Matthew Brown

Journalist of the Year Nomination

My co-producer, Catherine Rice, and I were humbled to be Highly Commended in the Investigative Journalism category in the prestigious Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards. This nomination (for our podcast series, The Inge Lotz Story) has given Catherine and I an amazing sense of vindication and accomplishment. 

Click HERE for the News24 Podcast Website.

Large Format Portrait of Jose Joao

As a boy Jose Maria Joao was kidnaped from his village in Angola by the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). He never saw his family again. He was given an AK-47 and told he was fighting against communism. Jose thinks this was the late 1970's. Realising he was being trained to kill people he ran away. 

After years of walking, hiding, hitching and working odd jobs he made it 3 500 kilometres through Angola, Namibia and South Africa to Cape Town. Jose works as a bouncer at the very popular The Power and The Glory and is a personal trainer to boxers and mountain trail runners.

Despite his traumatic past he is one of the most optimistic people I've ever met. 

Click on the photo to see my portraits.

The Inge Lotz Story - 6 Episode Podcast

Now nominated for a 2022 International News Media Association (INMA) Award and a 2022 Bookmarks Award.

It has been over a decade since I started filming interviews for a story on the tragic murder of Inge Lotz. Now, Catherine Rice and myself have produced a 6 part podcast with News24. 

We investigate Inge's murder, the evidence brought against her boyfriend, Fred van der Vyver and deep dive into the problems with the South African justice system.

Click HERE for the News24 Podcast Website