Debora Patta Biography
Debora Patta now works as a CBS News foreign correspondent and CBS This Morning” podcast based in Johannesburg, South Africa. She became a part of CBS News in 2013. Furthermore, she has extensively covered significant international events throughout Africa, such as the Ebola outbreak, the Boko Haram kidnapping of schoolgirls, and the famine in South Sudan.
- Age
Debora Patta was born on September 1, 1964, in Southern Rhodesia. Now, she is 59 years old and she holds South African nationality. Furthermore, she stands at a height of 5 feet 7 inches tall.
- Education
Debora Patta attended the University of Cape Town where she obtained a Bachelor of Social Sciences in 1984.
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- Husband
Debora Patta married Lance Levitas in 2003 though they separated. Currently, she is married to her partner, Andrew Levy. She has two children, her elder daughter, Chiara Mzizi, is a presenter for YoTV, a youth entertainment show broadcast by SABC 1. Now, she lives in Johannesburg with her youngest daughter, Ella, and her partner.
Debora Patta Career
Debora Patta serves as a foreign correspondent for CBS News, stationed in Johannesburg, South Africa. She became a part of CBS News in 2013. Furthermore, she has extensively covered significant international events throughout Africa, such as the Ebola outbreak, the Boko Haram kidnapping of schoolgirls, and the famine in South Sudan.
Patta contributes reports to various CBS News programs and platforms, including “CBS Evening News,” “CBS Mornings,” and the CBS News Streaming Network, the network’s 24/7 anchored streaming news service.
In addition to her coverage in Africa, since joining CBS News, Patta has reported from the Middle East and Europe, covering events like the bombing of a Syrian children’s hospital, the fall of Aleppo, and terrorist attacks in Brussels, France, and Spain.
Debora Patta Books
Having authored a book on Nelson Mandela in 2000, Debora Patta assumed the role of CBS News’ primary correspondent following Mandela’s passing. She delivered on-the-ground coverage of his funeral and the celebration of his life, emphasizing his profound impact on South Africa. Patta’s journalistic reach extends to Liberia, where she reported extensively during the Ebola crisis, covering a situation where half of the world’s Ebola cases were concentrated.
Patta’s fieldwork includes reporting from conflict zones in Niger, Somalia, and Cameroon. In Niger, she covered the aftermath of an ambush by Islamic militants on U.S. and Nigerian soldiers, resulting in the loss of four American lives. Her reporting on child cobalt miners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo garnered significant support from CBS News viewers, leading to donations for sending children to school.
Debora Patta Wikipedia
The investigative lens of Patta also shed light on child slavery in the fishing industry in Ghana. Furthermore, she delved into the impacts of climate change on the African continent, exploring issues such as plastic pollution and the second-hand clothing industry. Patta also uncovered the journey of discarded fashion items, revealing their destination on dump sites halfway around the globe.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Patta reported on the virus’s spread across Africa and delved into the issue of vaccine inequality. Notably, she became the first international correspondent to visit the lab where the Omicron variant was identified, providing coverage shortly after scientists unveiled this new variant to the world.
Patta commenced her professional journey in South Africa, contributing to BBC Radio. In 1990, she transitioned to a Johannesburg talk radio station, gaining recognition for her extensive coverage of Nelson Mandela’s election campaign as South Africa’s inaugural black president. Mandela affectionately referred to her as “his favorite journalist.” In 1998, she made a significant move to the independent free-to-air television station, e.tv, assuming the role of editor-in-chief. Subsequently, she spearheaded the launch of the nation’s premier 24-hour TV channel.
Patta’s impact extended beyond her editorial role; she served as the host and executive producer of “Third Degree,” an investigative current affairs program, for an impressive 13-year tenure. Renowned for her rigorous and incisive interviews, Patta garnered acclaim as an award-winning journalist.
- Awards
Her accolades include being honored as Vodacom Media Woman of the Year, South Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Media, and Italy’s Woman of the World. Notably, she was recognized as one of MTN’s Outstanding Women in Media.
Patta’s achievements also encompass prestigious awards such as the Edward R. Murrow Award, an NABJ Salute to Excellence award, and a Scripps Howard award for broadcast excellence.
Debora Patta Salary
Patta receives an annual salary ranging from $42,544 – $143,769. However, details about the exact amount of salary she earns are currently not available.
Debora Patta’s Net Worth
Debora Patta, a South African broadcaster has an estimated net worth of $2 million.