There were 75 finalists in the 14 Award categories, selected from an initial 697 submissions.
| THE 2015 AWARD JUDGES INCLUDED: | |
| Paula Fray (Convenor) | Jubie Mayet |
| David Wightman | Mathatha Tsedu |
| Dinesh Balliah | Elizabeth Barratt |
| Gus Silber | Pippa Green |
| Henry Jeffreys | Tim du Plessis |
| Irwin Manoim | Tumi Makgabo |
| Lizeka Mda | Neo Ntsoma |
| Tyrone August |
| Winner | Bongani Mdakane and Kgomotso Moganedi | "Senzo a soccer cheat" | Sunday Sun |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Botho Molosankwe, Timothy Bernard, Theresa Taylor & Omphitlhetse Mooki | "Joburg's Raging Fires - Firefight Scandal" | The Star |
| Botho Molosankwe | "What a Bummer" | The Star |
| Winner | Milisuthando Bongela | A series of Columns - "Body of Work" | City Press |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Adrian Ephraim | "For My Sake, please quit the Happy videos" | Mail & Guardian |
| Charles Leonard | "Music is my savior" | Mail & Guardian | |
| Commended: | Sue de Groot | [1] "As the word terns" | Sunday Times |
| Henry Cloete | "Dookoom, Dialoog en Kunsvrees" | Netwerk 24 |
| Winner | Shaun Smillie | "The Lion of Alberton" | The Times /Times Live |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Kathryn Kimberley | "Gangs thrive on poor" | The Herald |
| Moyagabo Maake | "A Fishy Business" | City Press | |
| Pieter-Louis Myburgh | "Spoedvraat-nasie / Speed is in our Blood" | Rapport / City Press | |
| Mkhululi Ndamase, Riaan Marais & Brian Witbooi | "A legacy in ruins" | The Herald | |
| Commended: | City Press Staff | "20 Years of Democracy" | City Press |
| Angela Daniels, Shenaaz Jamal, Deon van der Walt & Nomazima Nkosi | "Shocking abuse of traffic vehicles" | Weekend Post |
| Winner | Mia Malan | "Desperate search for answers to schizophrenia puzzle" | Mail & Guardian (Bhekisisa) |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Willemien Brümmer | "'n Nuwe Lewe vir Thandeka" & "Die Sendeling en sy 'onsigbare' Nama-vrou" | Die Burger |
| Ina Skosana | "When Lightening Strikes, it brings pale ailments" | Mail & Guardian (Bhekisisa) | |
| Hanlie Retief | "Dok se diagnose oor haarself: Uitstekend!" | Rapport | |
| Carol Paton | "Alternative reality keeps mine workers resolute" | Business Day | |
| Carolyn Raphaely | "The Measure of a Nation", "Inequality before the law: Oscar Pistorius vs Ronnie Fakude" & "St' Albans Prison: Enter the era of SA's Torture Prosecutions" | Daily Maverick |
| Winner | Bongani Fuzile & Mphumzi Zuzile | "Nelson Mandela Funeral Scandal" | Daily Dispatch |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Jeanne van der Merwe & Charl Blignaut | "SABC Boss lied to Parliament" | City Press |
| Paddy Harper & Sipho Masondo | "How SADTU sells Posts" | City Press | |
| Rowan Philp | "Inside SA's R10 billion cable theft racket" | The Witness | |
| Stephan Hofstatter, Mzilikazi wa Afrika, Piet Rampedi & Andre Jurgens | "Exposed: How arms dealer bankrolled Zuma" | Sunday Times | |
| Pieter-Louis Myburgh | "Transnet tender doubts" & "Duurste soustrein!" | Rapport / City Press |
| Winner | Chip Snaddon and John Curtis | "Marikana Rising" | Eye Witness News (EWN) |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Dr Jack Swanepoel & John Curtis | "Prophetic Flag" | Eye Witness News (EWN) |
| Cuan Miles | "Selfie Serving" | Daily Dispatch | |
| Commended: | Themba Siwela | "Rumble in the Jungle" | The Citizen |
| Winner | Jaco Grobbelaar | "Portfolio" | Graphics 24: Die Burger / City Press |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Morne Schaap | "Gogga maak baba bang" | Graphics 24: Die Burger |
| Cobus Prinsloo | "MH370: die joongste" | Graphics 24: Die Burger / Beeld / Volksblad | |
| Sithembile Mtolo | "Greening your home" | The Star |
| Winner | Prince Chauke & Norman Masungwini | "Meet Zuma's Nyatsi" | Sunday Sun |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Bongani Mdakane and Kgomotso Moganedi | "Senzo a Soccer Cheat" | Sunday Sun |
| Ntebatse Masipa | "My Daughter stole my Man" | Daily Sun |
| Winner | Bongiwe Mchunu | "Extinguisher" | The Star |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Alon Skuy | "An ultimate loss" & "#Senzo's dad @ memorial" | Sunday Times |
| Simphiwe Nkwali | "Man of the masses" | Sunday Times | |
| Phill Magakoe | "Snot en trane" & "Behind Oscar" | Pretoria News |
| Winner | Alon Skuy | "The good old days" | Sunday Times |
| Runner up / Finalist: | Brenton Geach | "Unquestionable Bond" | Cape Times |
| James Oatway | "Rhino conflict" | Sunday Times | |
| Leon Sadiki | "Ingoma" | City Press | |
| Jay Caboz | "Paddling through sewage and facing guns" | Forbes Life Africa Magazine | |
| Paballo Thekiso | "Life is hell in Syferbult" | Saturday Star | |
| Commended: | Conrad Bornman | "Miracle of birth" | Volksblad |
| Winner | Phando Jikelo | "Ajax Hold On - Photo" | Daily Voice |
| Runners up/ Finalists: | Brenton Geach | "The Sky 's the limit" | Cape Times |
| James Oatway | "This round's mine" | Sunday Times | |
| Themba Makofane | "Sundowns and Pirates game" | Daily Sun |
| No Winner | |||
| Runners up / Finalists: | Keith Tamkei | "The Dandy Man Can" | Sunday Times Lifestyle |
| Christian Stephen | "Portfolio" | Mail & Guardian | |
| Tanya Harris | "Bringing the dead to life" | The Times |
| Winner | Celeste Louw & The Team: | Special Project in four parts on farm murders | Netwerk 24: Beeld / Die Burger / Volksblad / Rapport |
| (Susan Cilliers, Marietie Louw-Carstens, Le Roux Schoeman, Debree Kluge, Tyronne Herring & Arlene Prinsloo) | |||
| Runners up / Finalists: | ENCA.com Editorial | "The Oscar Trial" | ENCA.com |
| Commended: | Estelle Ellis, Dorette de Swardt & Eugene Coetzee | "After the crash" | The Herald |
| Winner | Bianca Bothma, Lebo Mashiloane & Anastasya Eliseeva | "Lephalale in Focus" | ENCA.com |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Jurg Slabbert | "Om te Noakes... of Nie" | Die Burger |
| Adrian Ephraim & Demelza Bush | "Nyaope's deadly and addictive mix" | Mail & Guardian |
| Winner | Bongani Fuzile & Mphumzi Zuzile | "Nelson Mandela Funeral Scandal" | Daily Dispatch |
| Winner | Jay Caboz | "Dusi - Blood Sweat & Weeds" and other Articles | Forbes Life Africa Magazine |
| Runners up / Finalists: | Poppy Louw | "Orania: 20 years of Democracy" | The Times |
| Sihle Mlambo | "Senzo Meyiwa: SA mourns footballers death" & "Don't get Pregnant" | Daily News | |
| Alaister Russell | "Day of Mayhem in Bekkersdal" | The Citizen |
| Winner | Mia Malan | "Portfolio of articles" | Mail & Guardian (Bhekisisa) |
| ALLAN KIRKLAND SOGA LIFETIME ACHIEVER AWARD |
| Peter Magubane |
Also awarded on the night was the 2015 Frewin, McCall and Joel Mervis Awards' winners, recognising newspaper excellence in advertising, printing and production, layout and typography as well as the balanced use of pictures and graphics.
The Frewin Award category recognises urban daily newspapers with a circulation above 50,000.
• Runner-up: Die Burger
• Commended: The StarThe McCall Award category, which honours urban daily newspapers with a circulation of 50,000 or less:
• Runner-up: Volksblad
• Commended: Pretoria NewsThe Joel Mervis category, recognising urban weekly newspapers irrespective of their circulation
• Runner-up: Naweek Beeld
• Commended: City Press
