Jonathan Ancer

Jonathan Ancer is a South African journalist, author, podcaster and media trainer. He wrote Uncovering Craig Williamson, which was on the longlist for the Alan Paton literary prize. Ancer wrote Betrayal: The Secret Lives of Apartheid Spies which was released in 2019.

Ancer's most recent book  Betrayal: The Secret Lives of Apartheid Spies (NB Publishing) was published in August 2019. It followed his 2017 book Spy: Uncovering Craig Williamson (Jacana Media), which was on the longlist for the Alan Paton literary prize.

Jonathan has four children. He is married to Jean Luyt, a clinical psychologist, they live in Cape Town with their three children. In 2015 their middle daughter Rachel was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow failure disease called Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA). After four bone marrow biopsies and more than 50 blood transfusions a donor was found; the chances of finding a genetic match were 1 in 100,000. In 2017 Rachel received a bone marrow transplant; the procedure was a success and today Rachel is a healthy, active young girl thanks to the SA Bone Marrow Registry, The Sunflower Fund and Worldwide Bone Marrow Donors. Rachel wrote a book on her experiences, Rachel's Second Chance(e-book).

During this time he sat on the executive committee of the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and from 2010 to 2014 chaired SANEF's Training & Education subcommittee. He now provides writing and media training on a freelance basis.

From 2009 to 2014 Ancer worked for Independent Newspapers as Group Training Editor where he trained editorial staff including junior reporters, senior reporters, news editors and sub-editors. He also set up and ran the group's Cadet School.

As deputy of Best Life magazine South Africa from 2008 to 2009, Ancer wrote, commissioned and edited long-form journalism pieces He worked as a deputy editor of Bicycling magazine from 2014 to 2016. He currently works as a freelance journalist contributing articles to the Sunday Times amongst other publications.

Ancer worked as Grocott's Mail editor from 2006 to 2008, growing the newspaper's circulation. Under his editorship, he saw the paper awarded the country's best small-town newspaper of the year at the Sanlam Awards for Community Journalism.

Ancer worked as the features editor for Directions magazine from 1996 to 1999 where he wrote profiles and features. He was also the editor of Active, the magazine's adventure supplement. From 1999 to 2006 Ancer worked as a sub-editor, reporter and news editor at The Star Newspaper in Johannesburg. He worked as a sub-editor on the night shift, and as a general news reporter, specialising in narrative journalism on deadline and news features. .

Jonathan Ancer was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1970. He matriculated from Highlands North Boys High in 1988 and graduated with a BA degree (majoring in Law and Political Studies) from Wits University in 1992. He then completed a Post-Graduate Journalism Diploma from Rhodes University in 1995.