Profile of Trevor Ncube, the courageous African voice of freedom

Trevor Ncube is the owner and publisher of his home country’s remaining independent newspapers the Standard and the Zimbabwean Independent.

He was awarded the prize for his fight for freedom, human rights, democracy and independent journalism in Zimbabwe and in broader Africa.

According to the German Africa Foundation, which was established 30 years ago to strengthen relations between Germany and Africa, Ncube is “a strong and courageous African voice of freedom who speaks loud and never capitulates to political pressure, intimidation and violence of the regime in Zimbabwe”.

Ncube was born in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. He holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in Economic History from the University of Zimbabwe.

He was a teacher at Pumula High School in the early 1980s. He later became a Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Zimbabwe.

In 1989 Trevor Ncube became assistant editor at The Financial Gazette and was named its executive editor in 1991.

In 2002, Ncube became the owner of the Mail & Guardian He currently publishes South Africa‘s Mail & Guardian weekly newspaper, part of The Guardian group of newspapers and in Zimbabwe, sister publications The Zimbabwe Independent, The Sunday Standard and NewsDay.

Ncube is currently the Chief Executive of the three independent weeklies, the only private and critical newspapers still published in Zimbabwe.

Mr. Trevor Ncube served as the Chairman and President of Print Media South Africa and the Newspaper Association of South Africa.

He also served as an Independent Non Executive Director of MoneyWeb Holdings Ltd. since December 2008 until October 31, 2013.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded Ncube its annual award “for his role in providing Zimbabweans with alternative platforms for critical, alternative views on social, economic and political issues in 2012.

He also received the illustrious German African Award 2008.