On 29 November, Independent Media made a historic announcement that Mzantsi would take the reins as editor of the Cape Times.

At only 26, this not only makes him the first black editor of the publication — but also the youngest in the Independent Media group.

How does it feel to be the first black editor of the Cape Times?

I am humbled and grateful for the support from colleagues, management and, most importantly, my family.

I am inspired by this appointment to continue serving all our communities without fear or favour. [Now that] youth unemployment is very high, I hope my appointment will inspire young people from the townships and rural areas where I come from to believe that nothing is impossible.

While I am very excited to take over this important role, I think it's a shame that it has taken the Cape Times 143 years to have a black African editor. This is a huge injustice to the majority of this country.

I would like to commend the current owners of Independent Media, under the leadership of executive chairperson Dr Iqbal Survé, for making this decision — and many other decisions — in their quest to transform the media industry, which is largely still untransformed.

What have you learned from your predecessor, Aneez Salie?

I’m proud to have worked at the Cape Times under the leadership of [Salie], the now editor-in chief of the group. [He has been] instrumental in transforming the Cape Times to the newsroom that it is today, where anyone — regardless of gender and race — can be a leader.

Our ethos has always been bridging the race, gender and economic gaps, and building bridges between and within our diverse communities. This can also been seen in our staff representation.

I [could] write a book about what I learned from [Salie]. I learnt that we must never lose sight of the issues in our communities — in particular, the poor. His story of being an MK commander of the Ashley Kriel detachment, to becoming the editor of this publication, is inspirational to all of us in the newsroom.

I think I speak on behalf of all the colleagues when I say that we were privileged and we are all proud to have him as our editor. He is an unsung hero who has made great contributions to this country’s media, and I am certain he will continue contributing in his new role as the editor-in-chief.

What are some of the main projects you want to focus on while being in this position?

I think it's important to pick up from the great work [Salie] and many others, including myself, have done in the past six years and continue making the Cape Times a voice for all. My goal is to make this great publication accessible to all communities — black, coloured and white, young and old in rural and urban areas.

We have a great responsibility of contributing towards social cohesion. I would love to see more people from previously disadvantaged areas — like Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Nyanga, Mitchells Plain, Manenberg and Atlantis — continue to have a voice in the Cape Times.

My goal is to make this great publication accessible to all communities — black, coloured and white, young and old in rural and urban areas.

What do you think your appointment says about the evolving media industry?

I would say that progress is being made in the industry to make it accessible to the youth. There is still a lot more to be done because very few companies embrace transformation, which is sad.

Most newsrooms are still dominated by men and [are] mostly white. Women continue being in lower positions with very few chances of making it to the top. That needs to change.

We, as the media, always make noise about gender parity yet we are the same people who do not practice this in our organisations.

What advice would you give to young people who want to follow in your footsteps?

They must continue believing in themselves and be patient. We all have a purpose in life. Growth doesn’t happen overnight; it is a process, sometimes a painful one. They must never allow fear to stand in their way, and making mistakes does not mean it is the end of the road.

Not every road is smooth — there will be a couple of setbacks along the way. I always look for ways of learning from those around me, even from strangers.

Most newsrooms are still dominated by men and [are] mostly white. Women continue being in lower positions with very few chances of making it to the top. That needs to change.
What is being done to ensure that up and coming black talent is being recognised within the media industry?

I can only speak of what we [at the Cape Times] have done and continue to do. Growth and transformation at the Cape Times is non-negotiable. We always make sure that our staff is aware that the sky's the limit.

We also host a number of students from various institutions during school holidays to identify talented youth. This is what has worked for us over the years, and we are proud to say that the majority of our staff started their careers at the Cape Times straight from their respective tertiary institutions — and many of those are in senior positions.

What trends do you see developing within the media industry?

I think the media is facing a number of problems emanating from the country’s painful past, which were not dealt with when the country transitioned to a democratic state. One of the trends I see continue [to] develop is the attack on media freedom. It appears that we are becoming more intolerant of each others' views and resort to attacks — and sometimes personal attacks when we disagree with some views.

Some even resort to censorship when they disagree with what is being said or written. I think this is very dangerous considering that many paid the ultimate price for the freedom we enjoy today.

How else do you think the media industry can acknowledge talented black youth? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Want to learn more about how equality can be acquired in the media industry? Be sure to read Equality in the media industry: A Q&A with Eleni Giokos