Jordaan started his journalism career at Die Burger in 1999. That same year he was promoted to Die Burger’s parliamentary reporter and later to political reporter in the provincial legislature. In 2005, he was appointed political editor for Die Burger and deputy editor in 2009. He has been acting editor of the newspaper since January this year. He follows in the footsteps of Bun Booyens, who announced in December that he will be retiring from the post in March. Booyens, who was appointed in 2010, led Die Burger into its centenary year.
Jordaan says he is excited by the opportunity to take a century-old brand into the future. “Even more so with a competent team that cares deeply about their community. While Die Burger and Netwerk24 already play leading roles in the transition to digital news, a newspaper like Die Burger still has an important position in the ecosystem of relevant quality journalism. I look forward to serving our readers exceptional journalism with a brand that is a member of so many Afrikaans households,” he says.
Johanna van Eeden, editor-in-chief of Media24’s Afrikaans dailies, says Booyens is handing over the reins to Jordaan at one of the most interesting times in the history of this newspaper. “We’re experiencing a transitional phase in the media industry with the migration of readers from print to digital platforms. I believe Willem is the right person to lead the editorial team and readers of Die Burger through this period. He understands the DNA of Die Burger – a newspaper with a strong regional character, in service of its readers. At the same time, he is part of a new generation of editors who understand and grab the challenges and opportunities of a digital world,” she says.
Jordaan is an alumnus of Stellenbosch University, where he acquired a BA degree in political science and philosophy, a BA Hons degree in philosophy (cum laude), a Hons B.Phil in journalism and a M.Phil in journalism (cum laude).