OBITUARY BY MARLAN PADAYACHEE - DURBAN DATELINE 27 JANUARY 2025 - Tributes for fallen journalist

 A raft of tributes for fallen journalist of note  

OBITUARY   | By MARLAN PADAYACHEE

Social Media Homage Pour in for Media Personality

This month-end weekend of January saw an outpouring of condolences as the media, sports, and broader communities mourned the sudden loss of several prominent figures. From journalists to soccer icons and political stalwarts, tributes reflected the far-reaching contributions and enduring legacies of the departed.

Losses in Journalism: The media world paid tribute to William "Paddy" Harper, a respected Durban political journalist whose commitment to investigative reporting and the pursuit of truth left a lasting impact. Harper, who passed away at his home in Durban, aged 58, was deeply rooted in the tradition of fearless journalism during the anti-apartheid struggle. Despite his white background, he stood in solidarity with black and Indian journalists of the 1980s, many of whom honed their skills at iconic Grey Street newspapers like The Leader and The Graphic, and Golden City Post, Post Natal and Post Transvaal, and Ukusa.

At the time of his passing, Harper was the political editor of the Mail & Guardian and had previously worked for publications including the Sunday Tribune, City Press, and The Times.

Minister Patricia de Lille, leader of the Good Party, described Harper as a journalist who “exemplified balance and integrity” and lamented his loss during a period when “press freedom is being tested.” Similarly, the KwaZulu-Natal Democratic Party noted Harper’s “non-partisan and investigative career” as a profound contribution to South African media.

A Legacy of Inspiration: While Paddy Harper was at the forefront of uncovering corruption and malfeasance under the ANC government, he also found himself making headlines in a more personal and tumultuous context. In 2011, his sister, Annabella Momple, the headmistress of Carrington Heights Primary School, was arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport on drug-related charges during what was purportedly an educational trip to Ireland and Brazil.

·         Momple reportedly informed colleagues she was attending a family funeral in Ireland but told her elderly parents and her journalist brother, Paddy Harper that she was participating in an educational program. However, it emerged that she had allegedly traveled to Brazil instead.

·         Her arrest became a story shrouded in intrigue and mystery, placing Harper in the difficult position of navigating a sensitive family scandal while being questioned by his own journalistic peers. The incident added a personal dimension to Harper’s relationship with the news, showcasing the challenges of being both a subject and a narrator in the media spotlight.

·         Marlan Padayachee, our weekly columnist and correspondent, reflected on Paddy Harper’s progressive stance in news coverage. One of the defining moments in their collaboration was the publication of Padayachee’s in-depth reporting on the Sri Lankan civil war. This included Padayachee's second visit to Sri Lanka, where he interviewed both the warring parties in the 25-year-long conflict between the Sinhalese majority and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist group fighting for a Tamil homeland, Tamil Eelam, in the northern Jaffna Peninsula. During this period, many conservative editors avoided the issue, but Harper boldly published Padayachee’s article in the Sunday Tribune in the 2010s. The Mercury’s first black editor, Kaizer Nyatsumba, published Padayachee’s powerful piece, There Are No Winners in This Jungle War. This article stemmed from a fact-finding media visit coordinated by Dr Saths Cooper, a former Robben Island political prisoner and psychologist, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on all sides. Harper’s editorial courage ensured that Padayachee’s important reporting on this historic and divisive conflict reached a broad audience, providing valuable insights into the bloody war’s complexities and human toll of 100 000.

·         Annabella Momplé, a 46-year-old single mother, admitted to investigators that she was supposed to fly to Dublin, where someone was waiting to receive a package. For her involvement, she was promised a payment of R40 000. She was jailed for longer than four years.

·         Peter Avery, assistant director of the UK agency's criminal and financial investigations team, remarked, "The fact that Annabella Momplé was a school teacher makes this situation even more shocking. Class A drugs like cocaine can devastate families and communities."

·         According to the latest statistics from the British Home Office, 105 South Africans are serving sentences for various offenses in England and Wales.

·         Momplé's brother, Paddy Harper, confirmed that she had reached a plea deal with the authorities. He added that reports from newspapers there stated she had been recruited in Durban by individuals to whom her second husband owed money.

·         "She's made her choices and is now serving her sentence. However, we'd be deeply disappointed if the authorities don't investigate the people who recruited her—especially her former husband. She shouldn’t bear the entire burden of what happened," said Harper.

·         Marlan Padayachee, our senior columnist and correspondent, reflected on Paddy Harper’s progressive stance in news coverage. One of the defining moments in their collaboration was the publication of Padayachee’s in-depth reporting on the Sri Lankan civil war. This included Padayachee's second visit to Sri Lanka, where he interviewed both the warring parties in the 25-year-long conflict between the Sinhalese majority and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a separatist group fighting for a Tamil homeland, Tamil Eelam, in the northern Jaffna Peninsula. During this period, many conservative editors avoided the issue, but Harper boldly published Padayachee’s article in the Sunday Tribune in the 2010s. The Mercury’s first black editor, Kaizer Nyatsumba, published Padayachee’s powerful piece, There Are No Winners in This Jungle War. This article stemmed from a fact-finding media visit coordinated by Dr Saths Cooper, a former Robben Island political prisoner and psychologist, highlighting the devastating impact of the conflict on all sides. Harper’s editorial courage ensured that Padayachee’s important reporting on this historic and divisive conflict reached a broad audience, providing valuable insights into the bloody war’s complexities and human toll of 100 000.

Durban Dateline: 27 January 2025