Renowned SA journalist, Barry Ronge, dies in the arm of his partner of 45 years, Albertus Van Dyk

Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that Renowned SA journalist, Barry Ronge, dies in the arm of his partner of 45 years, Albertus Van Dyk. 

Information reads: "Barry Ronge (74) has passed away. Barry was a renowned journalists and broadcaster and worked for 702 for many years." 

He was the writer of a column, Spit ‘n Polish, which was published by the Sunday Times for 27 years from 1987 to 2014.

In 2014 he was honoured with a Special Lifetime Achievement Award by The Sunday Times, for his contribution to South Africa’s cultural life. The following year the Sunday Times Books announced that it would name its Fiction Prize after him

It was on M-Net's (DStv 101) Cinemagic with Barry Ronge, and later SABC3's Screenplay, in which Ronge would grade films with alliterating numbers like a "Titanic 10" or a "Failing Four" which solidified his place as South Africa's most well-known and feared film critic. He later also voiced the SABC2 arts and entertainment series Artcha since 2008.

In 2015 the Sunday Times renamed its prize for South African literature to the Barry Ronge Fiction Prize.

Tributes poured in following news of his death on Saturday.