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

1172 articles published since 30 Oct 2017

Author's articles

Former convict turns to politics, dreams of restoring community he destroyed

Former convict turns to politics, dreams of restoring community he destroyed

People

4 years ago

Business legends: 3 Black entrepreneurs who became successful during apartheid

Business legends: 3 Black entrepreneurs who became successful during apartheid

People

4 years ago

I have been to heaven 4 times - Pastor claims with full vim in video

I have been to heaven 4 times - Pastor claims with full vim in video

Africa

4 years ago

Single Mum Abandoned by Baby Daddy Starts Initiative that Provides Fellow Women with Motherhood Essentials

Single Mum Abandoned by Baby Daddy Starts Initiative that Provides Fellow Women with Motherhood Essentials

US

4 years ago

Hungry for success: Man takes job hunting to another level as he distributes resume on the streets

Hungry for success: Man takes job hunting to another level as he distributes resume on the streets

US

4 years ago

R. Kelly’s Cellmate Creates Comic Book Depicting Their Lives in Prison, Doing Yoga

R. Kelly’s Cellmate Creates Comic Book Depicting Their Lives in Prison, Doing Yoga

World

4 years ago

Snapchat virtual party: Lady gets many reacting as she hosts party that costs R250 to watch online

Snapchat virtual party: Lady gets many reacting as she hosts party that costs R250 to watch online

Africa

4 years ago

A beautiful lady by the name, Abena Marie has got many talking as she sends out invitations for a virtual party with her friends that costs R250 to watch.....

Young man shares video as he escapes being sold fake iPhone 13 for R4k at computer village

Young man shares video as he escapes being sold fake iPhone 13 for R4k at computer village

US

4 years ago

A young man has shared how he narrowly escaped being scammed with a fake phone at a computer village. He was to be sold an iPhone 13 Pro Max for R4 000 only.

Kanye West pleads with Drake to put beef aside, join him on stage

Kanye West pleads with Drake to put beef aside, join him on stage

US

4 years ago

Kanye West is planning to hold a Free Larry Hoover concert on December 7 in LA. The rapper urged Drake to join him and share the two biggest albums of 2021.

Will Smith Impresses Fans After Climbing to The Top of Burj Khalifa for His New You Tube Show

Will Smith Impresses Fans After Climbing to The Top of Burj Khalifa for His New You Tube Show

US

4 years ago

Will Smith successfully walked up the over one hundred floors as his cardio workout on the day he summited the erection. His fans were impressed by the move.

She's old enough to be my grandma, but I love her; 24-year-old man married to 61-year-old woman says in video

She's old enough to be my grandma, but I love her; 24-year-old man married to 61-year-old woman says in video

US

4 years ago

A 24-year-old man married to a 61-year-old woman has stated that inspite of the wide age gap between them their love each other so much. He first asked her out.

Vin Diesel Appeals to the Rock to Return for Fast 10: “My Little Brother Dwayne”

Vin Diesel Appeals to the Rock to Return for Fast 10: “My Little Brother Dwayne”

US

4 years ago

Vin Diesel reminded Dwayne The Rock Johnson that they are friends and send each other best wishes on holiday. Vin said it would help him to fulfil a promise.

Lucky man uses R2.44 to win R479k in sports betting; his account gets deleted & restored

Lucky man uses R2.44 to win R479k in sports betting; his account gets deleted & restored

Africa

4 years ago

Kofi Barnes, a young man in Ghana was able to turn R2.44 into R479 000 through sports betting. He shared the story on Twitter and many people are reacting.

Man builds big fine aeroplane car, drives it on the road confidently, video goes viral and wows many people

Man builds big fine aeroplane car, drives it on the road confidently, video goes viral and wows many people

World

4 years ago

A talented man has built a big plane car. His creation is 32ft long and is driven on roads only that it has some unique body parts. It took 6 months to build.

Drew Binsky: Famous YouTuber celebrates visiting all countries in the world

Drew Binsky: Famous YouTuber celebrates visiting all countries in the world

US

4 years ago

30 year old American travel blogger Drew Binsky was exhilarated after travelling to all the countries in the world. It took him 10 years to complete the quest.

Maryn Blignaut