Hennie Van Deventer

HENNIE VAN DEVENTER was 36 jaar lank joernalis, onder meer redakteur van Die Volksblad en koerantehoof van Naspers. Dié veelbekroonde koerantman is die skrywer van 15 boeke, meestal humorsketse, maar ook perspektiewe oor koerante en die pers.

In die laaste jare skryf hy toenemend oor sy hartswêreld langs die Krugerwildtuin, waar die wild - ook roofdiere - vrylik om sy boomryke boshuis loop. In die vyftien jaar sedert sy aftrede het Van Deventer al ruim veertig vakansies in die bos deurgebring, altyd gewapen met kamera en notaboekie. Sy liefde vir die natuur is aansteeklik. Veral vir olifante het hy 'n spesiale bewondering en deernis.

Hy het as joernalis en koerantebestuurder diep spore getrap.

Hy was 'n Nieman Fellow aan Harvard-universiteit in die VSA in 1977. Hy was o.a. ook voorsitter van Drukmedia SA (die ou Nuusblad-Persunie) en die eerste Afrikaanssprekende aan wie eregenootskap van Drukmedia SA toegeken in 1998 is.

Sy vrou is Tokkie. Hulle woon op Melkbosstrand met 'n praguitsig op Tafelberg oor die Atlantiese Oseaan.

HENNIE VAN DEVENTER is a retired newspaperman after a long career of 36 years -12 years as editor of an Afrikaans daily and later chief executive of newspapers of Naspers of South Africa.

He has written 15 books, several of them humorous and several about newspapers and journalism, In recent years he has concentrated on writing about the bush.He loves the bush with a passion. The place closes to his heart is Sabiepark, on the Sabie River, next to the national Kruger Park, where he owns a cottage. He has spent at least 40 holidays there since retiring 15 years ago.

Fourteen of his books are in his home language, Afrikaans. Mayafudi - memories of an elephant is the lone exception.

He remembers with great fondness a year spent at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, in 76/77 as a Nieman Fellow. Hy was chairman of Print Media SA and the first Afrikaans speaking newspaper executive awarded honorary fellowship op the association in 1998.

His wife is Tokkie. They live in Melkbosstrand with a grand view of Table Mountain across the Atlantic Ocean.