Close-up with Devi Sankaree

AWARD-winning investigative journalist and popular MC Devi Sankaree Govender is best known for her 18-year stint on TV programme Carte Blanche.

Devi’s passion for investigative journalism has seen her work on many stories that went on to make headlines.

These include corruption at the Medical University of SA, Robert Mugabe’s “Operation Murumbatsvina” campaign, Nkandla and the Oscar Pistorius trial.

She’s also featured on local TV programme Eastern Mosaic and had a stint at Lotus FM.

The 46-year-old has just launched a new show, Devi, which will be shown on e.tv and eNCA every Friday night. You are able to take on any South African celebrity in a 12-round boxing match. Who do you choose?

Riaan Cruywagen. He is genuinely a nice guy who would never swing a punch at me. That’s called strategy. Growing up, who was your celebrity crush?

Aah! That’s easy. Magnum PI (Tom Selleck). Something about his dimples, the moustache, that beautiful Ferrari and that thing he did with his eyebrows… Is there anything that keeps you up at night?

Mosquitoes in summer. My husband’s perpetual snoring. Your top three lockdown activities include?

Yelling at my children to clean up their rooms. Bugging my son to get on with his online schoolwork. Potty training my two SPCA thugs. Does Devi Sankaree Govender ever get intimidated?

Generally, I don’t get intimidated in a hurry, but there is this one thing – narrow driveways. True story. It’s the weirdest thing. Your dream job growing up was?

First, I wanted to be a private investigator, just like Nancy Drew and Magnum. Then, when I was 15, I decided I wanted to be an investigative journalist. The meal that most reminds you of your childhood is?

My late mum’s mutton breyani with amasi. If you grew up in KwaZulu-Natal, you will get this. Tell us about the most dangerous situation you’ve been in?

Dangerous situations are par for the course in this job. But the first time I got klapped was in 2005 when I, together with our crew, was locked up and beaten up in an appliance repair shop in Durban.