Franz Kruger

Personal information:Franz Kruger was born the 27th of October 1957 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa to Bernard and Jeanne Marguerite Kruger. Franz was the Kruger's third child; Elizabeth and Catherine coming before him. When Kruger was six years old the family decided to move to Cape Town. Growing up in the Cape, Kruger attended the German School (Kruger is still able to speak German today). Kruger remained in Cape Town to study a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Cape Town. On completing his degree, Kruger left for Windhoek, Namibia to work for a local newspaper. Kruger describes the move as "acting on a whim" but, as it was the beginning of his career in journalism, it was definitely not a regrettable one [1a]. Kruger returned to South Africa during the Apartheid era. Under the National Party's repressive rule Kruger was largely influential in the formation of the East Cape News Agencies, a network of independent news agencies working in the Eastern Cape [1]. Career information: Kruger is currently a senior lecturer, independent journalist and trainer at the University of Witwatersrand, specializing in radio, ethics as well as sub-editing [1]. He is also the editor of the website www.journalism.co.za and he currently has a role as a correspondent for Canadian, Dutch, British and United States radio [3]. Furthermore, in Kruger’s twenty five years of experience in journalism he has worked in print and broadcasting in South Africa, Namibia as well as the United Kingdom [3]. In the past Kruger has also held the position of National editor for radio news and current affairs at the SABC from the year South Africa became a democracy in 1994 until 1999 [3]. Recognitions and awards Kruger was awarded a scholarship by the British Council to study in London [1a]. His textbook is currently used in Journalism departments in universities worldwide [1a]. Other professional activities: Kruger is also a judge for the Webber Wentzel Attorneys’ Legal Journalist of the Year award, where the winners are set to be announced on the 11th of November 2009 [2]. He has previously adjudicated on behalf of this award in 2008. He is also the current ombudsman for the Mail & Guardian, a weekly South African investigative newspaper [1]. Kruger writes a monthly column for the paper which is normally concerned with politics. Kruger has also authored several books such as ‘Black, white and grey: ethics in SA journalism’ which was published in late 2004 and ‘The Radio Journalism Toolkit’ published in 2006 [1].

References: Primary Sources 1a) Franz Kruger Secondary Sources: 1) http://www.journalism.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=116&Itemid=115 2)http://www.webberwentzel.com/wwb/view/wwb/en/page178 3) http://web.wits.ac.za/Academic/Humanities/SLLS/Staff/staff_people.htm

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