BREAKING. Dudley Saunders shocking death investigated by Arrow Media production company following his filming of World's Most Extreme.

The events surrounding Dudley Saunders' shocking and unexpected death yesterday in Soweto is being investigated by the British production company Arrow Media for which the cameraman was working, filming a production entitled World's Most Extreme.

Arrow Media tells TV with Thinus in a statement it's currently investigating "the sequence of events which led to this tragic accident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of Dudley Saunders during this very difficult time".

Dudley Saunders (45) was filming with his camera between train tracks in southern Soweto and wanted to get a speeding metro rail train as the backdrop. The speeding train brushed him as he stood very close next to the train track as the speeding train came past. The train pulled him off balance, dragged him along and he died instantly.

Dudley Saunders' memorial service will be next Tuesday, 7 January, which would have been his birthday.

His death came as a huge shock for South Africa's TV news industry, generating an outpouring of tributes for the man from many of South Africa's top TV names in front of, and behind, the camera who've worked with him over the past two decades.

Dudley Saunders is the 3rd South African cameraman who've also worked for the SABC who tragically died this year.

The Londen-based production company says that Arrow Media was informed on Monday morning "of a fatal accident involving the South African based cameraman, Dudley Saunders, whilst on a shoot which took place near Johannesburg for the Arrow Media production, World's Most Extreme".

Dudley Saunders leaves behind his partner of many years, two children, his parents (his dad who is Cliff Saunders, the famed former SABC political TV reporter and international correspondent), and siblings.

Dudley Saunders is the 3rd South African cameraman who've worked for the SABC, to die tragically in 2013.

Cameraman Dudley Saunders who unexpectedly and tragically died yesterday in Soweto while filming a story in between train tracks, is the 3rd cameraman this year who've worked for the SABC and who all passed away in 2013.

Besides Dudley Saunders, cameramen the South African television industry sadly lost in 2013, and who've all worked for the SABC, include Ivan Oberholzer and Mokgethi Motseko.

The TV industry also lost cameraman Jan de Klerk who also worked for the SABC in December 2012.

BREAKING. Dudley Saunders: 'He wasn't just cool, he was also kind and extremely hardworking," says Robyn Curnow, CNN Int correspondent.

Dudley Saunders oozed confidence and knowledge and encouraged and supported every TV reporter he was out with doing a story, says Robyn Curnow, CNN International's correspondent in South Africa and who worked with the legendary cameraman over many years.

Robyn Curnow is weighing in, as is the rest of South Africa's shocked TV industry, following the unexpected death of the beloved and fearless cameraman Dudley Saunders on Tuesday in a freak accident while filming a story with the British production company Arrow Media.

"Duds was one of the first cameramen I worked with when I started reporting for the SABC in 1996," Robyn Curnow, who is also the anchor of the weekly CNN Marketplace Africa, tells TV with Thinus.

"I never studied journalism, I learnt my trade from working with him. He didn't do it on purpose - he just oozed confidence and knowledge. Pictures, words, angles, interviews ... he had a natural ability to support you and encourage you."

"We were kind of a team for many years, travelling the country and documenting Nelson Mandela's new South Africa for the nightly news bulletin," says Robyn Curnow.

"He would swagger into a newsroom, cigarette in hand, hair shaved bald and a camera slung over his shoulder. He wasn't just cool, he was also kind and extremely hardworking. Every story was important. Dudley would flirt with the interviewee, charm a stubborn policeman and be patient with an old pensioner."

"With Dudley there was always lots of adventures, Jack Daniels and damn good journalism," says Robyn Curnow.

BREAKING. Dudley Saunders: 'We have lost one of our greatest talents. We will miss him dearly,' says George Mazarakis from Carte Blanche.

"The entire Carte Blanche team is deeply mourning the death of the M-Net programme's principal cameraman, Dudley Saunders," George Mazarakis, the executive producer of Carte Blanche tells TV with Thinus in a statement.

George Mazarakis is weighing in, as is the rest of South Africa's shocked TV industry, following the unexpected death of the beloved and fearless cameraman Dudley Saunders on Tuesday in a freak accident while filming a story for the British production company Arrow Media.

"We have lost one of our greatest talents," says George Mazarakis.

"Dudley was a key member of the Carte Blanche family and a true gentleman and consummate professional."

"His work ethic set high standards for all those lucky enough to work with him and his artistry created images that moved and inspired his audiences. It was a delight and a privilege to have known and worked with this awesome man among men! We will miss him dearly," says George Mazarakis.

BREAKING. Legendary cameraman Dudley Saunders dead following freak train accident in Soweto shooting for Arrow Media.

The South African cameraman Dudley Saunders - son of the well-remembered former SABC journalist Cliff Saunders - died on Tuesday after he was hit by a train. He was 45.

Dudley Saunders was busy shooting a programme in Soweto on Tuesday working for the British production company Arrow Media when he died following a freak accident involving a train.

Dudley Saunders was shooting an interview between train tracks in southern Soweto and wanted to get a speeding metro rail train in the backdrop. The speeding train brushed him as it came past, pulled him off balance and dragged him along. He died instantly.

Dudley Saunders' funeral will be next Tuesday, 7 January, which would have been his birthday.

Dudley Saunders, a veteran former SABC cameraman, and whose work ethic, demeanour, and legacy can only be described as legendary, also worked for Combined Artistic Productions which produces M-Net's long-running Sunday night magazine show Carte Blanche.

Dudley Saunders had been an on-the-go production stalwart behind the lens at Carte Blanche for many years, and in 2013 the absolutely fearless and resolute Dudley Saunders was the cameraman who filmed the majority of Carte Blanche's stories.

South Africa's television news industry is reacting with shock and sadness about the unexpected passing of Dudley Saunders.

"The entire Carte Blanche team is deeply mourning the death of the M-Net programme's principal cameraman, Dudley Saunders," George Mazarakis, Carte Blanche executive producer tells TV with Thinus in a statement.

"We have lost one of our greatest talents. Dudley was a key member of the Carte Blanche family and a true gentleman and consummate professional. His work ethic set high standards for all those lucky enough to work with him and his artistry created images that moved and inspired his audiences. It was a delight and a privilege to have known and worked with this awesome man among men! We will miss him dearly," says George Mazarakis.

"Can't believe how many camera crews and  producers are grieving right now," said Derek Watts, Carte Blanche anchor. "[He] filmed the most volatile situations around the world but treated every shoot as a new challenge. Will miss him beyond words."

"Devastated to hear about Dudley Saunders - one of the best cameramen I ever filmed with," said Debora Patta, e.tv's former 3rd Degree anchor and now CBS News correspondent. "Filming with Dudley Saunders was always more than just a story - it was an adventure, a work of art and a hell of a lot of fun."

Devi Sankaree Govender, Carte Blanche presenter called Dudley Saunders her "brother and friend", saying he always had her back during confrontational interviews.

"Duds was one of the first cameramen I worked with when I started reporting for the SABC in 1996," Robyn Curnow, CNN International correspondent in South Africa and anchor of the weekly CNN Marketplace Africa tells TV with Thinus.

"I never studied journalism, I learnt my trade from working with him. He didn't do it on purpose - he just oozed confidence and knowledge. Pictures, words, angles, interviews ... he had a natural ability to support you and encourage you."

"We were kind of a team for many years, travelling the country and documenting Nelson Mandela's new South Africa for the nightly news bulletin."

"He would swagger into a newsroom, cigarette in hand, hair shaved bald and a camera slung over his shoulder. He wasn't just cool, he was also kind and extremely hardworking. Every story was important. Dudley would flirt with the interviewee, charm a stubborn policeman and be patient with an old pensioner."

"With Dudley there was always lots of adventures, Jack Daniels and damn good journalism," says Robyn Curnow.

Jimi Matthews, the SABC's head of news calls Dudley Saunders "a creative craftsmen" and his death "a singular loss".

Dudley Saunder's mother, Riah Saunders told SABC Television News that "my son was a very brave boy, courageous, honest, and a very unique child. Very loveable."

Dudley Saunders ironically was the cameraman on the 2010 TV documentary Surfing Soweto from Sara Blecher (work for which he also received a Safta nomination), following so-called "train-surfers" in Soweto who notoriously rode on top of trains as a dangerous form of sport and self-expression.

Two years ago in August 2011 Dudley Saunders was hit by stones but kept filming despite bleeding, while covering ANC Youth League and Julius Malema supporters going on a rampage in Johannesburg.

His work saw him travelling widely.

Being a cameraman for TV news and numerous investigative magazine shows, his name and work showed up when the credits rolled on shows over the past two decades on South African television and beyond, ranging from Special Assignment to 3rd Degree. As such Dudley Saunders was no stranger to dangerous situations where circumstances could often changed instantly.

In 1993, then working for CCV (the SABC's TV4 channel after a name-change) Dudley Saunders suffered serious injuries in Sharpeville and ended up in hospital after he was knifed and beaten by a group of 30 people while filming a story for SABC News. The SABC's TV reporter with him at the time, died after bleeding to death.

Dudley Saunders was also the cameraman for My Dead Husband's Land, the award-winning South African documentary film which won as best documentary in 2008 at the Baltimore Women's Film Festival.


ALSO READ: Dudley Saunders shocking death investigated by Arrow Media production company following filming of World's Most Extreme.
ALSO READ: Dudley Saunders is the 3rd South African cameraman who've worked for the SABC, to tragically die in 2013.