Born: 1953 (East London, South Africa)
Biography:
Gwen Lister (born 5 December 1953 in East London, South Africa) is a prominent Namibian journalist, publisher, and anti-apartheid activist. With a steadfast commitment to press freedom, Lister has fearlessly endured numerous challenges and made significant contributions to the field of journalism in Namibia.
Growing up under the oppressive apartheid system, Lister developed a deep-rooted desire to combat it. She concluded that South West Africa (now Namibia) would be a more effective battleground than South Africa. In 1975, after attending the University of Cape Town and obtaining a bachelor’s degree, she embarked on her journalistic career as a political correspondent for Namibia’s Windhoek Advertiser.
Lister’s unwavering dedication to independent reporting led her to face interference from her editors at the Windhoek Advertiser, which ultimately prompted her departure. In 1978, she teamed up with fellow journalist Hannes Smith to establish the independent weekly newspaper, Windhoek Observer. As the political editor, Lister aimed to humanize SWAPO (South West Africa People’s Organization), Namibia’s liberation movement, by showcasing their true nature and dispelling the government’s propaganda labelling them as terrorists and threats.
Having voiced critiques against South Africa’s apartheid practices in Namibia, Lister became a target of the government’s ire. As a consequence, the Windhoek Observer was banned in May 1984 after Lister reported on Namibian independence talks in Zambia. Despite successfully appealing the ban to the Publications Appeal Board, Lister’s demotion by the Observer’s management and subsequent walkout of the newspaper’s staff led to her resignation.
Following her resignation, Lister worked as a freelancer for BBC News and Capital Radio 604 in South Africa. In December 1984, she exposed a document authorizing South African authorities to intercept her mail. This courageous act resulted in her arrest and a week-long detention under the Official Secrets Act. The Austrian-based International Press Institute (IPI) condemned her arrest as a blatant attempt to impede her from establishing a new paper. Lister was further subjected to constant police surveillance, requiring her to report three times a week and surrender her passport.
Undeterred by these challenges, Lister founded a new independent newspaper called The Namibian in August 1985. Her unwavering commitment to exposing human rights abuses by South African forces garnered renewed anger from the government, resulting in an advertising boycott by the white business community. Lister’s courageous journalism further earned her a confrontation with the authorities when she challenged a ban preventing The Namibian from publishing a photograph of a deceased insurgent tied to an armored personnel carrier in 1987.
In a chilling revelation, a mercenary from the Civil Cooperation Bureau, a South African government hit squad, confessed in 1991 to being tasked with poisoning Lister. This shocking revelation highlighted the immense risks she faced while pursuing the truth. The Namibian office endured numerous attacks, including shootings, tear gas incidents, and a firebombing in 1988 conducted by an Afrikaner vigilante group known as the White Wolves.
Throughout her career, Lister remained resolute in her pursuit of truth and relentlessly fought for press freedom and democracy in Namibia. Her enduring dedication made an indelible impact on society and inspired countless journalists to follow in her footsteps.
Awards:
– 1993: Press Freedom Hero award from the International Press Institute (IPI)
– 2012: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Namibian Editors’ Forum
– 2014: Southern African Media Institute Award for Excellence in Journalism
– 2020: Namibia’s Presidential Order of Honour for Brave Conduct