Venson-Moitoi: The intrepid Mmegi editor

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.