Derek Watts - the gentle giant of journalism in South Africa

Derek Watts – the gentle giant of journalism in South Africa

Published on

23 August 2023

Veteran journalist Derek Watts died at 74 on Tuesday, 22 August after a battle with cancer. The veteran journalist is fondly remembered for his time at Carte Blanche where he started in 1988 and remained until his health prevented him from working. The Ryan O’Connor Breakfast Show remembers him fondly.

Devi Sankaree Govender is another familiar face in South African journalism and she worked with Watts for 18 years on Carte Blanche. She shared some of her fondest memories of her late friend and colleague.

Devi Sankaree Govender and Derek Watts. Image: Twitter | @DerekWatts

Phil de Lange

Phil de Lange is the producer of the Ryan O'Connor Breakfast show and has been with Smile 90.4FM since it's inception in 2013. Through his work on the breakfast show he has won two national radio awards. He has been in broadcasting for 15 years and has honed his talent at 6 different radio stations. Outside of radio he is also a podcast producer and award winning stand-up comedian.