Freek Robinson

Freek Robinson is a South African journalist, anchor and television presenter best known for hosting the SABC2 current affairs show Fokus, since 1994. Born and raised in Pretoria, Robinson matriculated from Hendrik Verwoerd High school in Pretoria in 1970.

He received a B.A. (Hons) in Literature from the University of Pretoria in 1975 and began working for the SABC in 1986 as a political correspondent.

He moved to London in 1988 to take up the post of European Correspondent for SABC News, and stayed there until 1991. Upon returning to Johannesburg he took up the post of Anchor Presenter and CA Executive Producer for the SABC, which he held until 2006.

In 1993 he received a Diploma in Business Management from the University of Stellenbosch,South Africa.

In 1994 he was appointed as the Manager of Television Current Affairs programmes at the SABC, and in the same year chaired the debate between Nelson Mandela and FW de Klerk just prior to the first ever democratic elections in the country, which was viewed by more than 800-million people worldwide.

He also began presenting Fokus Met Freek (Focus With Freek) that year, which later became known simply as Fokus.

He attended an Economic Literacy course at Wits University in 2006, and the following year received his MPhil Journalism degree from the University of Stellenbosch, specialising in Media Management.

Apart from numerous live broadcasts at the SABC, Freek Robinson presented linkups and programmes from international conferences such as the World Bank and IMF meetings, the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Union, the Commonwealth and SADC.