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

1170 articles published since 30 Oct 2017

Author's articles

5 Facts about Professor Peller, the magician who ‘cut’ his wife into 2 on stage

5 Facts about Professor Peller, the magician who ‘cut’ his wife into 2 on stage

World

4 years ago

My future wife is covered, I will be her maid; man says, flexes cooking skills

My future wife is covered, I will be her maid; man says, flexes cooking skills

World

4 years ago

Talented young barber makes it in life, gives Burna Boy fine haircut, photos go viral

Talented young barber makes it in life, gives Burna Boy fine haircut, photos go viral

World

4 years ago

Abushe: The boy, 14, with adorable natural blue eyes everyone is talking about

Abushe: The boy, 14, with adorable natural blue eyes everyone is talking about

World

4 years ago

Ex-wives of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos donate R571m to women rights organisations

Ex-wives of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos donate R571m to women rights organisations

World

4 years ago

Lady, 23, who refused to lose weight for men finds love with personal trainer

Lady, 23, who refused to lose weight for men finds love with personal trainer

World

4 years ago

Rebecca Essuman: Graduate who obtained 8As receives scholarship to study nursing

Rebecca Essuman: Graduate who obtained 8As receives scholarship to study nursing

World

4 years ago

A brilliant young lady by the name of Rebecca Essuman has been awarded a Getfund Scholarship after obtaining a good 8As in the West African Certificate Exams

Saginaw Grant: Breaking Bad, The Lone Ranger actor dies at 85

Saginaw Grant: Breaking Bad, The Lone Ranger actor dies at 85

World

4 years ago

Saginaw Grant, the Native American character actor, was known for his roles in big films and also his firm believe in his traditions. He was a fan of dancing.

Tokyo 2020: First transgender weightlifter crashes out of Olympics after 3 failed attempts

Tokyo 2020: First transgender weightlifter crashes out of Olympics after 3 failed attempts

World

4 years ago

Transgender weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is out of the Olympics after three failed attempts in Tokyo. She became the first transgender Olympic athlete, Sport Bib

Students cause commotion on campus, leave graduation in limo in viral video

Students cause commotion on campus, leave graduation in limo in viral video

World

4 years ago

Students from Bingham university in the city of Abuja caused a huge stir on campus as they signed out in grand style. They were driven out in a white limousine.

Man who was embarrassed by his father's job reveals how old man sacrificed a lot for him, celebrates dad

Man who was embarrassed by his father's job reveals how old man sacrificed a lot for him, celebrates dad

World

4 years ago

A man in the United States, Ilya Klets, has celebrated his Uber driver dad online after finally appreciating the man's job which he used to be so ashamed of.

Unemployed mom bags R158 million lotto Powerball after buying R15 ticket

Unemployed mom bags R158 million lotto Powerball after buying R15 ticket

People

4 years ago

An unemployed North West mom has come forward to claim the R158 million Powerball jackpot winnings and the lucky lady already has plans for spending the cash.

Yusuf Bilesanmi: Man behind the invention of a ventilator that doesn't use electricity

Yusuf Bilesanmi: Man behind the invention of a ventilator that doesn't use electricity

World

4 years ago

A 37-year-old man has led the invention of a ventilator that doesn't use electricity to function. Yusuf Bilesanmi's invention is also simple to use and operate.

Car wash guy drives client's Benz GLC to buy food, crashes it beyond repair

Car wash guy drives client's Benz GLC to buy food, crashes it beyond repair

World

4 years ago

A young car wash guy has landed in trouble after bashing a client's car he reportedly took to buy eba and ewedu. The video has gone viral on social media.

Viral video shows lady, 18, washing tankers to support her studies

Viral video shows lady, 18, washing tankers to support her studies

World

4 years ago

A young female student has sent social media into frenzy after a clip showing her hustle surfaced online. The 18-year-old washes tanker to support her studies.

Maryn Blignaut