New editor is an old hand at news

LYDENBURG – Pat Engelbrecht has been appointed as the new woman in the hot seat at the Steelburger/Lydenburg News. Pat was appointed as the editor of the newspaper on 1 December.

She brings with her 35 years of journalism experience, most of which at community newspapers. Pat obtained her BA Communications Honours degree at the former PU for CHO (now the Northwest University) in 1978 and started working at Vista community newspaper in Welkom the same year.

After that she was appointed as women’s editor of Kempton News, now Kempton Express in the Caxton group.

She and her husband started the first community paper in Ellisras (Lephalale) as well as the first independent black community newspaper, Tlokwa la tsela, which was distributed in the Ellisras and Potgietersrus areas.

She was also the news editor for the Alberton Record and the Potchefstroom Herald. She said that her goal for Steelburger/Lydenburg News is to ensure that the term “being the watchdog of the community” is adhered to and to ensure that the newspaper maintain journalistic standards to which a newspaper should adhere to.

“A community newspaper, as the name indicates, is there for the people of the community.

“Be it positive or negative reporting, as a journalist you have an obligation towards your community to keep them informed of the news.”