Yusuf Abramjee, Primedia Broadcasting’s Head of News and Current Affairs, has been elected
chairperson of the National Press Club – Pretoria. This follows the election of a new executive
committee. Jos Charle, Executive Editor of the Pretoria News was elected as the deputy chairperson.
Martin van Niekerk of Junxion Communications was re-elected as the treasurer and Tanya de Vente,
freelance journalist, was re-elected as the public relations officer.
At the National Press Club’s Annual General Meeting last week, various members were elected to the
executive committee. Hilda Fourie from Beeld was welcomed on the committee. The other
committee members are former chairman Ben Rootman, Phillip Bruwer from Rekord newspaper,
Elizabeth Kruger from the Daily Sun and Patrick Hlahla from Pretoria News.
Co-opted members serving on the committee are Shantall Ramatsui of Denel Dynamics, Reynold
Thakhuli of South African National Parks, Doreen Gough of Unisa and Marisa Engelbrecht of
Solidariteit. In addition, Zelda Venter from the Pretoria News was elected to serve as a co-opted
member on the executive committee.
Abramjee thanked the National Press Club for the confidence they have placed in him by electing him
as chairperson. “The press club has a very important role to play and it’s going to make its mark
again. The new committee will continue to build on the successes that it has made over the years.
The membership is very strong and growing,” he says.
According to Abramjee the club will continue to be a very important networking platform. “One area
of focus is going to be to ensure that we get the newsmakers to use the National Press Club to
interact with the media and the South African public.”
Abramjee served as chairperson of the National Press Club from 2000 until 2003. He was the first
person of colour at the time to be elected chairperson.
Junxion Communications will continue to serve as secretariat of the club.
(Ends)
Released by:
Martin van Niekerk
Secretariat: National Press Club
Tel 012 804 5199
Date: 5 May 2009