S02 E10 Mandy Wiener

--:--
Mandy Wiener is a superstar of South African journalism. Currently the presenter of the Midday Report on 702, Mandy is the award-winning author of Killing Kebble, Behind the Door: The Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp Story, Ministry of Crime, The Whistleblowers, and more.

Mandy joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how the first idea she ever pitched to a publisher was rejected, but the second was enthusiastically accepted. She describes how she wrote that book in three months, and regularly produces ten thousand words a week when she is writing.

Mandy traces her early enthusiasm for the written word back to her Polokwane High School and the incredible English teachers she encountered there. She tells us what it was like to be accused of being a 'brand journalist' when her name first became known, and how it is the actual journalism that still attracts her.

Gail asks Mandy whether she ever feels afraid while investigating the South African underworld, and Fiona asks how she manages to keep a distance from her sources while still getting them to trust her.

For more details about the books, movies, series, and podcasts that are discussed on the show, sign up for our weekly newsletter.

Fiona and Gail would love to hear from you! Please join the conversation on our socials.
20 Nov 2023 English South Africa Books · Arts

Other recent episodes

S04 E03 Nthikeng Mohlele

Nthikeng Mohlele is a prolific and critically acclaimed author of multiple novels and short stories - most recently 'Revolutionaries' House'. His novel 'Breasts' has just been shortlisted for the UJ Prize for Fiction. Nthikeng joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how music informs his fiction and how…
23 Sep 57 min

S04 E02 Shubnum Khan

Shubnum Khan is the author of the novel ONION TEARS which has recently been rereleased in paperback. She also wrote the collection of essays HOW I ACCIDENTALLY BECAME A GLOBAL STOCK PHOTO and the internationally successful novel THE LOST LOVE OF AKBAR MANZIL. Shubnum joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel…
16 Sep 1 hour

S04 E01 Barbara Boswell

Barbara Boswell is a distinguished academic and novelist whose latest work THE COMRADE'S WIFE has taken the literary world by storm. Barbara was a visiting fellow at Oxford University earlier this year where she conducted research in preparation for future life writing. Barbara joined Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to…
9 Sep 1 hr 04 min

S03 E10 Ivan Vladislavic

Ivan Vladislavic is a multi-award winning author, editor, and professor of creative writing. His new memoir The Near North is available now. Ivan joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how not having grown up in Johannesburg has made him more curious about the city and how the…
20 May 1 hr 09 min

S03 E09 Lynn Joffe

Lynn Joffe is a copywriter, a novelist, a short story writer, and an author of children's books. She is the author of the critically acclaimed picaresque novel, The Gospel According to Wanda B. Lazarus, published by Modjaji Books. Lynn joins Fiona Snyckers and Gail Schimmel to talk about how she…
13 May 54 min