Vodacom Journalist of the Year 2007

Mabutho Ngcobo of Health: e-News, center, won the radio feature of the year at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at Vodaworld on Sunday for a story on circumcision and the risk of HIV infections. With him is Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Robin Sewlal. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Mandy Weiner of Talk Radio 702, center, won the Radio News category at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at Vodaworld on Sunday for a story about a mother who felt something like water flowing down her back only to find that it was her 15-month old baby’s blood. With her is Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Robin Sewlal. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Hazel Friedman of SABC’s Special Assiginment, center, won the Television Feature Category at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at Vodaworld on Sunday for her feature “For the Boys” which looked at the collusion between prison gangs and wardens in South African prisons. She won R100 000. With her are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Melanie Chait. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Robyn Smith of e-TV, center, won the Television News Category at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at Vodaworld on Sunday for her story on social problems of children of working class mothers. With her are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Melanie Chait. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

The Sunday Times walked away with three awards at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday. Carlos Amato, center, won in the sport category for his story on soccer players’ and their battle for remuneration. With him are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Johann de Wet. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Mandla Khwela, center left, and Sandile Nzama, center right, of Ikhwezi Radio, won the Community Media Category at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday. With them are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Rich Mkhondo. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Paddi Clay of The Herald, center, won the Columnist category at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday. With her are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Mary Papayya. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Yalo of The Sowetan, center, was named Cartoonist of the Year at the 2007 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday. His winning entry juxtaposed the sad realities of 1976 and 2006.

Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance, center, won the Financial/Economic Category at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday. With him are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Noah Greenhill. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

The Lifetime Achievement Award of the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday, was awarded post mortem to journalist Percy Qoboza. His daughters Tmoko Qoboza and Ntuli Qoboza, center, accepted his award. With them are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Phil Molefe. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Siphokazi Maposa of the Cape Argus was awarded the Editor’s choice Award at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday. With her are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Phil Molefe. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

The overall winner at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday, was Hazel Friedman of SABC’s Special Assignment for her feature “For the Boys” which looked at the collusion between prison gangs and wardens in South African prisons. She won R100 000. With her are Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judge Phil Molefe. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

At the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday, singer Gina Shmukler dazzled the audience with her interpretation of Sweet Dreams (are made of this) during a production called Dreams. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

Tanya Farber of The Star, second from left, won the print feature of the year at the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards 2007 which were announced at Vodaworld on Sunday. She won for a series of three articles published on the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre. With her is Dot Field (Chief Communications Officer: Vodacom Group) and judges Lizette Rabie and Sandra Gordon. Picture by Lettie Ferreira.

The overall winner of the 2007 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards – announced at a glittering function at Vodaworld on Sunday, 4 November – was Hazel Friedman of SABC's Special Assignment for her feature “For the Boys” which looked at the collusion between prison gangs and wardens in South African prisons. She won R100 000. Tanya Farber of The Star won the print feature of the year for a series of three articles published on the anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre. In the print news category was Simpiwe Piliso of the Sunday Times for a story on the Elephant empowerment consortium's purchase of Telkom shares. The Sunday Times also walked off with awards for Carlo Amato in the sport category and Greg Marinovich and James Oatway in the photography category. Yalo from The Sowetan was named best cartoonist and Paddi Clay of The Herald best columnist. In the financial category Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance took top spot for his reports on Fidentia; Mandla Khwela and Sandile Nzama of Ikhwezi Radio won the community media award; Mandy Weiner of Talk Radio 702 won in the radio news category for her coverage of the death of 15-month-pld Khensani Mitileni in a Joburg CBD shoot-out while Mabutho Ngcobo of eNews won the radio feature award for a story on circumcision. Robyn Smith of e-TV won in the TV general news category for her story dealing with the problems that beset some children of working class mothers.