Podcast exposing alleged child molester Breytenbach gets international nod

Johannesburg-based advertising copywriter Deon Wiggett has gained international recognition for his serialised podcast, My Only Story.

In November last year, Wiggett and News24 co-published My Only Story, in which Wiggett exposed Willem Breytenbach, a former Media24 executive, teacher and digital entrepreneur, as an alleged sexual predator.

In the early hours of Wednesday morning, it was announced that Wiggett’s My Only Story had won bronze in the Best Serialised Podcast category at the New York Festivals Radio Awards.

News24’s editor-in-chief Adriaan Basson and assistant editor for in-depth news Pieter du Toit are credited as editorial advisers.

The New York Festivals Radio Awards honours radio content in all lengths and formats and across all platforms from radio stations, networks and independent producers from around the globe.

Some of this year’s winners include British writer and actor Ricky Gervais, who was awarded bronze in the Best Regularly Scheduled Comedy Programme category; US comedian Amy Schumer, who won silver in the Comedy Podcast category; and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, which was in part narrated by US actress Elisabeth Moss and won gold in the Best Audio Book – Fiction category.

According to the New York Festivals, a global crisis could not prevent the Radio Awards Grand Jury from their commitment to judging world-class work. “Compelling podcasts and audiobooks, dramas, documentaries, breaking news coverage entertainment and music specials created by storytellers around the globe impressed judges.”

‘Delighted and humbled’

“New York Festivals also wanted to honour our commitment to honour the men and women of the creative community around the world whose work so impressed the Grand Juries this year by keeping to the original date of the storytellers gala even though we are all at home,” said Rose Anderson, vice-president and executive director of New York Festivals.

Speaking to News24 on Wednesday, Wiggett said he was “delighted and extremely humbled” by the acknowledgment.

“But what really comes with it is more people find out about the podcast, which is an act of activism,” said Wiggett.

“As an artist it’s nice in an indulgent way; but as an activist it is exceptionally satisfying. It’s a story that resonates with people – what more do you want?”

Wiggett said he is in the final stages of completing his book that will be published towards the end of this year.

Since the publication of the podcasts, Wiggett has found a number of Breytenbach’s alleged victims who have come forward to tell their stories.

Some of these claims of sexual abuse of minors took place while Breytenbach was a teacher at, among others, Grey College in Bloemfontein in 1989 and 1990. Others allegedly took place when Breytenbach was involved with a school newspaper project while in the employ of Media24.

Breytenbach currently faces charges of sexual assault and indecent assault and will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court again on 26 June.

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