Critical South African issues, poignant stories covered by winners

SANEF

The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and Standard Bank held a successful and prestigious awards ceremony on Saturday night to honour the best of South African journalism.

This year’s Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards (SBSJA) edition, held in Johannesburg, was a testament to the dedication, passion and courage of journalists who relentlessly strive to tell South Africa’s stories.

Lucas Ledwaba was crowned Journalist of the Year, earning high praise from the judges for his ‘intensely poignant writing’ and ‘commendable journalism’. His work has highlighted critical issues facing South Africa, challenging authorities to act on behalf of marginalised communities.

The Juby Mayet Rising Star of the Year award was presented to Julia Evans of the Daily Maverick. Her exceptional piece, based on research from the University of Stellenbosch, explored the feasibility of electric vehicles in the minibus taxi industry, showcasing her potential as a future leader in journalism.

The late James Clarke was posthumously honoured with the Allan Soga/Standard Bank Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his impeccable ethics and excellence in the journalism craft.

Clarke’s legacy as an activist journalist who rallied public support against the National Party Government’s plans to mine the Kruger Park remains a beacon of inspiration.

His humour and wit also endeared him to readers through his columns and books. Below are other award winners;

• TheHard News category was taken by both Zikhona Tshona of Newzroom Afrika for the story, ‘Ofentse’, and Slindelo Masikane of eNCA for the story, ‘Best Escape’.
• TheIndigenous Language Reporting in Community Media went to Hlengiwe Ngwenya of SABC’s Cutting Edge for the story. ‘Amabhodlo’.
• TheCommunity Service Reporting category was taken by Hazel Friedman of Fokus on SABC2 for her story, ‘Oukloof’.
• The Investigative Journalism award was taken by team News24 Kyle Cowan, Azarrah Karrim, and Sipho Masondo for their story, ‘Mashatile Unmasked’.
• TheBusiness Journalism award went to Nick Wilson of News24 Business for the story, ‘Convicted Health & Racquet fraudsters sub-let lucrative site to Virgin Active’
• TheFeaturesaward winner is Lucas Ledwaba of Daily Maverick for stories, ‘On a quest for healing justice’ and ‘Gold mining widows battle with trauma and poverty’
• The Lifestyle category winner is Nomvuyo Ntanjana of SABC’s Cutting Edge for the story, ‘Buru the Snake Guru’
• The Columns/Editorial category winner is Bhekisisa Mncube from LitNet for the story, ‘The contested legacy of Mangosuthu Buthelezi’
• The Visual journalism (Editorial cartoons and graphic layout) winner is Thulani Ntsong of Maverick Citizen for a body of work, including ‘Lesufi’, ‘Elections’ and ‘CR Zondo’
• TheNews Photographs winner is Ayanda Ndamane of the Cape Times for the story, Pro-Palestine crowd clash with police’
• TheFeature Photographs winner is Theodore Jeptha of the Daily Dispatch for the story, ‘We walked a mile in their shoes … And it was Terrifying’
• TheSports Photographs winner is Bertram Malgas of News24 for a body of work, including, ‘Springboks demolish Romania in Bordeaux try-fest’ and ‘Springboks stumble against still-unbeaten Irish outfit in Paris’

Lizeka Mda, the convener of judges, expressed deep gratitude to her fellow judges for their dedication and expertise in the adjudication process. Despite receiving 573 entries, the total number of items reviewed, including bodies of work, reached 655 – an increase of 55 from last year.

Mda noted significant growth in the Indigenous, Community and Investigative Journalism categories, attributing this to the ease of the online entry process.

Nwabisa Makunga, the newly-elected SANEF chairperson, lauded the awardees, stating, ‘These awards showcase and celebrate South Africa’s excellent journalism’.

They honour the sacrifices made by journalists every day, who tell the story of our country with so much courage, passion, and dedication. The impact of their work to advocate for social justice and to hold power to account is often unseen, but it is significant

‘For this, we must celebrate them. Congratulations to all the winners.’

Lungisa Fuzile, Chief Executive of Standard Bank South Africa, emphasised the enduring power of journalism in an age dominated by social media.

‘Journalism is more than just a profession; it is a powerful force that shapes our future. Through the lens of a camera, the stroke of a pen and the click of a keyboard, you have the ability to influence public opinion, drive social change and hold power to account.

‘Stories have the power to inspire, to inform and to ignite action. By capturing the essence of our people and their stories, you preserve our heritage and foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of our collective identity.’

He further underscored the importance of press freedom, calling it the cornerstone of a vibrant and functioning democracy.

‘It is critical for the nation to protect the rights of journalists to report without fear of censorship or retribution. At Standard Bank, while we support initiatives like the Sikuvile Awards to promote excellence in journalism, we are also reviewing other ways in which we can support local publications,’ Fuzile added.

The judges are Tyrone August, Kim Cloete, Ryland Fisher, Pippa Green, Portia Kobue, Thabo Leshilo, Mapi Mhlangu, Lesley Mofokeng, Ruth Motau, Andile Ntingi, Neo Ntsoma, Sue Olswang, Mary Papayya, Gus Silber and Beauregard Tromp.

The Sikuvile Journalism Awards magazine may be accessed here.