20 Questions with Riaan Marais

Get a sneak peek into the life of this Nelson Mandela Bay journalist as he tackles 20 questions for Maverick Insider

 

Off all time: Dune by Frank Herbert. A deep dive into science fiction with a lot of “history repeating itself” themes. More recently: Anything by Deon Meyer – I’m a big fan of Afrikaans crime novels.

Of all time: V for Vendetta – a great graphic novel turned into a great film. More recently: Haven’t really watched films recently. My kids usually hog the TV!

Of all time: Black Sails – a mix of fictional and factual pirates… how can you not love it?! More recently: Bluey. Like I said: My kids hog the TV!

 

A poster of the map of Middle-earth. My whole family are massive Lord of the Rings fans.

 

My WhatsApp conversation with a Hawks spokesperson. 

 

Probably WhatsApp. And YouTube, most often to rewatch old MMA fights.

 

Anything related to firearms, MMA or pugs… I have diverse interests.

 

Always keep your strong hand free. You never know when you might need to catch something, fight someone or answer your phone.

I have a list of movies I wish I could rewatch for the first time, just to have my mind blown again.

 

Aisle. I need to be able to stretch my legs.

It took me 36 years to get where I am. I’m happy just being me.

 

Visiting Ukraine during the ongoing conflict. Kyiv is beautiful and the people are resilient.

I always carry two things with me: a knife and handkerchief. Because you never know when you might need one. 

 

Some form of violence against the noisy flock of hadedas that congregate on my lawn every morning. 

 

Agriculture. Probably livestock farming. Worked in that industry for a few years and developed a love for it.

 

An old pair of vellies from before they became fashionable. The soles were so thin that my socks got wet. Had them resoled, so they’re good for another couple of kilometres.

 

Family first. Everything else is fighting for second place.

 

My dad. He taught me the value of hard work and looking after the people you love.

 

Videos of US police bodycam footage, for entertainment and educational purposes.  

Riaan Marais

Journalist