Roper initially made the bittersweet announcement in a Facebook post, reports News24, adding that he's taking up a new position as a Senior Knight Fellow at the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ).
Twitter went wild after the announcement last night, with Roper tweeting:
I've never had my own hashtag before... I feel like I've finally arrived.
- Chris Roper (@ChrisRoper) May 6, 2015
The ICFJ is dedicated to promoting free, independent press around the world, having explored journalism ethics for the past 30 years.
No replacement has been announced yet for Roper, clarifies The Mail & Guardian Online.