Johnny Anger

In 1993, Jonathan Ancer cut his hair, took out his earrings and began compiling research on South Africa's right wing for the Independent Board of Inquiry into Informal Repression. Two years later, he completed a postgraduate journalism diploma at Rhodes University. He then worked as a magazine features writer and freelance journalist. In 2001, he joined the Star as a sub-editor and became night news editor for a year. At the beginning of 2006, he left for Grahamstown to become the youngest editor of the country's oldest newspaper, Grocott's Mail. He left Grahamstown in January for the Mother City. This is an occasional blog -- depending on Ancer's rage factor -- where he rants about the things that get up his nose.
Posted inMedia

Ad shenanigans

by Johnny Anger

On December 20, I sent the final page of my 200th edition of Grocott’s Mail to press in the basement of the building. The press began clunking. It was with a heavy heart that I shut down my computer for the last time and became the former youngest editor of the country’s oldest newspaper. Some […]

Posted inMedia

Editor’s choice

by Johnny Anger

After the previous post on reporters’ mistakes, Tash Joseph dared me to file a post about slip-ups I have made in the editor’s chair. Editors making mistakes? Never. OK, this is an expensive blunder I made during my first month as Grocott’s editor. I could hear the presses whirring. I could smell the ink. As […]

Posted inMedia

Shirt happens

by Johnny Anger

The first email plopped into my inbox at 7.03pm. It was from the National Prosecuting Authority and the subject line was “Serial rapist found guilty”. “Justice George Maluleka,” read the statement, “has been found guilty of raping 57 women. He is by far one of the worst serial rapists in this country. He had caused […]

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Arrested development

by Johnny Anger

The mayhem started at 7am last week Wednesday when a bakkie with eight people loaded on the back overturned. It ended 12 hours later with a crash that saw four women — one of whom was pregnant — killed. In between the crashes, there was an armed cash heist. This all took place in what […]

Posted inLifestyle, News/Politics

A meanie in iRhini?

by Johnny Anger

Thabo Mbeki has thrown a spanner into the Bafana Bafana works by suggesting that the national team change its name. “Boys, boys” just ain’t good enough for a national side. (Perhaps it’s time that somebody pointed out that the players themselves ain’t good enough for a national side. Ouch!) It’s not the first time the […]

Posted inMedia

I have the right to remain silent

by Johnny Anger

This was published in Grocott’s Mail on November 17 2006: Captain Riaan Havenga pulled out a brown file stamped with the SAPS badge and started to fill it in. “Name?” “Jonathan.” “Surname?” “Ancer.” “ID number?” I rattled off the numbers and he wrote them down and then paused. His lips formed into a small smile. […]

Posted inMedia

My brush with the law

by Johnny Anger

It felt like I was back at school and in the headmaster’s office. I checked to see that my top button was fastened. It wasn’t. It wasn’t the headmaster’s office, but it was close enough. It was the office of the Eastern Cape deputy director of public prosecutions (DDPP) — and although we were sipping […]

Posted inLifestyle, Media

Subscription rage

by Johnny Anger

Whenever I see a certain former editor of the Mail & Guardian (who may or may not have a missing tooth), a small shiver of guilt shoots up my spine. If, from a karma perspective, one’s bad behaviour comes back to bite one in the ass, then my ass has teeth marks. It started with […]

Posted inLifestyle

Angry utterance (9)*

by Johnny Anger

For two weeks, there was something wrong with the world. It was like there was yin but no yang — or was there yang but no yin? It’s sometimes too difficult to tell one’s yin from one’s yang. The day started off just like any other day with Khwezi, our toddler, waking us up at […]