JOHANNESBURG: Shortly after the announcement that the SA Press Association (Sapa) would close its doors on March 31, messages of condolence and tributes poured in.
Sapa provided news copy to a number of media houses for 76 years.
Sekunjalo Investment Holdings announced last month it had obtained Sapa’s assets, including its brand name, news and picture archives after its bid was approved by the newswire.
These assets have been incorporated into a new Sekunjalo-backed syndication service, the African News Agency (ANA).
ANA has already published text and from today will put out video, pictures and audio.
Many of the country's reporters started their careers at Sapa.
Schalk Mouton has described Sapa as a “humble and crazy institution.
Sapa, for all its imperfections, will be missed.”
Charmaine Pretorius said:
“I will always fondly remember my time there; the laughs, the friends, the sad days, the happy days, the crazy days, the slow days, the special Christmas lunches, the midnight shifts, the opportunities, the disappointments – it helped me grow! Goodbye!”
Sisa Majola said the news of Sapa’s closure was sad.
“Very proud to have been a part of this team. Great people,” he said.
Maryke Vermaak said only once Sapa was gone would other news organisations realise how much they relied on the wire.
“Sapa was where I learnt how to actually be a journalist, where I met some of my best friends, and where I confirmed for myself that I really love covering violent protests,” Vermaak said.