#bct100years: ‘I had big shoes to fill’

Former City Times editor Kevin van der List writes: 

The best thing happens to Benoni on Thursdays: the Benoni City Times finds its way into your postbox. It has been doing that for 100 years.

What an achievement! What an honour it has been for a newspaper that so dearly cares for its town and its beautiful people.

The City Times, or the BCT as it is affectionately known, has been at the forefront of news and events in Benoni.

We have celebrated our residents – from Charlize to the youngster elected prefect at his school – to budding sports stars, published authors, centenarians, those who have been married before man stepped on the surface of the moon, the list goes on.

My small contribution to the BCT started in 2011 as a young journalism student. I was desperate for practical experience and fortunately, was taken in as an intern for a week under editor Hilary Green, who has since become a dear friend and mentor.

ALSO READ: #bct100: A note from the editor – so, here I am

By the end of the week, I had two articles in print. I was delighted. I did not imagine being permanently appointed a year or so later as a junior journalist.

Fast forward three years, and I became editor of my town’s source of news and entertainment, having massive boots and chair to fill (that chair was humongous) in Hilary’s old office.

What an honour and privilege!

The journey was unforgettable, and a few things stood out to me about the old town and its trusty newspaper. Benoni residents take ownership of their publication, and rightly so.

After all, the newspaper ceases to exist without its community. Hilary used to tell me how people would at times call the office if the paper ran late from the printers, demanding they have it delivered because they “pay their rates and taxes”.

While I sat in that big chair, I was delighted to hear dear Clarice (our receptionist worth her weight in gold) explain to ratty City Times readers that their weekly copy will be delivered pronto as the distribution crew were running late.

It was a sign that we were doing things right. A sign that Benoni folk are lost without their weekly BCT fix.

A sign that Benoni and its town go hand in hand. Another delight was the number of letters I received as editor, a sure sign that residents cared about their town and felt they had an avenue to express themselves publicly.

I could easily fill two pages a week, but due to space constraints, many of these letters were used exclusively online.

And when LookLocal and Benoni City Times online was rolled out, we expanded our reach beyond our traditional distribution area.

ALSO READ: #bct100: Letter: The City Times is part of our story

As wonderful as this was, sports journalist Logan Green often remarked that his loyal sports readers were unhappy that their article would appear exclusively online.

The trusted print edition was still the gold standard almost 100 years on. I sometimes sat in that bulky chair in absolute awe of Benoni’s selfless residents.

It always seemed like Benoni residents were far more in tune with their neighbour’s plight and much more eager to rally fellow Benonians to a person’s aid than in other regions.

From assistance to Hospice, Child Welfare, Kids Haven and remarkable organisations, such as the Lions, Rotary and the CPF, everyone seemed to be working hand in hand to uplift their town, and the BCT was at the forefront of sharing these heartwarming stories with its readers.

As a local newspaper, our role was to highlight issues and hopefully, through that, create enough awareness to have a positive effect on our beloved town.

I would like to thank the Benoni City Times – my home for six years – for making a marked difference to my community.

And to the readers, help YOUR City Times make its way into your postbox for the next 100 years and beyond!