This is a massive coup for the online news portal, which, with the recent appointment of veteran newsman Andrew Trench as editor-in-chief, is committed to taking online news reporting to the next level. "We are thrilled to be able to offer a home to Max. His reputation for truth, his passion for press freedom and his calibre of journalism make him one of the best, and exactly the kind of unapologetic opinion we want on News24," says Trench.

Says Du Preez: "What a privilege to have a voice on the biggest, most vibrant, most powerful platform for news and opinion on the African continent. I'm going to do my best to make sure that my conversations with readers on News24 will help stimulate healthy, rigorous debates and contribute to an informed public opinion."

"This is essential if we, the people of South Africa, want to see our freedom and democracy blossom," he adds.

Du Preez's agreement to write for News24 comes after his recent, very public, resignation from Independent Newspapers. Du Preez's first column will go live on News24 on Tuesday, 3 February and will also be carried in Media24's daily newspapers.