Naspers prizes acknowledge fire heroes

Ton Vosloo, chairman of Naspers, presented the group's top prizes at a luncheon held after the company's AGM on Friday, 28 August 2009. This year the Phil Weber Prize for excellence throughout a career within the group went to Imtiaz Patel (CEO SuperSport) and Mark Sorour (Naspers chief investment officer).

This is the highest accolade bestowed for performance in the group.

The Chairman's Prize recognises a staff member who has walked the extra mile. This year it was awarded to the heroes who put their own lives in danger to save others in the Paarl Print fire. It caused the loss of 13 colleagues as well as seriously injuring 7, and disrupted the lives of hundreds and almost totally destroyed the plant. Yet the Paarl Print people, in the raw face of their shock and grief, rose to the challenge and came together in support and solidarity to act beyond the call of duty.

The Order of Tafelberg Prize, recognising a special association with a Naspers business partner, was awarded to Martie Retief-Meiring. She is a freelance journalist, reporter and published writer, whose association with the company dates back to 1995. She still writes weekly in the Van Alle Koerante column in Die Burger.