mmegi’s Correspondent LESANG MASWABI traces some of the surviving pioneers who were at the helm of an infant newspaper brand called Mmegi Wa Dikgang from the very beginning, starting with Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi

That institution would evolve into a reputable title called Mmegi, The Reporter towards the late 80s and today’s media giant of the 21st century just called Mmegi with a slogan, 'News we need to know daily' Venson-Moitoi became the newspaper’s first woman editor in 1971-73, immediately after completing her form-five (5) at Swaneng High/Secondary School in Serowe in 1970 at a young age of just 20 years. “I first went for a journalism course at the Africa Literature Centre that was run by the Mindolo Ecumenical Centre in Kitwe in early 1971, which was followed by an attachment at Zambia Daily newspaper in Lusaka later the same year”, says Venson-Moitoi.

She vividly recalls being arrested by the Ian Smith’s Rhodesian Police on her way back to Botswana then. Asked about their staff contingent then, Venson-Moitoi says she recalls working with a staff of five – herself, a typist called Kentahetse Mokalake, two printers Super Pilane, an American volunteer-teacher by the name of Turner and the late Patrick van Rensburg as the manager.


Editor's Comment
Who watches the watchdog?

For a fact, in a democratic society such as Botswana, the media plays a crucial role of being watchdog, holding the powerful to account and exposing all possible wrongdoing for the benefit of the public.There has been a nagging question about who watches the watchdog after all? Perhaps, the investigations into alleged wrongful acts implicating those supposed to be playing the watchdog role will shed more light into what has happened such that the...

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