Journalism.co.za is proud to present this collection of some prize-winning journalism. For the moment, it contains the Vodacom and Sanlam Financial Journalist winners, to show what judges in these contests held to be great journalism. We hope that the archive of excellence will grow, with the addition of the winning entries from other competitions. We are sure it can become a useful resource for Southern Africa’s journalists, by showcasing the best that has been produced over the years.
SANLAM Financial Journalist of the Year 2010
OVERALL WINNER
Veteran journalist, Vic de Klerk of Finweek has been named the Financial Journalist of the Year for 2010 at the annual Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism. De Klerk has reclaimed the top spot 32 years after he was proclaimed the winner of the original competition, the Sanlam Financial Reporter of the Year in 1978. (Read the full story here).
Count carefully
Tax on the Bay, now or later?
House of cards collapsing
Let the numbers do the talking
The secret of the deficit
OTHER WINNERS
Pieter Van Zyl of Huisgenoot/ YOU won the Personal Finance: Non-financial media Section.
End of the rip-offs
Die man wat huise ‘red’
Swindled and flat broke!
Jan de Lange of Sake24 won the Economy & Industry : Dailies and online Section.
Staatsdienselite moet kortgevat word
Beste Cynthia, So kan jy SA groot guns bewys
Noorweë kla oor grootkop Manyi
Staat se gesloer gaan lei tot grootste ekologiese krisis nog
Staat lok Indiense staalreus na SA
Julius Cobbett of Realestateweb won the Markets & Companies : Dailies and online.
Inside Sharemax’s magic
Prakke takes issue with Sharemax valuator, auditor
Sharemax’s black hole syndications
Can you trust PIC Syndications’ R1.3bn valuation?
PIC Syndications: the next Sharemax?
Rob Rose and Stephan Hofstatter of the Sunday Times won the Economy & Industry : Magazines and weekly newspapers Section.
Hijacking of the State
DTI Looks into Cipro’s Leaky Ways
Con-prone Cipro in new move to foil fraud
Gautrain Company Hijacked at Cipro
Debate to “nationalise” RB hots up
Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance won the Personal Finance: Financial media section.
Choosing the right pension for your retirement
National Savings Month: Get into the savings habit
10 Things you should know about exchange traded funds
10 Worst financial mistakes you can make
How to assess an investment
Patricia McCraken from Bona won the Personal Finance: Non-financial Publications Section.
Mathabo le Roux of Business Day also won the Special Section Development Economics award.
Trade Beat – Chicago Boys
Trade Beat – EPAs
Hubris tears a hole in SA’s faltering fabric trade
The flip side on Phosa’s call on BEE
Market panacea fails in Africa
Lindokuhle Xulu of Moneyweb won the best entry from an entrant with less than three year’s experience.
Mandla Lamba: The “mysterious” money-man
Mandla Lamba saga: A web of deceit
Kalahari Resources: The story behind the “hijacking”
Billionaire Wiese forfeits his suitcase pounds
Christo Wiese’s R7m travellers’ cheques mystery
Claire Bisseker of Financial Mail won the special section on the economic implications and effect of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Money well spent
Well wide of target
Suzanne Beukes and Chris Bishop, both from CNBC Africa, won in the Audiovisual section.
Suzanne Beukes
Under the Knife
The Politics of Power
Chris Bishop
Resource Nationalism
Gold Price Rise
SANLAM Financial Journalist of the Year 2008
SUMMARY OF WINNERS
The versatile broadcast and print media journalist Bruce Whitfield was named the Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year for 2008. This makes him only the second journalist in the 34-year history of the competition to win the title in consecutive years. Read more about the 2008 awards.
OVERALL WINNER
Broadcast and print media journalist, Bruce Whitfield presents The World at Six on Talk Radio 702 and 567 CapeTalk. He is also the presenter of Stock Watch on Summit TV and a contributing journalist to Finweek, as well as to some non-financial publications.
OTHER WINNERS
Mathabo le Roux of Business Day won the Economy and Industries: Daily Newspapers and Internet Section.
Cheaper power lure for foreign investors
Why the Alcan deal does not compute
Growing crops to feed fuel tanks
State’s fair-trade office flounders
Trade Beat – Economic meltdown
Bruce Whitfield also won the Economy and Industries: Magazines and Weekly Newspapers Section.
Oops! We did it again
Stuff you
Reality check
Suddenly the worries shift
Inflated executive pay
Jan de Lange of Sake24 won the Markets and Companies: Daily Newspapers and Internet Section.
Wantroue rem regstel-aksievordering
Baie wil private krag lewer
Metaalpryse wys krisis se oorsprong
Tukkies maak plan om dubbeld soveel ingenieurs op te lei
Nuwe vrae oor Manuel en Ramos
Rob Rose of Financial Mail won the Markets and Companies: Magazines and Weekly Newspapers Section.
Calling the shots
Risky marriage
Cliffhanger
More skeletons
Hoodwinked
Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance won the Personal Finance: Newspapers, Financial Magazines and Internet Section for an unequalled 10th time.
Buying the right risk life assurance
What you should (and shouldn’t) do to protect your retirement savings
Now may be the time for you to buy shares for dividends
How to avoid sure-fire ways to lose your money
Beware a meltdown of your living annuity
Patricia McCraken from Bona won the Personal Finance: Non-financial Publications Section.
Bruce Whitfield of Talk Radio 702 / 567 Cape Talk won the Broadcast media section for the third year running.
Mathabo le Roux of Business Day also won the Special Section Development Economics award.
Trade Beat – Chicago Boys
Trade Beat – EPAs
Hubris tears a hole in SA’s faltering fabric trade
The flip side on Phosa’s call on BEE
Market panacea fails in Africa
The merit award for the best entry by a journalist with less than three years experience went to Marc Ashton of Fin24.com.
South Africa’s largest investigative journalism prize, The Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism of 2008/09, was awarded to the Mail & Guardian for its extraordinary commitment to the complex arms deal story.
The winners were reporters Sam Sole, Stefaans Brummer and Adriaan Basson. The judges commended them, and editor Ferial Haffajee, for their “doggedness” in exposing and documenting the story, which has become an issue on the national political agenda, using the full range of investigative techniques.
“There is a real commitment by some South African print and broadcast media to uncovering the story behind the story,” says Anton Harber, Caxton Professor of Journalism at Wits University and convenor of the judging panel.
He added: “It was striking that most stories brought official response, whether in the form of tenders being stopped, officials being investigated or arrests being made. Overall, the judges concluded that at least pockets of our media are playing their role in ensuring good governance in this society and forcing transparency and accountability with vigour and rigour.”
The joint runners up were Carte Blanche for a story on police corruption in Hammanskraal, and City Press, for their story on corruption in the tenders for a new Sowetan hospital. Judges also spontaneously awarded Bheki Mashile, a journalist from a small, independent community newspaper in Barberton, R25 000 for his courage and determination at tackling corruption in the local authority in spite of the limited resources at his disposal.
The keynote address was delivered by UK investigative journalist David Leigh who has spent many years investigating the UK arms deal.
Taco Kuiper Awards 2007
The 2007 Taco Kuiper Award for Investigative Journalism – the largest South African journalism prize – has gone to three reporters from the Daily Dispatch for their expose of hundreds of neo-natal deaths at Frere Hospital.
The judges described the work of Brett Horner, Chandre Prince and Ntando Makhubu as “a model investigation of excellent and powerful journalism”. The three reporters’ …imagination, creativity and use of … some unusual methodology – such as hidden cameras produced overpowering evidence of neglect, mismanagement and malpractice at the East London hospital.
The series of stories sparked a national debate on the state of the health system in general and on neonatal care in particular and led to the dismissal of the deputy health minister for all the wrong reasons.
Click here for more details of the prize, the full judges’ reasons, citations and other material.
SANLAM Financial Journalist of the Year 2007
SUMMARY OF WINNERS:
Click here to read the organisers’ media release with full details of winners.
Click here for the speech by Prof Anton Harber of Wits University, chair of the panel of adjudicators, which sets out the judges’ reasons (in pdf format).
OVERAL WINNER:
Bruce Whitfield of Radio 702 and Cape Talk, Summit TV and a contributor to Finweek and some non-financial publications was crowned the Sanlam Financial Journalist of the year 2007 .
OTHER WINNERS:
Helen Ueckermann (Sake-Rapport) freelancing for Manwees won the Personal Finance: Non-financial publications section. Read Ueckermann’s entries:
Wette van Finansiele Welvaart
Finansiele Skelmstreke
Finansiele intelligensie: Het jy dit?
Claire Bisseker of Financial Mail in Cape Town and Simpiwe Piliso of the Sunday Times/Business Times were the joint winners of Economy and Industry: Magazines and weekly newspapers section. Read Bisseker’s entries:
Read Piliso’s entries:
The debt trap
Exodus – movement of the people
Division multiplies fortune in pricey Sandhurst
New hotel developers have to get up early to catch 2010 visitors
Black Diamonds aren’t really making it
Stephan Hofstatter, contributing editor to Financial Mail and Farmer’s Weekly won the special section on Development Economics. Read Hofstatter’s entries:
Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance won the Personal Finance: Newspapers, financial magazines and Internet section. Read Cameron’s entries:
10 Myths about saving for retirement
Get the mix to thrive in retirement
Count the cost of living together
10 Shares your portfoio cant be without
Hilary Joffe of Business Day won the Economy and Industry: Daily newspapers and Internet section. Read Joffe’s:
Caroline Lambert of The Economist won in the new section for members of the Foreign Correspondents’ Association in South Africa. Read Lambert’s s entries:
Marc Hasenfuss of Finweek won the Markets and Companies: Magazines and weekly newspapers section. Read Hasenfuss’s entries:
Relax…….It’s different this time
Human traffic
About turn
Dancing by a thread
The great KWV dust off
Ann Crotty of Business Report won the section “Markets & companies: Daily Newspapers & Internet”.
VODACOM Journalist of the Year 2007
Hazel Friedman of SABC’s Special Assignment is the overall winner of the prestigious Vodacom Journalist of the Year Award 2007 for her feature, “For the Boys”. The judges said that her feature “shone a light in the cracks when most of us would prefer not to look, showing how the innocent and juveniles are thrown into holding cells and the extent of the collusion between prison gangs and warders who turn a blind eye on rape, drugs and violence that is life in prison today.”
Click here for the rest of the media statement, which contains all the winners.
SANLAM Financial Journalist of the Year 2006
SUMMARY OF WINNERS:
Click here to read the organisers’ media release with full details of winners.
OVERAL WINNER:
Bruce Cameron, Editor of Personal Finance, was named overall winner for his expose of undesired practices in the financial services industry and generally promoting consumer education. Read Bruce’s entries:
Alexander Forbes plundered pension funds
Pension Funds win R200m case against administrator
Secret profits can be made in many ways
One-stop-shop plan holds funds in costly embrace
Getting back on the right track at last
OTHER WINNERS:
Rene Bonorchis of Business Day won the Economy and Industries: Daily newspapers and Internet section. Read Rene’s entries:
From ship to shore, old containers give life to new retail business;
A new battle for SAÃ’s insurance market;
Does Vottle have the bottle?;
The rise of private equity;
Water of life finds a home in Soweto
Rob Rose of Business Day won the Markets and Companies: Daily newspapers and Internet section. Read Rob’s entries:
CEO with the golden scalpel gets his pound of flesh from Dorbyl;
Is SAA indulging in financial hi-jinks unbecoming of a national airline?;
For it to happen once, Mr Khumalo, was unfortunate – but twice …?;
Kebble’s R2bn dodgy share deals exposed;
Enter Rossenfeld and Drenk, sketchy characters in a MICROmega mystery
Stephen Cranston of Financial Mail and Marc Hasenfuss of Finweek were joint winners in the Markets and Companies: Magazines and weekly newspapers section. Stephen’s entries to come. Read Marc’s entries:
Class(y) Reunion;
Nest eggs or Worthless dregs;
Gray Skies over Paradise;
The devil made me do it;
What’s driving a serial risk taker?
Stafford Thomas of Financial Mail won the Personal Finance: Newspapers, financial magazines and Internet section. Read Strafford’s entries:
Don’t be nervous;
Folly of the crowd;
Interest – yes and no;
Pick your moment;
Secret practices
Patricia McCracken of Bona won the Personal Finance: Non-financial publications section. Read Patricia’s entries:
Defeat the credit vampires
Slash your credit bills big time
Going cheap – your privacy
Beating bank fees
The real pay-as-you-go
Bruce Whitfield of Talk Radio 702 / 567 Cape Talk won the Broadcast media section.
Hilary Joffe of Business Day won the special section Development Economics. Read Hilary’s entries: President’s address: keeping to the straight and narrow ;
Industrial policy raises spectre of interventionist state ;
Harvard team warns on growth without clearer industrial policy ;
Cosatu instincts not as far from Asgi-SA drafters as may seem ;
With its need for growth SA does not need a fiscal surplus now
Lloyd Gedye of Mail&Guardian won the award for best entry by a journalist with less than three years’ experience. Read Lloyd’s entries:
Icasa’s mass exodus;
Icasa loses its linchpin;
Fly taxpayer Express;
From SNO to GNO;
Free up cell cartel
Taco Kuiper Awards 2006
Winners:
Beeld and Die Burger journalists Adriaan Basson and Carien du Plessis
Winning story: A series of investigations into corruption at the Department of Correctional Services. The series implicated former prisons Chief Linda Mti in fraudulent transactions involving R1.8m. The reports led to Mti’s resignation and the subsequent launch of investigations by the Public Service Commission.
Second Prize:
This award for runner-up was shared by Mail & Guardian and Sunday Tribune journalists. The prize was due to be shared R50 000 each but the Valley Trust decided at the April 26 awarding ceremony to provide R100 000 each.
Mail & Guardian Team: Zukile Majova, Stephen Patrick, Sam Sole, Nicholas Dawes and Stefaans Brummer.
Winning Story: A series titled “A murder most foul”. It explored the relationship between national police commissioner Jackie Selebi, murdered businessman Brett Kebble and the man accused of his murder, alleged crime boss Glenn Agglioti. Read stories here:
Kebble arrest – What now Selebi? (Cover Page);
Selebi in firing line;
You first read about it in the M&G;
Selebi – Here’s the evidence Minister! (Cover Page);
Here’s the evidence – The safety and security minister asked for evidence. It is right under his nose
Sunday Tribune pair: Fred Kockott and Sibusiso Ngalwa
Winning Story: A series named “Ngunigate”. The series exposed KZN abuse of the national Nguni cattle herd and the Ithala Finance Development Corporation. This investigation prompted the Standing Commission on Public accounts to ask the MEC of agriculture to investigate the misappropriation of fund in the department. Read the stories here:
KZN watchdog;
On the horns of a dilemma;
Ndebele gives back herd;
Senior suspensions suspect;
Rose don’t smell so sweet;
Ithala “piggy bank” for elite
The judging process: Follow link to read the Professor Anton Harber’s speech on behalf of the Panel of Adjudicators.
Read keynote speech by Gavin Macfayden , director of the Centre for Investigative Journalism in London: What we are here to celebrate is of course Investigative Journalism.
SANLAMFinancialJournalistoftheYear2005
SUMMARY OF WINNERS:
Click here to read the organisers’ media release with full details of winners.
OVERAL WINNER:
Ann Crotty of Business Report won overall honours for her series on the competition commission hearings into the proposed Engen/Sasol merger. Read crotty entry
OTHER WINNERS:
Claire Bisseker of Financial Mail, Cape Town won the Economy and Industries: Magazines and weekly newspapers section.Read claire’s entry
Richard Stovin-Bradford of Sunday Times/Business Times won the Markets and Companies: Magazines and weekly newspapers section. Read Richard’s Entry
Helen Ueckermann of Sake-Rapport freelancing for Finesse won the Personal Finance: Non-financial publications section. Read Helen’s entry
Ryk van Niekerk, editor of Gauteng Business won the special section Entrepreneurship/Small Business Development. Read Ryk’s entry
The award for the best entry by a journalist with less than three years’ experience and entering for the first time was made to Maya Fisher-French, freelancer for Maverick and M&G Money. Read Fisher’s entry
Ann Crotty and Renee Bonorchis from Business Report won the Marketing companies: Daily newspapers and Internet section. Read crotty and bonorchis’s entry
Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance won the Personal Finance: Newspapers, financial magazines and Internet section.
Siki Mgabadeli, anchor/producer at the SABC’s News@10 won the Broadcast media: Television section.
Bruce Whitfield, regular contributor to Finweek magazine and broadcast journalist on Summit TV and Radio 702 and Cape Talk, distinguished himself with excellent entries in five sections. This feat landed him a special merit award for consistent all-round performance.
VODACOM Journalist of the Year 2005
OVERALL WINNERS, also category winners: Financial / Economic (in association with the JSE)
Renee Bonorchis and Ann Crotty won overall honours for their series of reports on executive pay. Read the judges’ reasons, and the winning entries.
Print – General News
Julian Rademeyer won this category for a series of three reports from Somalia and small towns in the Free State. Read the judges’ reasons and the prize-winning entries.
Print – Feature
John Yeld of the Cape Argus won this category for exposing the the greed and excesses of the rich and their disregard of the poor. Read the judges’ reasons and the prize winning entries.
Columnist
Willem Jordaan of Die Burger, won in this category, for his political columns “Brandpunt”. Read the judges’ reasons and the prize-winning entries (in Afrikaans).
Photography
Nonhlanhla Khambule of The Star won in this category for a photograph that frames the effects of Aids. Read the judges’ reasons.
Television – General News
E-tv’s Nokwazi Tshabalala won in this category for her portrayal of a mentally disabled child and his school going sister(forced into parenthood). Read the judges’ reasons.
Television – Feature
Ida Jooste and Felang Sondezi of the S.A.B.C won in this category for their piece on people without identity. Read the judges’ reasons.
Radio – News
Thandiswa Mawu of the SABC won in this category for her coverage on the fire in the Joe Slovo settlement, Western Cape. Read the judges’ reasons.
Radio – Feature
There are two winners in this category. The winners are Mercedes Besent of the S.A.B.C Kimberly and Veronica Fourie of S.A.B.C Port Elizabeth. Their respective coverage on the exploitation of workers in the diamond mining industry in the Northern Cape and a feature on a disabled character. Read the judges’ reasons and the prize winning entries. Script only
Sport
Jessica Pitchford of the S.A.B.C Special Assignments won in this category for her feature on track atheletes from South Africa and Kenya. Read the judges’ reasons. Click here to read the report’s script.
Non-commercial community media
Mandla Kwela of Kwezi FM Community won in this category for the coverage on disabled of rural communities. Read the judges’ reasons.
Editor’s Choice
Krivani Pillay of S.A.B.C Durban won in this category as she is a pillar of strenth behind her current team. Read the judges’ reasons.
