NAME AND ID NUMBER Andries Jakob Botha, 4009285036080
HIGHEST QUALIFICATION BA, University of Potchefstroom, majoring in English and History - 1962
JOURNALISM
Court Reporter, Durban Correspondent for a Johannesburg newspaper, Die Transvaler, Political Correspondent, News Editor, Assistant Editor under the late Dr Willem de Klerk - up to 1978
Weekly columnist for South Coast Sun and Paarl Post.
Managing Editor, Polokwane Observer - 2006-2009
Presently I am editing a number of internet newsletters for Pacific Breeze 353, owned by Willem Krog (Cell: 082 820 1365)
PUBLIC RELATIONS
PR Manager, KwaZulu Development Corporation, founded Bureau for Communication for the KwaZulu Government - 1978-1982
PR Manager, KWV in Paarl - 1982 – 1985
Established own PR company, AB Public Relations in 1985.
Clients included: KWV, Paarl Council (Festival Director of the Paarl 300 Festival to celebrate the tercentenary of the town in 1987), Fairview Estate, Groot Constantia, Western Cape Agricultural Union, Boeresake (Farmers Co-op), Veekos (Farmers Co-op), Winelands International Hot Air Balloon Festival. Relocated to Johannesburg in 2000. Established a lifestyle publication, Uptown, circulated in the PWV townships. Clients included the Independent Brokers Council and the Community Press Association.
Presently acting as PR advisor to McCannMSP.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Close ties with the community press. Founded the Competition for Enterprising Journalism for Community Newspapers in 1982 while at the KWV. Competition was taken over by Sanlam in 1990 and I still serve as the Convenor of the Panel of Judges for the competition. The Polokwane Observer won the award as the best newspaper with a circulation of 10 000 under my editorship. (Needless to say, I withdrew from the panel whenever my newspaper was involved.) I was also the 2010 Convenor of the Panel of Judges for the 2010 Sanlam/MDDA Competition for Enterprising Journalism in Community Newspapers, Radio and TV.
AWARDS
I won a National Award for Enterprising Journalism, sponsored by Stellenbosch Farmers Winery, in 1978 for a 12 month project to establish communication between Soweto leaders and Afrikaner leaders in the aftermath of the Soweto riots. Behind the scenes negotiations were conducted with the Government which led to the release from prison of the late Dr Nthato Motlana, then Chairman of Soweto’s Committee of Ten, Aggrey Klaaste, then news editor of The Sowetan, and others from prison where they were held without trial.
Runner-up in the Column Writing section of the Sanlam Community Press Awards for 1907. I was in the top five for editorial writing and financial journalism.
PUBLICATIONS
Edited African Freedom Annual 1976 and 1977
Edited “South Africa’s Urban Blacks: Problems and Challenges
Peace Through Food
Swapo: Conflict or Dialogue?
Marxist Mozambique: The High Ideals and the Reality
Ou Maaik, a comic strip book on Mike Schutte with drawings by Lou Henning, Rapport cartoonist
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
Hard-working, dedicated and results driven. Willing to work all hours until the job is done. Vigorous and inquisitive mind, but always willing to learn. Good team player who exercises discipline through encouraging self-responsibility among fellow team members. Regards transparency as essential in all operations.
HOBBIES
Reading, Art, Music, Classic Cinema and Golf