The Grubstreet website is reporting on an "apparent purge" at the Sunday Times, ahead of Phylicia Oppelt taking over as editor in March. This follows the recently announced departure of Ray Hartley as the editor of the newspaper, and the redeployment of deputy editor Mervin Meintjies to head up the Sunday World. According to Gill Moodie:

Two well-placed sources confirmed to Grubstreet that top hands being shown the door include columnist Fred Khumalo, Business Times editor Marcia Klein, national news editor Buddy Naidu, picture editor Darryl Hammond and Lee-Ann Alfreds, a senior staff member in sports....

The apparent purge of senior staff before Oppelt's arrival is an unusual one for a South African paper and more akin to the brutal changes that occur at British newspapers when a new editor arrives.

The full report can be read here....

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