#bct100years: Former editor sends wishes from Switzerland

Former City Times editor Elise (van der Berg) Bredenkamp writes (from Unterägeri, Switzerland):

The City Times is deeply ingrained in the history and the story of many of its residents, wherever we find ourselves in the world today.

I had the honour of being appointed the first female editor of the City Times – mainly, I suspect, due to my long service, which, in turn, was due to the intoxicatingly high levels of fun I had working in that newsroom.

I joined the paper in 1978 and left in 1992, having spent the tumultuous ’80s covering riots, uprisings, protests, a devastating bombing and countless city council meetings where the dream of a floating restaurant was, once again, discussed at, once again, some length.

Oh, there were many good news stories, too.

The town grew up and became a city, the children grew up and became champions and princesses and stars, the Bunny Park grew in popularity and Benoni never quite lived up to the Son of my Sorrow meaning of its name.

Instead, this city of lakes, this “Jewel of the East Rand” was a melting pot of cultures and a breeding ground of innovative ideas.

Both our daughters were born if not in the newsroom, then as a result of the somewhat close relationships forged in it.

One such relationship has led to a 34-year marriage to colleague Christo Bredenkamp that is happily still thriving.

We left Benoni to live in Botswana, Namibia, Cape Town and we now have one foot in Switzerland and one in France, but Benoni has never given up its hold on me.

The memories of the rumble of the printing press on a Thursday evening, and people queuing up in the wee hours of the following morning to get the latest edition before the ink had thoroughly dried are tattooed in my heart.

Happy birthday, City Times. You were good to me, and I thank you.