Author talks at theatre on SA’s political future

• Published date: 17 April 2024
• Publication title: Bolander

This engaging event is part of the popular SmallTalX series of talks, organised in collaboration with the Franschhoek Theatre

Mr Matisonn’s talk will consider the declining prospects for the ANC, the potential emergence of a coalition government under the DA-led Multi-Party Charter (MPC), and the nation’s trajectory over the next five years.

The talk will also feature an interactive Q&A session, allowing attendees to glean further insights from the seasoned political commentator.

With a storied background spanning journalism, broadcasting, and regulatory roles, Mr Matisonn brings a wealth of experience to the discussion.

In 1979, as a young journalist at the Rand Daily Mail, his reporting on the ‘Muldergate’ scandal incurred the wrath of the apartheid regime. He was labelled a security risk, and was later handed a two-year jail sentence for refusing to disclose his sources.

Under the democratic dispensation, Mr Matisonn served as a press regulator, and even assisted Nelson Mandela with media and press training. In 1994, he was made a councillor at the Independent Broadcasting Authority (now ICASA), and was also a member of the interim board of the SABC in 2017.

Mr Matisonn’s contributions extend beyond South Africa, having played pivotal roles in international arenas such as overseeing media affairs for elections in Afghanistan under the auspices of the United Nations.

He has also been active as an author on current affairs...