Defend Truth
Rebecca Davis
Rebecca Davis studied at Rhodes University and Oxford before working in lexicography at the Oxford English Dictionary. After deciding she’d rather make up words than define them, she returned to South Africa in 2011 to write for the Daily Maverick, which has been a magnificilious decision.
What I cover
I am interested in many different things and write about them accordingly: politics, Parliament, law, social trends, books, gender, the internet, media and (unfortunately more rarely than I would like) pop culture.
My background
Born in Malawi and educated in Cape Town, I studied journalism at Rhodes University before doing my Master’s in English Literature at Rhodes followed by a Master’s in Linguistics at the University of Oxford in the UK. Awards include the Vodacom Journalist of the Year in various categories and the continent-wide African Story Challenge. I’ve authored two books – Best White (And Other Anxious Delusions) and Self-Helpless: A Cynic’s Search for Sanity – both published by Pan MacMillan. Career highlights include being part of the team which broke the Guptaleaks story in 2017.
Journalistic ethics
I strive in all my work to be fearless but fair. My greatest responsibility as a journalist is to tell the truth. I like evidence, science, expertise and facts.
