The Editor’s Desk: Steinhoff, the Watsons, & the need for balance

Some of the best stories have a clear villain and a clear hero – that’s why people love Star Wars. But real life is sometimes more like Game of Thrones, with no heroes, no villains, just complex human beings making the decisions that seem best to them. We were reminded of that this week as Alec Hogg’s interviews with Jared Watson and Bernard Mostert shone some interesting new light on Bosasa’s Gavin Watson and Steinhoff’s Marcus Jooste. While both men must, ultimately, be convicted or exonerated – not necessarily in the courts, but at least in our minds – based on material evidence, testimony from those who knew them paints different portraits and gives different perspectives. As Alec Hogg and Felicity Duncan discuss this week, it’s a good reminder of the importance of seeking balance, especially in "he said, he said" situations where people are condemned based on witness testimony and little else.