Farewell to Gwen Gill

Columnist carved herself a place in the hearts of millions on Sunday Times readers

Tributes are pouring in for media icon and renowned Sunday Times social columnist Gwen Gill who died on Wednesday night aged 75.

Gill, who hobnobbed with queens, Oscar winners and sports stars, had been ill for a number of years with emphysema.

As news of her death spread, scores of local celebrities - including former Miss SA and Top Billing presenter, Jo-Anne Strauss, 5FM presenter Anele Mdoda and Evita Bezuidenhout - paid tribute to her on social networking site Twitter.

The feisty, fearless journalist got up the noses of many celebrities, including singer PJ Powers and Vodacom's "Mr Yebo Gogo", actor Michael de Pinna, while chronicling the lives of the rich and famous in her must-read column for 11 years.

Gill started working for the Sunday Times in 1971 as secretary to a succession of news editors.

But it was her work as a consumer journalist and later social columnist that made her a household name.

Mike Robertson, managing director of Avusa, appointed her as a social columnist in 1998 when he was editor of the Sunday Times.

He said: "At the time the country was changing fast. The paper was changing and a new black elite was emerging on the social scene. I wanted someone who could capture that change in an amusing and engaging way."

He added: "I was blown away with how successful it (Gill's social column) became. It was a lot more successful than I ever thought it would be."

In a story featuring Gill on M-Net's Carte Blanche in 2005, Wits University journalism professor Anton Harber described her as "the most powerful and influential journalist in the country".

"She writes about things that we can't resist reading about - other people, celebrities and what they wear and say," said Harber.

In her last column, published on July 26 2009, Gill spoke of the privilege of interacting with actress Charlize Theron; her favourite partygoer and billionaire astronaut, Mark Shuttleworth; and US talk- show queen Oprah Winfrey, whom she interviewed twice.

She chose Archbishop Desmond Tutu as the favourite fellow-citizen of most South Africans.

One of her highlights was meeting former president Nelson Mandela.

Asked if she got fed up going out every night and mixing with social mediocrities, Gill's response was: "It is better than being a wages clerk in Germiston."

Veteran former Sunday Times journalist Doreen Levin, who was one of Gill's closest friends, described how she had confided that her dream was to become a journalist.

"I gave her some advice and said she could start by offering stories to the women's editor. She did and was delighted to see them published."

Levin recalled how a call came through one day on a major story while Gill was the news editor's secretary and there was no one in the newsroom to take it.

"She asked all the relevant questions, wrote the story and handed it to the news editor and it became the front-page lead."

Gill's son, Andrew, 41, said his mother was highly intelligent, observant, witty and never afraid to speak the truth.

"I remember her for her character, strength and her determination.

''She was a mother to a generation younger than her," he said.

"She always had a full house of people. She was a great host and everyone loved being around her."

Andrew, who last saw his mother on Tuesday, said she had been looking forward to having coffee with him this weekend.

Gill had been living at the Park Care Centre in Westcliff, Johannesburg, for the past two years.

She was discharged from hospital 10 days ago.

"It was clear that her health was deteriorating. She had become infirm," Andrew said.

Her funeral will be held at noon on Tuesday at the St Columba's Church in Parkview, Johannesburg.

She is survived by her children, Andrew and Megan, and five grandchildren.