‘Incredible progress’ in community media as Sikuvile Awards’ finalists announced
South African National Editors’ Forum
SANEF, in partnership with Standard Bank, the proud sponsor of the Sikuvile Journalism Awards, is delighted to announce the finalists for the prestigious 2025 awards. This announcement follows a rigorous judging process of exceptional journalistic talent nationwide.
Journalists from all corners of South Africa submitted their finest work, published or broadcast between 1 January and 31 December 2024. The call for entries, which officially opened in early February and closed in April, garnered significant interest, showcasing the vibrant state of South African journalism.
This year, 437 entries were received. While this number is down from last year’s 573, the judges noted that a significant portion of these were comprehensive bodies of work. Consequently, the actual number of items viewed, read and listened to amounted to a substantial 638, compared to 655 in the previous year.
A particularly encouraging development highlighted by the judging panel was the incredible progress in the quality of entries from community media. This signals a sector performing commendable work, as evidenced by the high calibre of submissions
‘We must encourage more community media journalists to enter the competition next year,’ stated Lizeka Mda, convenor of the judges and veteran journalist, emphasising the importance of their participation.
In a significant evolution for the awards, the highly popular Features category has been separated into broadcast (radio, TV and multimedia documentaries) and print/online entries for the first time. This change, long advocated by the judges, will see two winners receiving awards, one for each media platform, ensuring more focused recognition of excellence.
SANEF and Standard Bank extend their heartfelt gratitude to the esteemed panel of judges for their dedication and invaluable contribution to this significant industry initiative. Their expertise and commitment ensure the continued prestige and integrity of the Sikuvile Journalism Awards.
The esteemed judges are:
Lizeka Mda (convenor)
Tyrone August
Kim Cloete
Ryland Fisher
Pippa Green
Portia Kobue
Thabo Leshilo
Nomsa Mdhluli
Ruth Motau
Andile Ntingi
Neo Ntsoma
Sue Olswang
Mary Papayya
Bulelwa Payi
Gus Silber, and
Beauregard Tromp
The list of finalists represents the pinnacle of journalistic achievement in South Africa over the past year. SANEF and Standard Bank congratulate all the finalists on this remarkable accomplishment and look forward to celebrating their outstanding contributions to journalism at the gala event in Johannesburg on 28 June.
- For the full list of finalists, see here
