The Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Award finalists have today been announced. The judging panel noted the high standard of the submissions and believed that the finalists chosen aptly underscored this year’s theme – perfect balance.
The judging panel, convened by Paula Fray, had an intense two-day session deciding on the finalists. Fray said, “We assessed a very large sample of South African newspaper journalism, and were able to conclude that the best entries were of superb standard.”
These are the comments and finalists for each category:
Hard news: “As always, there was great reporting. We are lucky we live in a country with so much hard news, and so many brilliant reporters with the right words to convey the moment. As judges we were struck by the intensity of feelings about politicians squandering tax on luxury homes, on security, on a village, on diverting roads, on expensive cars – while subjecting their subjects to ever greater tax burdens. These stories brought different tears to our eyes.”
Hard News FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Adriaan Basson
Inside Heath’s World
City Press
FINALIST
Louise Flanagan
92 million: Zuma’s political elite benefit
The Star
FINALIST
Angelique Serrao
“Gauteng tollroads”
The Star
FINALIST
Boitumelo Tshehle
Hunger Killed them
Sowetan
COMMENDED
Mpume Madlala
Drug woman’s sister talks
Daily News
COMMENDED
Analysis, commentary and background: “Many of the submissions were distinguished by their ability to present complex or unfamiliar issues in such a way that it appeals to the reader and makes fairly dense information accessible and even pleasurable reading. In general, the entrants displayed a commendable willingness to tackle complicated topics and present the results in uncluttered writing.”
Analysis, commentary and background FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Mia Malan
“Abduction”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
John Yeld
“Cop 17”
Cape Argus
FINALIST
Sam Sole
“Making Meaning”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
Craig McKune
“Lease fleece”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
Yusuf Omar
“Cope 17”
The Mercury
COMMENDED
Enterprise news: “This category awards journalists who identify important, original stories that would perhaps otherwise remain under the radar were it not for the reporter’s enterprise.
Enterprise FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Sue Blaine
“Dismay as Department sits on FET results”
Business Day
FINALIST
Yolande Stander
“Death over the counter”
Weekend Post
FINALIST
Lebogang Seale
“Raped by the justice system”
The Star
FINALIST
Liesl Pretorius
“Size Matters”
City Press
COMMENDED
Liesl Pretorius
“Phuza Nation”
City Press
COMMENDED
Feature Writing: “In a category of 125 entries, which included some of the country’s finest narrative journalism and feature writing, reaching consensus on a winner was expectedly difficult.”
Feature Writing FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Tanya Pampalone
“In a Dainfern state of mind”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
Mia Malan
“Saved by township treatment”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
Beauregard Tromp
“The weight of water”
The Star
FINALIST
Mary Corrigall
“The silent war”
Sunday Independent
FINALIST
Hanlie Retief
“Melanie Steyn, My man di Sondag – verkragter”
Rapport
FINALIST
Tanya Farber
“Corrective rape portrait of a survivor & perpetrator”
Cape Times
COMMENDED
Jonathan Ancer
“Adventures of an AWOL Chequebook”
The Star / Cape Times
COMMENDED
Investigative journalism: “At a time when newsrooms are confronted by all sorts of economic and political challenges and threats, investigating journalists continue to produce journalism of the highest standards and can hold their own anywhere in the world. This year a total of 44 entries were received – of which by far the majority were of a high standard and deserving of some merit. The judges had a tough time deciding which of the entries were to go through as finalists and which ones were to be, sadly, left out.”
Investigative journalism FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Adriaan Basson and Piet Rampedi
“Malema’s secret fund”
City Press
FINALIST
Michael Kimberly and Msindisi Fengu
“Dead on Arrival”
Daily Dispatch
FINALIST
Mzilikazi Wa Afrika and Stephan Hofstatter
“Shiceka: The One and Only”
Sunday Times
FINALIST
Stephan Hofstatter, Mzilikazi Wa Afrika and Rob Rose
“Shoot to kill: Inside a South African police death squad”
Sunday Times
FINALIST
Glynnis Underhill
“Godongwana and the missing union millions”
Mail & Guardian
COMMENDED
Julian Rademeyer
“Bloedspoor na die ooste”
Beeld
COMMENDED
Sam Sole and Stefaans Brummer
“The memo that sank the arms probe”
Mail & Guardian
COMMENDED
Creative Journalism: “Columnists dominated the creative journalism section, which had 63 entries, many of high calibre. Judges wanted the writing to be clear, engaging, and persuasive with readability and relevance to readers taken into consideration. Reading good columns is a delight, and indeed your judges found this a delight-filled task.”
Creative journalism FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Tanya Pampalone
“Confessions of Walmart shopper”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
Jonathan Ancer
“Angry utterances”
Cape Times
FINALIST
Murray la Vita
Various – “Tuin van aardse luste”
Die Burger
FINALIST
Thomas Falkiner
“Kings of Fire”
Sunday Times
COMMENDED
Helen Warne
“Monster Move”
Sunday Tribune
COMMENDED
Editorial Cartoons: “The standard of editorial cartooning in this country improves every year. Most newspapers can count on having at least one sophisticated editorial cartoon in each edition. The major improvement has been to the quality of the draughtsmanship. The more difficult trick, making a sharp point while avoiding the obvious, is more elusive.”
Editorial cartoons FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Themba Siwela
“Corruption cripples SA”
The Citizen
FINALIST
Jonathan Shapiro
“Mac Maharaj side-order”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
Cuan Miles
Polar Bear – “chillin’ in Durbs”
Daily Dispatch
FINALIST
Graphic journalism: “The finalists all submitted examples of sophisticated and hugely ambitious work.”
Graphic journalism FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Jaco Grobbelaar
“South African’s global arms exports”
City Press & Rapport
FINALIST
Rudi Louw
“U2 – Rock Revolusie”
Rapport / Graphics 24
FINALIST
Morne Schaap
“Die pil vir amper Alles”
Graphics 24
FINALIST
John McCann
“Mugabe Headlock”
Mail & Guardian
COMMENDED
Popular Journalism: “As this is a relatively new category of journalism in South Africa the number of entries were disappointing despite the increasingly dominant presence of tabloid publications. But what we received was an excellent indication of the potential of this kind of journalism.”
Popular journalism FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Prince Chauke
“Mbalula: My sex, my shame”
Sunday Sun
FINALIST
Yolanda Barnard
“Mark Fish en die strippers”
Sondag
FINALIST
Warda Salvester
“Little hands do devils’ work”
Daily Voice
FINALIST
News Photographs: “Always a tough category which this year had overwhelming entries on one of the biggest stories – service delivery protests. The finalists all deserve the highest accolades.”
News photographs FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Antoine de Ras
“Mogadishu Madness”
The Star
FINALIST
Alon Skuy
“Desperate for aid – Stampede”
The Times
FINALIST
Courtney Africa
“Congo Protest”
Cape Times
FINALIST
Simphiwe Nkwali
“Crawling”
Sunday Times
FINALIST
Chris Collingridge
“The Great Divide”
The Star
COMMENDED
James Oatway
“Wrong Place, Wrong Time”
Sunday Times
COMMENDED
Feature photographs: “The most beautiful work submitted this year.”
Feature photographs FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Alon Skuy
“Somalia Famine”
The Times
FINALIST
Antoine de Ras
“The Long Road Home”
The Star
FINALIST
Antoine de Ras
“Mogadishu Madness”
The Star
FINALIST
James Oatway
“Land of Veils & War” Afghanistan
Sunday Times
COMMENDED
Sports Photographs: “This year, there was a notable lack of entries from the country’s top sports photographers. Nevertheless, the finalists’ entries were of the highest calibre.
Sports photographs FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Matthew Jordaan
“Super Steyn”
Cape Times
FINALIST
Deaan Vivier
“Untitled” Butch James somersaults over Pat McCabe
Rapport
FINALIST
Theana Breugem
“Disabled Bowling”
Beeld
FINALIST
Adrian de Kock
“Polo Pigeons”
The Star
FINALIST
Denvor de Wee
“Watch it Dude”
City Press
COMMENDED
Presentation (Layout and Design): “The current fashion for template-driven newspaper design does ensure certain minimum standards, and a consistent professional feel.”
Presentation FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Arlene Prinsloo
Various – “Tsunami”
Rapport
FINALIST
Quincy Tsatsi & Robyn Comley
“Stampede”
The Times
FINALIST
Rudi Louw
“2011 The good, the bad and the great”
City Press
FINALIST
Online Reportage: “This year was the first year we had an online category. Online reportage is more than just repurposing print content. It’s a category that honours reporters who present content for the online medium that recognises the medium’s characteristics (interactivity, social, multimedia).”
Online reportage FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Tegan Bedser
“I am Eastern Cape”
Daily Dispatch
FINALIST
Xolisa Hackula / Michael Kimberley / Tegan Bedser
“Exhuming the Truth”
Daily Dispatch
FINALIST
Nadine Theron/ Le Roux Schoeman / Werner Erasmus
“Matrieks in Margate”
Touchlab / Beeld / Die Burger – Media 24
FINALIST
Online Multimedia: “ The Online Multimedia with either audio and/or video entries were of high quality and were mostly produced by print publications seeking to extend a story.”
Online multimedia FINALISTS and those COMMENDED:
Demelza Bush and Nickolaus Bauer
“Marching for Malema”
Mail & Guardian online
FINALIST
Demelza Bush / Vuvu Vena
“Hillbrow – The danger some call home”
Mail & Guardian online
FINALIST
Lauren Clifford Holmes and Kwanele Sosibo
“Farming for the Future”
Mail & Guardian
FINALIST
The South African Story of the Year and, the Newspaper Journalist of the Year will be announced on the night of the awards ceremony.
The Standard Bank Sikuvile Newspaper Awards’ judging panel consists of:
Paula Fray (Convenor)
Tyrone August
David Wightman
Liesl Louw
Tumi Makgabo
Peter Sullivan
Mike Siluma
Henry Jeffreys
Juby Mayet
Irwin Manoim
Gail Smith
Matthew Buckland
Robin Comley