Erin Bates is a South African journalist with a decade's experience across print, radio, television and online news. In May 2023, she joined the Carte Blanche team as a presenter.

Her prior roles include legal writer at Business Day and Financial Mail, anchor and reporter on eNCA and Newzroom Afrika, talk radio producer at 702 and CapeTalk, and bookseller. From 2018 to 2022, she was a leading correspondent on the State Capture Inquiry and produced two-hour-long documentaries on the Commission.

She covered the first state capture case brought by the Investigative Directorate (ID) of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to reach criminal trial stage in 2023.

Internationally, she has written for Al Jazeera and featured as a guest on BBC Africa, India Today, and LBC London. Locally, she’s made numerous TV and radio station appearances including 702, CapeTalk, eNuus, Kaya FM, kykNET Verslag, Power 98.7, SAfm and SABC News. Her writing has been featured on Daily Maverick, Huffington Post and Vrye Weekblad. 

Bates has hosted talks at the Franschhoek Literary Festival, and Open Book Festival, as well as various conferences including discussions on state capture, fraud and corruption. She has guest lectured journalism at Stellenbosch University and the University of the Witwatersrand. 

Bates completed her first two degrees (BA and BA Hons) at the University of Cape Town and currently holds one undergraduate and two postgraduate degrees, including honours in journalism from Stellenbosch University with distinction in broadcasting. Outside of work, she is an aspirational creative writer, beginner runner and occasional yogi.