For the first time in the 16-year history of the distinguished competition, the awards-evening was hosted at the Arabella Sheraton Grand Hotel in the Mother City, undoubtedly the magazine publishing capital of South Africa. The MC for the evening was Michelle McLean, former Miss Universe,
"The Mondi Awards are a celebration of the people who make magazines worth celebrating," said Gus Silber, convener of the judging panel. "Magazines can be powerful weapons in the war against ignorance, prejudice, and apathy. They can stir emotions, provoke debate, and rouse ordinary citizens into extraordinary action."
Silber thanked the journalists, columnists, photographers, designers and illustrators who took the time and trouble to enter the Mondi Awards, presenting the judging panel with a selection of work "that made our work as challenging as it was rewarding".
This year, a record 911 entries from 101 different titles were submitted, indicating that the awards continue to grow in both prestige and credibility, and that the title of 'Mondi Award winner' is becoming increasingly sought after.
At the event, the top category winners were awarded the prized Mondi Golden Nib, R10 000 cash and a framed certificate.
BUSINESS/INDUSTRY
In the Business and Industry category, Kevin Bloom took the premier prize for his compelling and insightful look at the tabloid newspaper industry in 'War Talk' that appeared in The Media.
The finalists were Stephan Hofstatter for 'Land Reform: Time to Mend Fences' in Financial Mail; Ivo Vegter for 'Platinum Royalty' in Maverick, and Irma Venter for 'Power Hungry' in Engineering News.
HEALTH/WELLNESS
In the Health and Wellness category, the judges looked for fresh, lively writing, a strident spirit of inquiry, and the highest degree of scientific accuracy. These elements came to the fore in winner, Pearlie Joubert's 'Deadly Silence', a brave portrait of controversial vitamins peddler Dr Matthias Rath, in Fairlady.
The finalists were Justine Joseph for 'What diabetes can do for you' in Shape, David Moseley for 'Anatomy of Circumcision' in Men's Health, and Laura Tyrer for 'Bird Flu Alarm' in Engineering News.
BEAUTY
Marie Claire's Megan Lindow won the Beauty category with her different take on the subject. In 'Positively Gorgeous', she writes about the Miss HIV/Aids beauty pageant in Gaborone, Botswana, capturing the camaraderie and happiness of lively, lovely women who are content with their appearance and just happen to be afflicted with a killer disease.
Ayanda Bikitsha was a finalist for 'Defining African Beauty' in True Love, as was Shannon Smith who impressed judges with her 'Message on the Bottle' in Fairlady.
Although these entries were highly-deserving, the judges noted a decline in the overall quality of entries in this category, with only a few truly "leaping off the page". "Next year we hope for many more entries that venture beyond the present skin-deep approach to beauty. It's an industry that is crying out for enterprising and investigative journalism. We want to see it!" noted the judges.
AT HOME
In the At Home category, which grows substantially larger each year and attracted 93 entries in the 2005 awards, Liezel Norval-Kruger and Rene Slee took top honours with 'Nostalgiese Plaaskersfees' in Rooi Rose.
The judges described their 20-page homage to a farm-style Christmas as fresh, inspirational, and unashamedly and uniquely South African, showing just why South Africa is becoming increasingly respected, admired, and sought-after by creative industries internationally.
The finalists were Kerstin Eser for 'New Vintage' in Elle Decoration, Tina-Marie Malherbe for 'Voila Henri' in Visi, and Laureen Rossouw for 'Soul Food' in House and Leisure.
FORESIGHT
Jocelyn Newmarch walked away with the kudos in the Foresight category for 'Turning Townships into Suburbs' in The Property Magazine. She was lauded for her in-depth report on the changing face of Khayelitsha. Without shying away from the highly charged politics of township life, the story provides an eye-opening look at the slow but inevitable gentrification of a place whose very name means 'new home'.
The finalists were Rian Malan for 'Slimjan onder die Adboere' in Insig, Ronel Nel for 'In die klas' in Insig, and Gillian Warren-Brown for 'Spin a Little Yarn' in Popular Mechanics.
COMMENTARY/CRITIQUE
Kay Karriem of Insig won the Commentary and Critique category for 'Aanstap, Bruines', a moving and controversial perspective on attitudes towards change and affirmative action within the country's Coloured community.
The judges described her entry as a brave and memorable piece of writing which, although controversial, is not preachy but sincere.
The finalists were Jean Meiring for 'Die Ewige Eierdans' in Insig, Henk Rossouw for 'Pieter Hugo review' in Art South Africa, and Ivo Vegter for 'Wasted Efforts' in Maverick.
FASHION
The finalists in this year's Fashion category did not disappoint. After intense debate, the judging panel awarded the top prize to Jackie Burger and Maranda Engelbrecht for 'Temptation' in Taste.
Their shoot assaulted the senses on every front, and it was - as one judge put it - quite 'ravishing'!
Hot on their heels were Jenny Andrew for 'Dial SA for Fashion' in Wanted, Robert Bell for 'Ladies in Waiting' in Style, and Kirsty Stoltz for 'Dirty Pretty Things' in FHM.
VISUAL
This year's clear winner in the Visual Impact category was Elzilda Becker, with her assortment of DeKat covers. They demonstrate an artful combination of photography and illustration, and the judges felt that these cannot help but stand out from the crowd of tired celebrity faces that adorn the covers of the majority of magazines today.
The finalists were Christopher Lee-Jones for 'Anatomy of a Circumcision' in Men's Health, Justin Plunkett for 'Jake White and Mark Shuttleworth' in GQ, and Anton Sassenberg for 'Neo-oude-doos' in Insig.
TRAVEL/SPORT/LEISURE
The Travel, Sport and Leisure category was the star attraction for South Africa's premier magazine writers in 2005, and wading through the pile of entries was a task as daunting as climbing Mount Everest.
Johan Bakkes emerged as the winner with his breathtaking 'Hel Toe', an account of his journey to the lowest point on the African continent in Insig.
Hot on his heels were Neil Manthorp for 'Cold War' in The Wisden Cricketer, Dana Snyman for ''n Droom van Chroom' in Weg, and Sam Woulidge for 'Love Italy' in Taste.
COLUMNS
Josef Talotta shone in the Columns category with his witty tales of urban life in 'The Back Page' of Style, while the finalists were Frik Els for 'Big Spender' in Finweek; Dave Pepler for 'Liewe Aarde' in Insig; and Bruce Pinnock for 'Back of the Pack' in Runner's World.
"The best work in this category is amusing, entertaining, informative and unputdownable. The art of column writing is alive and well in South Africa," agreed the judges.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Although the competition was tough in the Photography category, the judges found a clear winner in Aubrey Jonsson's 'Die Vlieënde Oscar' in Insig. His stylised portraits of paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, suspended in mid-air against an idealised blue sky with heavenly clouds, lend the sporting legend a godlike superhero quality.
Finalists in this category were Melanie Cleary for 'Die Groot Hunkering' in DeKat, Justin Polkey for 'Hit Men' in Top Billing, and Lefty Shivambu for 'Spitting Mad' in Kick-Off.
PROFILE
Gillian Rennie's superb profile of Epainette Mbeki, 'Raising Thabo' in Fairlady, took gold in the Profile category. By the end of the piece, noted the judges, the reader feels transported to a small rural village to "have a cup of Joko with the president's mother".
The other contenders in this category were Michelle Constant for 'On the Money' in SL Magazine, Stephan Hofstatter for 'The Timekeeper' in Men's Health Best Life, and Koos Kombuis for 'Melktert om Middernag' in Insig.
REPORTAGE
In the Reportage category, the standard of entries was exceptionally high, but Chris Louw was the unanimous choice for 'A Farmer's Fight against Mysterious Cattle Ailments' in Farmer's Weekly. The story was crafted in a way that could hold the attention of even those readers who are not interested in agriculture.
The finalists were Adam Levin for 'Fashion by the Sea' for Style, Stephan Hofstatter for his 'Platteland Plunder' for Farmer's Weekly and Dylan Muhlenberg with his 'Talking Dirty' for GQ.
FEATURES
Once again, journalists writing in Afrikaans magazines led the charge in the Features category, which was won by Erns Grundling with his 'Kent gij dat volk?' in Insig. Grundling went undercover in a rightwing youth survival camp run by the Volksbrandweg in the Waterberg and, writing with empathy and insight, opens a can of worms about the rightwing.
The finalists were Karin Brynard for 'Sameswerings, doodskis-rituele, duister geheime' in Insig; Dylan Muhlenberg for 'Cuffed' in SL Magazine, and Grant Warren for 'The Rage Inside Me' in GQ
The Mondi Magazine Awards judging panel, convened by journalist Gus Silber, comprised: Alex Dodd, journalist, editor, and part-time Journalism lecturer at Wits University; De Waal Venter, author, critic, and broadcaster; Dion Chang, journalist and trends consultant; Fred Khumalo, columnist, author, and Sunday Times Insight and Opinion Editor; Joe Khumalo, multiple Mondi-award-winning journalist and columnist; Joe Thloloe, journalist and Chairman of the South African National Editors Forum; Kim Penstone, freelance journalist specialising in the fields of marketing, media and advertising; and Sue Grant-Marshall, multiple Mondi-award-winning journalist and co-author of the best-selling books 'Mind the Gap' and 'Mind over Money'.
