ARMED with a flask of coffee, some boiled eggs and a towel to shield his bare legs from the scorching sun, 90-year-old François Hugo sets off every Thursday to deliver newspapers in the South African desert.
Week in, week out, the elderly editor has made the 1,200-kilometre (750-mile) round trip across the semi-arid Karoo region in the country's south.
He has been doing it for some four decades.
Born Charl Francois Hugo in Cape Town in 1932 -- but known to everyone simply as Frans -- he is arguably the last bastion of a dying business.
The energetic nonagenarian edits and hand-delivers three local papers -- The Messenger, Die Noordwester and Die Oewernuus.
Driving an orange Fiat Multipla stacked with copies of the eight-page weeklies and with an old portable radio to keep him company, Hugo brings news to towns and villages dotting this vast, parched back-country.
- 1,200 km every week -
He leaves at 1:30 am from Calvinia, a small town of less than 3,000 souls about 500 kilometres north of Africa's southernmost tip, and comes back in the early evening.
"I am like a pompdonkie," he told AFP on a recent tour, using the local moniker for the nodding donkey pumps used to extract groundwater from boreholes.
"I keep doing this every Thursday without fail. I will probably stop when I am physically not capable of doing it anymore."
Hugo worked as a journalist in Cape Town and then in Namibia for almost 30 years before retiring to this remote region.
"I couldn't handle the pressure anymore, so I moved to the Karoo," he said.
"Just as I was able to take a breath and relax, the man who owned the printers and the newspaper here in Calvinia came to ask me if I was interested in the business."
His daughter and her husband got involved but tired and quit after a few months. "I've been sitting with this thing ever since," he quipped.
- Cellphones and printers -
Helped by his wife and three assistants, he has kept alive some historic small-town titles at a time where many printed newspapers around the world are struggling to survive the digital age.
The Messenger, previously known as the Victoria West Messenger, was founded in 1875, while Die Noordwester and Die Oewernuus started printing in the 1900s.
All three are written in Afrikaans, a language descended from Dutch settlers and one of South Africa's 11 official tongues, but sometimes carry stories in English.
Hugo scoffs at people wanting "to read the news on their cellphones."
The rise of internet has hit readership but is seemingly yet to reach his newsroom, which looks like a museum.
The office is adorned by an old Heidelberg printing press and paper cutting machines. Staff use computers and software from the early 90s.
Still, Hugo's team prints about 1,300 copies a week, something he says shows an undying appetite for community news.
The papers sell for eight rand (about 50 US cents) and are dropped off at shops, convenience stores and the correspondents' homes.
The readers are mainly farmers, living in a remote, semi-arid landscape.
Writing in Afrikaans, which actor Charlize Theron recently controversially said was still spoken only by "about 44 people", keeps the language alive and ties together small communities separated by hundreds of kilometres (miles) of desert, said Hugo.
As long as he's around and has the required strength, they will receive their paper every Thursday.
What will happen later does not concern him, he said.
"I don't have a clue what will happen... in five years or 10 years," he said. "I am not worried."
ETX Studio
Mon Jan 09 2023
Francois Hugo, 89, owner and editor of the Noordwester, the Messenger and the Oewernuus, stops for a coffee break while driving to deliver his newspapers outside Vosburg. - ETX Studio
Astro AWANI's revamped English news website, AWANI International, launches on Oct 21
Astro AWANI's revamped English platform delivers in-depth global news and expert analysis to keep you informed on key developments.
Israeli strikes kill 33 people in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza, medics say
Residents of Jabalia said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp after pushing through suburbs and residential districts.
Liam Payne's ex-partner calls for media restraint after 'painful' death
Cheryl Tweedy used her statement to urge the media to remember they had a seven-year-old son, Bear, who could read the reports.
Analysts: Indonesia's strong MoF leadership team to boost investor confidence
Sri Mulyani Indrawati as head of Indonesia's Ministry of Finance is expected to instil confidence among investors.
Biden offers both a carrot and a stick to Israel as his term nears an end
Israel has frequently resisted US advice and has caused political difficulties for the Biden administration.
Putin says BRICS will generate most of global economic growth
Russian President Vladimir Putin will host a summit of the group in the city of Kazan on Oct. 22-24.
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.
NFOF will be operational in November 2024 with funding of RM1 bil
PM Anwar Ibrahim said NFOF will support venture capital fund managers to invest in startup companies with RM300 million set aside for 2025.
Minimum wage to increase to RM1,700 effective Feb 1, 2025
The Progressive Wage Policy would be fully enforced next year with an allocation of RM200 million, benefiting 50,000 workers.
Bursa Malaysia ends higher on Budget 2025 optimism
The benchmark index, which opened 1.85 points higher at 1,643.29, moved between 1,641.71 and 1,649.31 throughout the trading session.
Five important aspects relating to people’s lives in Budget 2025 - PM
The focus is on driving the MADANI Economy, speeding reforms, cutting red tape, raising wages, and tackling the cost of living.
Economic outlook: Govt plans to leverage, expand existing city transit system
The expansion aims to provide a more efficient and reliable public transportation network, reduce congestion, and improve accessibility.