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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Lady bags awards as she emerges best graduating student of her faculty, shares adorable photos

Lady bags awards as she emerges best graduating student of her faculty, shares adorable photos

World

4 years ago

A young Nigerian lady identified as Cynthia Okoye has made herself and family proud after emerging as the best graduating student of UNILAG's Faculty of Arts.

Kind man cooks 50 plates of rice and chicken every week, feeds homeless

Kind man cooks 50 plates of rice and chicken every week, feeds homeless

World

4 years ago

An old man, Brian, gives himself so much to the act of goodwill. He takes food out to people and ensures 50 of them get a quality meal. He does this weekly.

Man spoils his grandma on birthday, takes her for a ride in R2m BMW sports car, video causes stir

Man spoils his grandma on birthday, takes her for a ride in R2m BMW sports car, video causes stir

World

4 years ago

A man celebrated his grandmother's birthday in a special way. The singer identified as Canaan Nyathi took the old woman for a ride in his R2.16m BMW i8 car.

Beautiful lady, 24, discovers her colleague is the biological dad she had been looking for

Beautiful lady, 24, discovers her colleague is the biological dad she had been looking for

World

4 years ago

A beautiful young lady named Amy found out that a man who has been working with her in the same organization is her long lost dad Will Russell of 24 years.

Baby’s cute reaction while watching a clip of herself goes viral

Baby’s cute reaction while watching a clip of herself goes viral

World

4 years ago

An adorable video making rounds on social media has captured the moment a crying baby stopped wailing and burst into laughter upon seeing a video of herself.

Arsenal ready to offer Premier League rivals 2 stars in exchange for versatile midfielder

Arsenal ready to offer Premier League rivals 2 stars in exchange for versatile midfielder

World

4 years ago

Arsenal have stepped up their bid to land Leicester midfielder James Maddison and could offer the Foxes the pair of Reiss Nelson and Ainsley Maitland-Niles.

Chelsea star backed to win Ballon d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Chelsea star backed to win Ballon d'Or ahead of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

World

4 years ago

Jorginho is a clear frontrunner for the Ballon d'Or award after a stellar 2020/21 season. The midfielder won the Champions League and the European championship.

Wayne Rooney rates Man United’s title chances ahead of the new season

Wayne Rooney rates Man United’s title chances ahead of the new season

World

4 years ago

Manchester United came close to challenging for the Premier League title last season but lost the race to rivals City. United finished second with 74 points.

Maryn Blignaut