Val Boje Photo: Facebook/Roy Devenish
Val Boje was a ‘most professional and dedicated journalist’
‘We have lost one of the most professional and dedicated journalists. She understood that at times media and government need to collaborate’
Val Boje Photo: Facebook/Roy Devenish
Tributes have poured in for veteran South African journalist and chairperson of the National Press Club (NPC), Val Boje, who died on Monday morning.
The NPC said in a statement that it was shocked to learn of Boje’s “untimely passing”.
“The National Press Club executive and its members have learned with shock of the sudden passing of its chairperson Val Boje after a short hospitalisation. She passed away in the hospital in Pretoria on Monday morning, having undergone a minor heart procedure,” the NPC said.
At the time of her death, she was part of the team organising the annual Percy Qoboza Memorial Lecture to be held on 19 October, Black Wednesday.
NPC general manager Jos Charle said Boje had brought her experience and wide network of contacts to enhance the activities of the club.
“Having been colleagues for more than 25 years, I came to know Val as a passionate, professional person who threw her all being into whatever she was assigned to do. This is indeed a profound loss,” Charle said.
“The NPC would like to offer condolences to her husband, Roy Devenish, son John, daughter-in-law Carli, daughter Christine , both of whom are overseas, her doting parents, her grandchildren and to the members of the National Press Club,” the NPC said.
Government Communication and Information Services (GCIS) department spokesperson Phuma Williams said in a statement that the government joined the media and communications sector in mourning Boje’s death.
“GCIS wishes to express its condolences to her family, friends, colleagues in the media and communication sector as well as the National Press Club members. The GCIS worked closely with Val in both her previous role as the editor of the Pretoria News as well as the chairperson of the National Press Club,” Williams said.
“We have lost one of the most professional and dedicated journalists. She understood that at times media and government need to collaborate in order to better serve the people of South Africa and she was always ready to do that. May her departed soul rest in peace,” Williams said.
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