Tears flowed at the memorial service of late media veteran Jermaine Craig on Thursday in Soweto, Gauteng.
The 47-year-old former editor of the Cape Argus, Independent Media executive, and media manager for the 2010 World Cup died suddenly after collapsing at the gym on Monday.
The memorial was hosted by Kaizer Chiefs at the Presidential Suite at the FNB Stadium.
Programme director, sports journalist, and radio and TV presenter, Robert Marawa described Craig as a man of compassion, filled with humility, a man who lived for his family and someone who was dedicated to his craft.
Family, friends, and colleagues were told Craig was a massive supporter of Liverpool, Kaizer Chiefs, and Bafana Bafana.
The line-up of speakers included former and current colleagues, friends and partner and even a representative from the NBA, the US basketball league and La Liga, the Spanish football league.
All shared the sentiment of his amazing smile, his love for sport, his humility and dedication for his craft.
He was also described as a mentor who took many under his wing and his love for nicknames was laughed about. Everyone described a special name he had given them.
President of the South African Football Association (Safa), Danny Jordaan described Craig as a man full of life.
Jordaan spoke highly of his time working alongside Craig as the country prepped for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
“Jermaine is someone who changed the perception of this country to the world. I have had many interactions with Jermaine even before the World Cup. Jermaine is a journalist with no vendetta or malice against the next person. His journalistic integrity was without question. It was never headlines over his reader,” Jordaan said.
He described Craig’s journalistic ethics as beyond measure.
“Jermaine had true humanity. He knew ubuntu in his bones,” Jordaan said.
He also gave a message to Craig’s sons, Matthew and Christian: “Your father created a better world for you. One with more opportunities. One with more possibilities. A history you can be proud of. Stand tall, knowing you are Jermaine Craig’s son”.
Craig was a seasoned journalist and media and communications professional, having begun his career as a general news reporter at the Cape Argus in 1995.
He would later move to The Star, where he became a sports journalist in 1999 and won the football writer of the year award the following year, in 2000.
During his time on the sports desk, Craig covered the Summer Olympic Games in Sydney and Athens and the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
He would later become the news editor of The Star, night editor and executive editor.
As South Africa prepared to host the 2010 World Cup, Craig joined the Local Organising Committee as its communications and media manager, and following the successful staging of the World Cup, he moved to South African Tourism as its global communications manager.
In 2013, he returned to Cape Town and the Independent Media Group when he took up the role of Cape Argus editor.
He then served as the executive for brand marketing at Independent Media after his tenure as editor of the Cape Argus.
In 2018, Craig founded his own media firm, Craig Communications.
His funeral service will take place on Saturday, December 9, at the Bryanston Methodist Church at 115 Grosvenor Road in Bryanston, Johannesburg from 9am to 12pm.
A memorial service will also be held in Cape Town on Wednesday, December 13, at the St. George’s Cathedral at 5 Wale Street in Cape Town from 6pm to 8pm.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL