Nigel Bruce (journalist)

Nigel Strathearn Bruce (born 30 November 1942)[1] is a South African journalist and politician best known as the former editor of the Financial Mail. He later represented the Democratic Party (DP) and Democratic Alliance (DA) in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2004, serving the Gauteng constituency.

Nigel Bruce
Member of the National Assembly
In office
June 1999 – April 2004
ConstituencyGauteng
Personal details
Born
Nigel Strathearn Bruce

(1942-11-30) 30 November 1942
CitizenshipSouth Africa
Political party

Career in journalism

Bruce worked at the FM for over two decades and as its editor for 11 years.[2][3] Sanlam named him Financial Journalist of the Year in 1980,[4] and he was awarded the Free Market Foundation's Free Market Award – for his "campaigning for economic and personal liberty" – in 1996.[5]

In mid-1996, Bruce denied reports that he was involved in an attempted takeover of a rival magazine, Finance Week.[6] However, in November that year, he resigned from the FM shortly after one of his columnists, David Gleason, became the major shareholder of Finance Week.[3] According to Bruce, his already tense relationship with the management of the Times Media Group, FM's stable, became untenable after he allowed Gleason to write a farewell column in the FM despite objections from management.[2] His departure from FM was not cordial, and he was openly critical of the board and management at the Times Media Group and its owner, Johnnic Holdings.[2][7][8] He was succeeded as editor by Peter Bruce (no relation).[9]

Later in November, Bruce became the editor of Finance Week, as well as a shareholder.[2] After the magazine was bought by Naspers, he was also appointed to edit a sister publication, Finansies & Tegniek.[10] He resigned from both positions in February 1999.[10]

Political career

After resigning as editor, Bruce announced that he would stand as a candidate for the DP in the 1999 general election.[11][12] He was elected to a seat in the National Assembly, representing the Gauteng constituency.[1] After the DP formally launched the DA, a multi-party coalition in opposition, in 2000, Bruce was appointed as the DA's spokesman on trade and industry.[13] He was also a member of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts;[14] in April 2002, he was nominated for the chairmanship of the committee but lost in a vote to the New National Party's Francois Beukman.[15] He left Parliament after the 2004 general election, in which he was placed in an unelectable position on the DA's party list.[16]

At the DA's federal congress in November 2004, Bruce and Sheila Camerer were awarded the party's annual award for fundraising efforts.[17] He later served as chairperson of the DA's international ancillary, the DA Abroad, until 2021.[18]

References
  1. "General Notice: Notice 1319 of 1999 – Electoral Commission: Representatives Elected to the Various Legislatures" (PDF). Government Gazette of South Africa. Vol. 408, no. 20203. Pretoria, South Africa: Government of South Africa. 11 June 1999. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  2. "Bruce: Pulling no punches". The Mail & Guardian. 29 November 1996. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  3. "The race is on for Financial Mail post". The Mail & Guardian. 22 November 1996. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  4. "Past Winners". Sanlam. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  5. "Our History". Free Market Foundation. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  6. "Bruce denies claims of bid for magazine". The Mail & Guardian. 18 July 1996. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  7. "Finance Week hits back". The Mail & Guardian. 14 March 1997. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  8. "Finance guru in extortion row". The Mail & Guardian. 7 March 1997. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  9. Bruce, Peter (24 October 2019). "PETER BRUCE: My first week as FM editor was a baptism of fire". Business Day. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  10. "Nigel Bruce resigns". The Mail & Guardian. 23 February 1999. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  11. "Making a mockery of democracy". The Mail & Guardian. 9 April 1999. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  12. McGreal, Chris (21 May 1999). "The politician who sells absolution". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  13. "DA appoints joint parly spokespersons". News24. 23 August 2000. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  14. "Troubled Scopa loses another". News24. 8 March 2002. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  15. "New Scopa chair a 'lackey'". News24. 25 April 2002. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  16. Pressly, Donwald (26 January 2004). "DA's list drops Taljaard". News24. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  17. "DA faces shake-up". News24. 20 November 2004. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  18. "New blood elected to lead the DA Abroad". Democratic Alliance. 2 September 2021. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
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