Biography: Marlan Padayachee

Marlan Padayachee is a seasoned journalist, photojournalist and independent commentator, analyst and writer in politics and socio-economic issues, with 30 years experience in the print media, having been Political & Foreign Correspondent at Independent Newspapers and Sunday Times (South Africa) before becoming a freelance journalist and media practitioner in 2003. He is based in Durban, on the east coast of South Africa, and runs GreenGold Africa, a media & communications consultancy. His contribution to journalism, involvement in media labour unions and media training and skills development earned him two major international awards, the British Council Fellow, which provided him with a sabbatical year at City University’s Graduate School of Journalism (1988-89), and the International Visitor’s (IV) sponsored by the United States Information Services (1996); and the highlight of his writing career has been covering President Nelson Mandela’s State Visit to India in 1995 for Independent Newspapers’ South African newspapers. He presently writes for Juluka (USA), Ubuntu Africa, Indian Annual and provides news and feature stories and photographs to the print and electronic media in South Africa.

Marlan Padayachee continues to work as an international freelance journalist, media & communications strategist and media adviser: he has an inside track of the South Africa print and electronic media and consults for the public and private sectors, including city councils, provincial and national government departments and several gilt-edged corporate companies and BEE and SMME firms, and as well as tertiary and academic institutions.