Best News & Entertainment '24

Maryn Blignaut

Education: BA in Communication Science, University of South Africa (2012–2016), AFP Digital Investigation Techniques (GNI, 2023), Google News Initiative training (2024), Thomson Reuters Foundation AI Adoption Training and WAN-IFRA Women in News Programme (2025)

Experience: Briefly News (2017-present)

Awards: - Best Appealing Storytelling: Highest Average Pageviews, 2023 by Briefly News - Awarded the 2023 Gender Mainstreaming Award (Empowerment of Women in the Community) as part of the Briefly News team

Maryn Blignaut is the Editor-in-Chief at Briefly News, with nine years of experience in digital journalism. She holds a BA in Communication Science from the University of South Africa (2016) and specialises in digital storytelling and feature writing. She has completed advanced professional training in media and innovation, including the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course, multiple Google News Initiative programmes, Thomson Reuters AI Adoption Training, and the WAN-IFRA Women in News leadership programme. For enquiries, contact maryn.blignaut@briefly.co.za

1173 articles published since 30 Oct 2017

Author's articles

Celebrated in August, buried in September: Women’s Month honours women, the rest of the year must protect them

Celebrated in August, buried in September: Women’s Month honours women, the rest of the year must protect them

Opinion

10 days ago

SA's John-Marc van Wyk Takes on Max Verstappen in 'Max vs 100' Karting Race at Silverstone

SA's John-Marc van Wyk Takes on Max Verstappen in 'Max vs 100' Karting Race at Silverstone

Sports

23 days ago

Top 10 most valuable South African coins (with images and infographic)

Top 10 most valuable South African coins (with images and infographic)

Top Lists

29 days ago

Pam the Paddock Princess: SA content creator steers more women into F1

Pam the Paddock Princess: SA content creator steers more women into F1

Women Empowerment

2 months ago

Meet Emma-Rose Dowling, the 15-year-old South African racer making history in the F1 Academy

Meet Emma-Rose Dowling, the 15-year-old South African racer making history in the F1 Academy

Women Empowerment

2 months ago

Hippo's new advert proves Dricus du Plessis can land punchlines as well as punches

Hippo's new advert proves Dricus du Plessis can land punchlines as well as punches

People

2 months ago

Dubai Summer Surprises 2026 returns with 60 days of deals, concerts and family fun

Dubai Summer Surprises 2026 returns with 60 days of deals, concerts and family fun

World

3 months ago

Experience Dubai Summer Surprises 2026 from 2 July to 30 August: enjoy 90% discounts, family fun, and a chance to win a home in Dubai! Don’t miss the excitement!

Young people missing out on land reform benefits despite restitution progress, expert warns

Young people missing out on land reform benefits despite restitution progress, expert warns

Politics

3 months ago

Young people face structural barriers in land reform despite progress. Peter Setou urges for inclusive support to unlock youth participation and success stories.

Mrs Supranational South Africa 2026 crowns new queens at glamorous grand finale

Mrs Supranational South Africa 2026 crowns new queens at glamorous grand finale

Women Empowerment

3 months ago

Samantha Carelse was crowned Mrs Supranational South Africa 2026 at a glamorous finale, celebrating diverse women making impactful contributions to society.

Grade 7 Northcliff girl selected for SA U14 indoor netball squad, eyes 2027 World Cup

Grade 7 Northcliff girl selected for SA U14 indoor netball squad, eyes 2027 World Cup

Sports

3 months ago

Ziya Visser, a Grade 7 student from Reddford House Northcliff, is selected for the SA U14 Indoor Netball Squad, aiming for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Eastern Cape entrepreneur turns ancient bone broth tradition into rural jobs for women

Eastern Cape entrepreneur turns ancient bone broth tradition into rural jobs for women

Women Empowerment

3 months ago

Phumeza Stuurman, a 46-year-old entrepreneur, transforms discarded animal bones into nutrient-rich bone broth, empowering rural women and youth in East London.

Takealot More vs Amazon Prime: Comparing South Africa's online shopping subscriptions

Takealot More vs Amazon Prime: Comparing South Africa's online shopping subscriptions

Business and Economy

3 months ago

Amazon Prime's launch in South Africa introduces exclusive Prime Day deals, streaming, and gaming; how does it stack up against TakealotMORE's local perks?

Nicky Oppenheimer ranked as Africa's 4th richest person with an estimated net worth of R174.7 billion in 2026

Nicky Oppenheimer ranked as Africa's 4th richest person with an estimated net worth of R174.7 billion in 2026

Money

3 months ago

South African billionaire Nicky Oppenheimer ranks fourth in Africa's 2026 Forbes list, with a net worth of $10.6 billion and a legacy of philanthropy.

Weather Forecast: Another upper air system brings cold vibes to parts of SA

Weather Forecast: Another upper air system brings cold vibes to parts of SA

South Africa

3 months ago

South Africa braces for cool to cold temperatures this week, with Gauteng and the North West facing isolated showers as a weather system sweeps across the region.

23-year-old South African developer builds Crime Alert app to improve crime awareness

Exclusive

23-year-old South African developer builds Crime Alert app to improve crime awareness

Cars and Tech

3 months ago

Meet Sphephelo Mabena, a young developer who's tackled crime with his app Crime Alert, empowering South Africans to track incidents and enhance community safety.

Maryn Blignaut