Elmarie Smit has been appointed Online Editor of Freight News, leading the publication’s daily coverage of developments affecting Southern Africa’s freight, trade and logistics sectors.
Smit moves across from Now Media’s energy publication, Energize, where she was responsible for its weekly news offering and monthly digital magazine.
She joined Now Media from agricultural media house Plaas Media with experience in news reporting, editorial management and broadcast journalism as well as a strong background in business-to-business (B2B) media.
In her new role, Smit will lead the daily Freight News service, delivering timely, authoritative journalism that provides meaningful insight into industry developments, strengthens the publication’s connections across the freight community and draws on a broad range of industry voices and expertise.
“Elmarie has proven herself to be a valuable member of the Now Media editorial team. She has demonstrated sound news judgement, strong editorial instincts and a willingness to immerse herself in the industries she covers,” says Now Media Editorial Director Natasha Schmidt.
Smit is joined by Journalist Melisa Ntephea, who has also moved across from Energize, and is supported by Senior Journalist Lyse Comins who has contributed to Freight News for more than 12 years.
The wider Freight News team has also expanded over the past year with the appointment of Jeemersan Govender and Natasha Grainger as Business Development Executives, strengthening the publication’s commercial capacity and industry relationships.
Freight News has served Southern Africa’s freight and trading community for more than 50 years, evolving from the weekly print publication Freight & Trading Weekly into a digital-first news platform. Its daily online reporting is complemented by in-depth weekly features compiled into a monthly print edition led by long-standing Features Editor Liesl Venter.
“Together, the Freight News team brings substantial journalistic and B2B publishing experience,” says Anton Marsh, MD of Now Media. “Freight News has built a strong and trusted position in the logistics community over more than five decades. This appointment marks an exciting new chapter for the title as we build on that success, strengthen our original journalism and pursue new opportunities for growth. As the freight and logistics landscape evolves, so too will Freight News, ensuring we remain an indispensable source of insight for the industry we serve.”
To contact Elmarie, email editor@freightnews.co.za.
