News veteran Sbu Ngalwa joins Primedia as editor-in-chief of Eyewitness News

Ngalwa has had an impressive career, spanning 18 years, working for some of the country’s leading news brands. In his role as editor-in-chief of Daily Dispatch and DispatchLive, the highly respected titles continued to be recognised for outstanding journalism and received significant national awards. He’s currently the politics editor for Newzroom Afrika and chair of the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef).

Mahlase, who joined EWN in 2018, has played an integral role in growing audiences and cementing the critical role of news across the Primedia radio and digital platforms. During her time, she has overseen the successful launch of an award-winning current affairs show and managed the EWN newsroom which has won multiple awards.

“I’m excited to be part of the Eyewitness News team. I believe Mahlatse is leaving behind a solid team and a firm foundation on which to build. As we move into a digital future, I believe Eyewitness News is the best platform – through audio and digital news content – to produce trusted quality journalism and to continue to cultivate the best talent in the media industry,” said Ngalwa.

Primedia believes that a strong newsroom gives a voice to South Africans and holds to account those in positions of authority. Ngalwa is a trusted journalist whose body of work stands testimony to those values. “We welcome Sbu to Primedia as we embark on a digital journey that will amplify our brands and see us innovate and enrich our audience’s journey,” concluded Primedia Broadcasting’s chairman Geraint Crwys-Williams.

“Mahlatse provided progressive leadership as we navigated challenging times exacerbated by the global pandemic, overseeing a busy newsroom covering stories and moments of huge public importance, including elections – national and local. I want to thank Mahlatse for navigating the challenges she and the team faced over the past few years, and wish her all the very best on her new journey,” said Crwys-Williams.

Welcoming Ngalwa, Mahlase said, “I have grown significantly during my tenure at Primedia. I have worked with a fantastic team of editors and journalists who worked very hard to ensure that we continue to be a leading news brand in the country, delivering journalism of the highest quality and ethics to our audiences despite the challenges facing news media across the world. I will miss the team dearly, but I am also excited to be handing the baton to Sbu, with whom I had worked in the field when we were young political reporters, and now also serve together at Sanef.”

Mahlase is leaving to pursue a role outside of the news media space.