Cape Town - Former Cape Argus assistant editor Joseph Aranes died on Thursday at his home in Lansdowne after suffering a heart attack.
Aranes, 51, who will be remembered by many as a friend and mentor, started his career at the Cape Argus as an intern in 1992. He then worked at South and returned to the newspaper in May 1994 where he rose through the ranks to assistant news editor in 1999.
He was appointed news editor in 2000 and later promoted to assistant editor: politics in 2003.
Aranes was born and raised in Bonteheuwel as one of eight children. After completing matric, he spent two years in Germany where he was involved the anti-apartheid movement and joined the ANC.
He gained experience in mobilising mass action and on his return joined the Bonteheuwel Civic Association and later established the Bonteheuwel Advice Office.
Family friend Henriette Abrahams said Aranes was also involved in establishing the United Democratic Front, and was its treasurer in the Western Cape. He was also responsible for community self-defence structures like the Bonteheuwel Military Wing and had his own cell within Umkhonto we Sizwe.
During 1986 he was detained twice, first at Victor Verster and later in solitary confinement at the Sea Point police station.
In a statement, ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman said Aranes would be remembered for many things, including “his massive contribution to the development of young lions of the 1980s”, along with “his contribution to the Fourth Estate, by promoting the principles of democracy, transformation and fairness in the newsrooms of our country”.
Remembering Aranes, Abrahams said: “Joe was big, Joe was our strength… He was kind and gentle, a good brother to many of us.” These sentiments were reiterated on social media on Thursday.
Cape Argus deputy editor Yunus Kemp posted: “Colleague, friend, newsroom father. Go well my brother…”, while former colleague Lenore Oliver wrote: “My friend forever. RIP.”
Journalist Dianne Hawker posted: “People who didn’t know him will never understand the joy that Joseph brought to our lives. He believed in all of us. He encouraged us to grow beyond what we thought we were capable of.”
On Twitter, Andisiwe Makinana @andiMakinana wrote: “Former colleague and mentor… what a sad day!
Aranes, who left the Cape Argus in 2009, leaves his wife Kathy, daughter Thandi, grandson Raoul, and his siblings.
Cape Argus