Journalism The Winner At Sikuvile Awards

This year’s Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards winners are a showcase of the bravery of local journalists who strive to bring stories of public interest to citizen’s attention, thus bringing into effect change in the country.

The South African Story of Year was awarded to the Gupta Leaks, a collaboration between journalists from the Daily Maverick, Amabhungane and News 24. This was story that had to be told, says Susan Comrie of Amabhungane. “To ensure that the story was presented to the public everyone knew their role and fulfilled it.”

The other journalists awarded are Antoinette Muller; Branko Brkic; Pauli van Wyk; Adriaan Basson; Richard Poplak; Adi Eyal; Micah Reddy; Susan Comrie; Angelique Serrao; Stefaans Brümmer; Marianne Thamm; Sam Sole; Tabelo Timse; Pieter-Louis Myburgh; Craig McKune; Lionel Faull; Rebecca Davis; Sally Evans; Lester Freamon. The Gupta Leaks also won the Investigative category.

The Daily Dispatch’s Bongani Fuzile was named Journalist of the Year while South African Story of the Year went to the Gupta Leaks, a collaboration between journalists from the Daily Maverick, Amabhungane and News 24.

The story “We Found them” is about the miners who are sent home to the Eastern Cape following years of working in the mines, bit without a proper retirement package. Many of these miners are also ill. The story won the Enterprise News category for Fuzile and Journalist of the year. He says the story is an example of what journalism is about. “We pushed and pushed until the miners received some sort of retirement benefit. This made the story worthwhile,” says Fuzile.

Keynote speaker at the event, Standard Bank CEO, Lungisa Fuzile, says stories such as the Gupta Leaks help the public to connect the dots and see the truth in an era of false news. “Tonight, we are honouring the people who have made it their business to search and write about the truth, so they fulfil a very important space in our lives. They help us to connect the dots in what is happening in our democracy. For this reason, Standard Bank is proud to be the Sikuvile Awards sponsor.”

“In total the entries all showed the courage of their conviction and this shows hope for our country. The Awards are a celebration of verified journalism,” says 2018 Convening Judge Mathatha Tsedu, commenting on the entries this year.

The Allan Kirkland Soga Lifetime Achiever Award went to Former Muslim News Editor and renowned Writer and Poet James Matthews who received a standing ovation from the gathering.

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By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb