By Kopano Dibakwane
The government communication and information system(GCIS) has released a statement to express its deepest sadness following the passing of three journalists ( Teboho Letshaba, Matome Maupi and Graig-Lee Smith) in one month.
Acting director general of the GCIS, Michael Currin, said that Letshaba, Maupi and Smith, took complex issues across a range of areas and delivered them in the languages of the people.
” The news of the passing of these journalists, in a short space of time is shocking and upsetting. They all had the experience of working in a dynamic and robust South African media industry. They reached the communities, heard their challenges and told their stories,” said Currin.
Letshaba(40) was a multi-award winning journalist, who authored about five Sesotho books, of which one was turned into a theatre production. Maupi(52) joined the SABC as the host of popular current affairs show called Hlokwa La Tsela at Thobela FM in the early 2000s, he was known for interaction with government officials especially around issues of service delivery. Smith was a former EWN reporter based in Cape Town, he was known for going into the heart of communities and telling their stories.
” The GCIS works closely with journalists and media houses and we send our condolences to their families and the media fraternity at large. It is truly a sad moment in the country’s media history. One loss of a dynamic journalist is one too many. We mourn with the media industry,” said Currin.
Caption: Teboho Letshaba, Matome Maupi, Craig-Lee Smith
