Former SABC News Icon Gillian van Houten Dies at 72

Image credit: John Varty ( Facebook)

South Africa is mourning the loss of former SABC news presenter and conservationist Gillian van Houten, who passed away at the age of 72. Once one of the country’s most recognisable television personalities, Van Houten became a trusted face in South African households during the 1980s and 1990s before embarking on a remarkable second chapter dedicated to wildlife conservation.

Her passing was confirmed by her former husband, renowned wildlife filmmaker John Varty of Londolozi Game Reserve, in an emotional Facebook tribute celebrating her extraordinary life and legacy.

After years in broadcasting, Van Houten made the life-changing decision to leave television behind when Varty invited her to join a leopard conservation project at Londolozi. The invitation arrived at a time when she was searching for a new direction, a story she later shared in a heartfelt recording featured in one of Varty’s musical tributes.

“On a scrappy piece of paper came an invitation to join my friend and wildlife filmmaker John Varty on a leopard project at Londolozi Game Reserve,” she recalled. “On impulse, I resigned my job, packed my bags, sold my house and caught a small plane out.”

That spontaneous decision transformed her life. Van Houten immersed herself in conservation work, helping raise and protect rescued big cats while documenting their journeys from vulnerable cubs to majestic adults. Her passion for wildlife became as defining as her broadcasting career, inspiring many through films, photographs and conservation initiatives.

In 2022, Varty paid tribute to Van Houten by writing a deeply personal song reflecting on their love story. The lyrics revealed the heartbreak of watching her memory fade after doctors warned that she was experiencing cognitive decline. He later shared that she had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a progressive condition affecting behaviour, language and personality.

Beyond her public achievements, Van Houten was a devoted mother to the couple’s three children, Savanna, Sha and Tao. She leaves behind a legacy that spans journalism, conservation and family, remembered as a woman who fearlessly embraced change and dedicated her life to telling stories, whether from behind a news desk or deep within the African wilderness.