Former SABC news presenter and respected broadcaster Gillian van Houten has died at the age of 72, bringing to a close a career that spanned journalism, writing and wildlife conservation.
Van Houten became a familiar face to South Africans during her years at the SABC, where she earned a reputation as one of the country’s most trusted television news anchors.
From the newsroom to the bush
After leaving broadcasting, Van Houten turned her attention to conservation, environmental advocacy and writing.
She authored several books, including The Way of the Leopard, and became closely involved in wildlife conservation through her longtime partnership and former marriage to renowned conservationist John Varty.
Together, they worked on numerous projects aimed at protecting South Africa’s wildlife and raising awareness of the country’s rich biodiversity.
Emotional farewell
Varty announced Gillian van Houten’s passing in an emotional Facebook tribute on Saturday, saying goodbye to the woman he affectionately called “Gilly”.
“Your pain is gone,” he wrote, while reflecting on the life they shared together.
He thanked Van Houten for standing beside him through some of the most challenging moments of his life, including surviving a helicopter crash, a tiger attack and a heart attack.
In 1995, Varty suffered serious spinal injuries when a helicopter he was using to film wildlife crashed.
He was also hospitalised for a month in 2012 after being mauled by a four-year-old Bengal tiger at his Tiger Canyons reserve near Philippolis in the Free State. He later survived a heart attack.
Legacy beyond broadcasting
News of Gillian van Houten’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from former colleagues, friends and admirers, many remembering her as a pioneering broadcaster, gifted storyteller and passionate conservationist.
She is survived by her children, Shaun, Tao and Savanna.
While generations of South Africans will remember Van Houten as one of the country’s most recognisable television news presenters, her contributions to conservation and literature ensured her influence reached far beyond the newsroom.
The cause of her death has not been disclosed.