Death of veteran media activist

LONG-TIME unionist, activist and “true servant of the people”, Ronald “Bernie” Bernickow died on Monday.

Tireless in his efforts to serve with “fairness”, Bernickow, who was a Media Workers’ Association of South Africa (Mwasa) organiser and a determined activist during the dark days of apartheid, when the press was severely crippled by state of emergency laws, was recently appointed as the public representative on the Western Cape Chapter of Independent Media’s Ombud Appeals Panel.

Yesterday, Independent Media Executive chairman Dr Iqbal Survé said he was “deeply saddened by Bernickow’s passing and that “Many Struggle journalists will remember him as a tough trade unionist, who stood by what he believed in”.

“There was not much Ronald would not, or could not do,” said Survé.

Independent Media Ombudsman Jovial Rantao said the office of the ombudsman was deeply saddened by the loss of Bernickow who was “an astute man, a consummate professional, a loving father and a lifelong activist for truth and fairness”.

Fellow panellist Rich Mkhondo described Bernickow as a “man with a big heart. A gentle giant who has left so many memories.” Bernickow had also served as the CCMA national senior commissioner for operations