Rest in peace, Jean-Jacques Cornish... ‘This is an incredible loss’ - journalist

Lester Kiewit speaks with Antoinette Slabbert, a freelance journalist

Listen below.

Veteran journalist and former newspaper editor Jean-Jacques Cornish passed away on Wednesday evening.

He had been a regular guest on CapeTalk for our weekly Africa Report, where he always began with a warm 'Bonjour mon ami!'.

He began his career on radio at 702 in 2003 when covering the African Union summit in Maputo.

Before this, he had been the group’s Africa correspondent for 10 years.

He was the London Bureau Chief of the South African Press Association, a special correspondent to the United Nations at the age of 25, and ran and edited several newspapers.

“He gave me a reason to care about reporting on the important issues on the African continent.”

- Lester Kiewit, presenter - CapeTalk

Slabbert says it was always wonderful to see him on stories as he was so warm, friendly and fun.

“He was such a character.”

- Antoinette Slabbert

She adds that he was deeply passionate about everything he did and always knew his subject extremely well.

 “We respected him so much. This is an incredible loss for journalism.”

- Antoinette Slabbert

 “He was an inspiration for younger journalists.”

- Antoinette Slabbert, freelance journalist

“‘Au revoir mon ami, go well Jean-Jacques Cornish.”

- Lester Kiewit, presenter - CapeTalk

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