The company announced the appointment of Andrew Trench as editor of News24, Africa’s leading news portal. Trench, one of the most respected editors in South Africa with a reputation for brave and tenacious journalism, is currently the editor of The Witness in KwaZulu-Natal. He is a former editor of the Daily Dispatch in East London and news editor of the Sunday Times. Under his leadership, the award-winning Media24 Investigations unit was at the forefront of breaking and covering major stories such as the textbook tender corruption scandal, the police secret intelligence fund and the Marikana massacre.

Trench’s experience in data journalism, civic journalism and cross-platform storytelling would enhance the News24 offering across the continent and signals an increase in the pace of investment in digital media, said Geoff Cohen, general manager of 24.com, Africa’s leading online publishing platform and home to News24.

“Andrew has a track record of leading teams to create excellent and award-winning journalism. If we are to remain leaders in online news we must work hand-in-hand with our experienced editors to ensure that content on our digital platforms is of a high standard. Our colleagues at Netwerk24 (Media24’s Afrikaans digital news platform for Beeld, Die Burger, Volksblad and Rapport) are clearly getting it right and it is time for News24 to pick up the pace.”

Trench said the challenge of enhancing News24 “with award-winning original content was enough of a rush for me to accept”. He takes up his new position on Monday, 1 December. Jannie Momberg, the current editor of News24 who has built News24 into Africa’s supreme news platform, will assist Trench during a hand-over period before taking on a new challenge in growing News24’s Africa network.

Media24 also announced the closure of The Witness’ Durban edition, which was relaunched in tabloid format in August. “It was a painful decision but one we had to take,” said Ishmet Davidson, general manager of Media24 News. The Durban edition had been launched as a tabloid “because it was difficult to satisfy the local needs of both Pietermaritzburg and Durban readers in one hybrid package”. The Durban edition showed “positive early results but the investment period is too long”, he added. “Traditional print media in South Africa, like media businesses around the world, is under pressure and we don’t have the benefit of being such patient investors.”

The closure of the Durban edition will not result in any retrenchments of editorial staff.