The winners of the 2017 Forum of Community Journalists' Excellence Awards were announced at a glamorous event on Friday, 29 June at the Leriba Hotel and Spa in Centurion.
The Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) bestowed honorary life membership of the FCJ on Joe Thloloe, chairperson of the judging panel of the FCJ Excellence Awards. Here Thloloe receives a gift from Hugo Redelinghuys (executive director of the FCJ) to mark the occasion.
The awards have been presented under the auspices of the Forum of Community Journalists (FCJ) for over two decades now and are widely considered as the “Oscars” of the local and community media industry.
At the FCJ Excellence Awards local and community newspapers from all over the country and across all media houses compete against each other to award the best of the best in South Africa.
In the judges’ report they state the following: Our general impression is that the local newspapers are still very much alive in South Africa. They are indeed serving their communities very well.
The awards recognised work published in 2017.
Winners
Photography
General
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Selogile Leshage, Potchefstroom Herald
Lazarus Dithagiso, Sedibeng Ster
Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Devidean Moses, Paarl Post
Isabel Venter, Zoutpansberger
Marguerite Vermeulen, Vrystaat News
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad
Hugo Redelinghuys, George Herald
News
Jannie du Plessis, Vaalweekblad
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Isabel Venter, Zoutpansberger
Ronald Sibiya, Pretoria Rekord
Samantha Traill, Witbank News
Sport
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad
Stefan de Villiers, Lowvelder/Nelspruit Post
Ronald Sibiya, Pretoria Rekord
Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Hugo Redelinghuys, George Herald
Isabel Venter, Zoutpansberger
Joe Dreyer, Far North Bulletin
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
Herman Steyn, Die Pos
Photographer of the Year
Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad
Isabel Venter, Zoutpansberger
Ronald Sibiya, Pretoria Rekord
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Writing
Digital reporting
Jana Boshoff, Middelburg Observer
Headlines
Keina Swart, Die Pos
Hedda Mittner, The Village News
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad
In top eight: Johnny Masilela, The Beat Madré Marais, Kalahari Bulletin Pieter Delport, Bloemfontein Courant Roelien Vorster, Roodepoort Northsider Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
Editorial comment
Marlene Jordaan, Worcester Standard
Lerato Serero, Sedibeng Ster
Tobie van den Bergh, Middelburg Observer
In top seven: Danie Keet, Eikestadnuus Hennie Stander, Potchefstroom Herald Lise Beyers, Paarl Post Tasmin Cupido, District Mail
Columns
Riaan van Zyl, Roodepoort Record
Murray Stewart, The Village News
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
In top ten: Cornelia Carstens, Mosselbaai Advertiser Jan-Hendrik Coetzer, Hermanus Times Johnny Masilela, Die Pos Marlene Jordaan, Worcester Standard Michelle van der Spuy, Eikestadnuus Raymond Willemse, District Mail Tobie van den Bergh, Middelburg Observer
Sport
Johann Gresse, Middelburg Observer
Hugo Redelinghuys, George Herald
David Rush, South Coast Herald
In top ten: Carli Koch, Lowvelder Earl Haupt, People's Post Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad Joe Dreyer, Far North Bulletin Raymond Willemse, District Mail Tandy-Lee Marinus, Paarl Post/Worcester Standard Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
Human interest
Desirée Rorke, TygerBurger
Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
In top ten: Alida Buckle, Weslander Bianca du Plessis, Hermanus Times Lauren O’Connor May, Northern News Lise Beyers, Paarl Post Nadine Williams, Eikestadnuus Nielen de Klerk, TygerBurger Tshifhiwa Mukwevho, Limpopo Mirror
Investigative reporting
Anton van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
Riaan van Zyl, Roodepoort Record
Dustin Wetdewich, Potchefstroom Herald
In top four: Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
Hard news
Dustin Wetdewich, Potchefstroom Herald
Gerhard Rheeder, Middelburg Observer
Elmon Tshikhudo, Limpopo Mirror
In top twelve: Alida Buckle, Weslander Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger Hazel Allies-Husselman, Athlone News Karen Watkins, Constantia Bulletin Ronél van Jaarsveld, Die Pos Samantha Lee, People’s Post Tamlynne Thompson, The CapeTowner Trish Goosen, Weslander Yolande du Preez, False Bay Echo
Alet Roux Award It is awarded to the best newcomer - a journalist with less than three years' experience.
Marianke Saayman, Potchefstroom Herald
Selogile Leshage, Potchefstroom Herald
Carina Roux (TygerBurger) and Tamsyn Jantjies (District Mail)
Journalist of the Year
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Trish Goosen, Weslander
Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
In top ten: Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger Bianca du Plessis, Hermanus Times Dustin Wetdewich, Potchefstroom Herald Jamey Gordon, District Mail Joe Dreyer, Far North Bulletin Marianke Saayman, Potchefstroom Herald Tamlynne Thompson, The CapeTowner
Newspapers Front pages
Independent commercial newspapers
No award
The Village News
Zoutpanberger
Corporate-owned free newspapers
TygerBurger
Roodepoort Northsider
People’s Post
Corporate-owned paid newspapers
Die Pos
Paarl Post
District Mail
Newspaper of the year Independent commercial newspapers
The Village News
Zoutpansberger
Limpopo Mirror
Corporate-owned free newspapers
Roodepoort Northsider
TygerBurger
Pretoria Rekord
Corporate-owned paid newspapers, circulation less than 10,000 – Hultzer trophy
District Mail
Potchefstroom Herald
Mossel Bay Advertiser
Corporate-owned paid newspapers, circulation more than 10,000 – Cronwright Trophy
Lowvelder
Middelburg Observer
Paarl Post
The FCJ congratulates all the winners on a job well done and looks forward to next year’s competition and entries.
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