Share

Car Blanche: Derek Watts was a mega petrolhead, and we'll miss his antics - SA's motoring family

accreditation
Share your Subscriber Article
You have 5 articles to share every month. Send this story to a friend!
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
loading...
Loading, please wait...
0:00
play article
Subscribers can listen to this article
Derek Watts on a Porsche launch.
Derek Watts on a Porsche launch.

Behind his serious persona on Carte Blanche, Derek Watts was an avid car lover. News24 Motoring editor Janine Van der Post speaks to South Africa's motoring fraternity as they share their car memories of one of the most-loved people in the country.

"Hey Janine! How are you doing? It's so nice to see you!" Derek would often sneak up on me - if someone at that height could be sneaky. He'd put his long arm around me and pull me in for a warm hug with a squeeze on the arm. He had the incredible gift of making everyone he engaged with feel so special as if he were your best friend. And then you'd realise he even treats strangers the same way. And that's why he was so immensely loved by everyone.

Read this for free
South Africans need to be in the know if we want to create a prosperous future. News24 has kept the country informed for 25 years, and we're about to enter a new chapter of fearless journalism. Join our free subscription trial to unlock this story and a world of news aimed to inform, empower, and inspire.
Try our free 14-day trial
Already a subscriber? Sign in
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE