Regional category winners receive R5, 000, national category winners take home R10, 000. The overall VJOY winner receives R100, 000. Should there be joint winners, the prize money is shared.
The competition’s judging panel reviewed more than 1,700 entries nationally. This year’s VJOY judging panel consists of convener of the judging panel, Mapi Mhlangu and judges Elna Rossouw, Jermaine Craig, Arthur Goldstuck, Ryland Fisher, Professor Gilbert Motsaathebe, Patricia McCracken, Collin Nxumalo, Jovial Rantao, Advocate Robin Sewlal and Obed Zilwa. Collectively, the media experience of our full judging panel exceeds 300 years.
VJOY convener Mapi Mhlangu says although much was lost a lot was also gained in South Africa over the past 12 months
“All these moments were eloquently captured by the Western Cape journalism community as they produced work that connected us to understanding one another’s deep sense of loss, regret, anger, joy and relief. That’s why journalism exists – to seek out and tell truthfully, accurately and empathetically the stories of today.
And to unearth what is hidden, ask the questions that need answering, before packaging it all in a compellingly told, yet all-too-real and sobering story. The VJOYs are about celebrating these storytellers. Congratulations to all regional winners and good luck at the national event,” said Mhlangu.
The regional winners are:
Hazel Friedman from Special Assignment SABC 3 and Herman Eloff from News24.
Two tragedies struck Cape Town and South Africa a few days apart – Emeritus Archbishop Desmond Tutu died and the day after his funeral, our Parliament burst into flames. A few months later, a devastating fire raged through Langa Township a few kilometres away. The judges said this regional winner captured all these moments in history with foresight, technical insight and a wonderful sense of timing. That winner is Cape Times photographer Phandulwazi Jikelo.
For his piece, “Inside the beating heart of the cash-in-transit industry”, the Winner is Robin Adams of the Weekend Argus.
The regional winner for innovations goes to the Police Accountability Tracker developed by Viewfinder’s Daneel Knoetze, it gives open online access to the progress of complaint cases against the police.
The winner is ‘SA’s rare plants are being poached to extinction’ by Caryn Dolley of DM168.
In a region with more than 60 entries, the judges had their work cut out for them. The quality of many of the feature entries were outstanding. In several cases it was hard or breaking news that led to journalists reflecting and narrating the story behind the news event. The judges were looking for in-depth features with a strong narrative thread.
The winner for the region is Willemien Brummer from Netwerk24 for ‘Pandemie van verdriet’.
The winner from SABC radio is Mercedes Besent for her coverage of the fire at Parliament.
The regional winner is Khulekani Magubane of Fin24 for his entry: ‘Eskom strike: A declaration of war on small business’.
Athi Mtongana with contributor Nduduzo Shandu from Newzroom Afrika are the winners for the Western Cape Region in the Politics Category for their coverage of the death of FW de Klerk, the last leader of the Apartheid regime.
The judges found it impossible to separate two entries in this region that told human stories of sacrifices from the unsung local heroes in the communities which helped two stars rise to the top of their professions against great odds. For telling these stories beautifully the joint regional winners were respectively Voice of the Cape’s Feroz Shaik and New Frame’s Adrian Ephraim.
For his ‘Gaming the Lottery’ investigation, the winner is GroundUp’s Raymond Joseph.
Young journalist nominees: Tamsin Metelerkamp from the Daily Maverick and Murphy Nganga from the Weekend Argus.
The national awards ceremony will take place on 24 November 2022 and will be a hybrid event.
