SEIFSA CHIEF EXECUTIVE MOURNS SHAUN JOHNSON’S PASSING AWAY
Johannesburg, 25 February 2020 – Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of
Southern Africa (SEIFSA) Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba has expressed his
shock at the passing away of legendary journalist and founding Mandela Rhodes
Foundation Chief Executive Officer Shaun Johnson.
Mr Nyatsumba, who worked closely with Mr Johnson during their time at Independent
Newspapers and was a friend of the latter, said the news of Mr Johnson’s death came
as complete shock to him.
Mr Nyatsumba hailed Mr Johnson as one of the very best journalists to have been
produced by South Africa, and described him as a very progressive man who was far
ahead of his times.
“I am terribly saddened by the news of Shaun’s passing away. It feels like it was only
yesterday that I spoke to him. Shaun was down to earth and led by example as a
political journalist from the time he joined us at The Star from the Weekly Mail. I have
very many fond memories of him, at the top of which was our interview with Nelson
Mandela at his home on the eve of the 1994 elections and many other interviews with
leaders like Thabo Mbeki, then the country’s Deputy President, and Mangosuthu
Buthelezi, during his time as Minister of Home Affairs, among others,” Mr Nyatsumba
said.
“I am grateful for Shaun’s friendship and support over the years. My condolences go to
his wife, Stefania, and his daughter, Luna,” Mr Nyatsumba said.
He said Mr Johnson – who was then doubling up as Acting CEO of the Nelson Mandela
Foundation – was kind enough to arrange for him and his family to pay a courtesy visit
to Mr Mandela at the Foundation’s Houghton office when he returned from a two-year
secondment to The Independent in London in 2003.
Mr Johnson wrote the foreword to Mr Nyatsumba’s biographical book, Incomplete
Without My Brother, Adonis.
Issued by:
Ollie Madlala
Communications Consultant
Tel: (011) 298 9411 / 082 602 1725
Email: ollie@seifsa.co.za
Web: www.seifsa.co.za