[Submitted via press release]
SABC ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT OF RIAAN CRUYWAGEN
Veteran Afrikaans Television (TV) news presenter, Riaan Cruywagen (67) has informed the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) of his desire to retire. Cruywagen has been a familiar face in our Afrikaans news programme for the past 37 years.
After anchoring more than 7000 TV news broadcasts, and spending even more evenings at work during a broadcasting career spanning 47 years on radio and television, Cruywagen now looks forward to catching up on quality time with his wife and family.
Head of News and Current Affairs (Acting), Mr. Jimi Matthews said: “Riaan has throughout the years been a valued member of our news team. He has contributed immensely to the success of our Afrikaans news. We are quite fortunate to have had a man of his calibre serve us loyally for the past 47 years. We wish him well in all his future endeavours.”
As the longest serving TV news anchor in South Africa, Cruywagen feels the time has come to give the younger presenters a chance to hone their skills in the chair that he now wishes to vacate.
“I have served the entire South African public to the very best of my ability as a TV newscaster during the past 37 years,” he said. “My decision was not taken lightly. As a professional career broadcaster I always remained loyal to the SABC, irrespective of who was in charge.
"I have spent 47 wonderful and unforgettable years at the SABC, the first 10 years of which as a radio announcer, and will always remain extremely grateful to the corporation for having given me the opportunity to follow a most satisfying career in broadcasting, my first love and passion.”
Cruywagen read his very first TV news bulletin on 26 November 1975 during the test transmission period. The SABC has granted his request to bid the nation farewell exactly 37 years later to the day, by presenting his last TV news bulletin on SABC2 at 19:00 on Monday, 26 November 2012.