One hundred and fifty nine community newspapers took part in the 2008 competition, resulting in 1382 individual entries (about 300 more than last year) being received from editors, journalists and photographers. More than 1200 photographs were judged individually - the most ever!
According to Hugo Redelinghuys, manager: media relations at Sanlam Group Communications, the competition is the largest of the 32 press competitions held in South Africa annually.
"The record entry proves that the awards are highly regarded as a benchmark for excellence in journalism and related fields," he says.
The Journalist of the Year award found a home in Cape Town for the third successive year - this time at Pam Fourie of Cape Community Newspapers' Tabletalk. She also shared honours with Wilson Dzebu of Limpopo Mirror in the writing section: Hard News.
Said the judges, “Pam Fourie is a worthy winner. Her portfolio shows amazing versatility. Not only is Pam a good writer but also an outstanding journalist. Her stories are well-balanced and to the point.“Pam joined Tabletalk three years ago with no background in journalism but her talent was obvious from the start.
“She is not afraid of challenging stereotypes and has written stories on subjects ranging from xenophobia, to the assassination of a Russian gangster in Milnerton, from art exhibitions and couples who have been married for 60 years, to people who have challenged big business and won.
“Pam has told these stories in her own inimitable way and has become the voice of the community. The stories she writes are in the voices of friends, neighbours and acquaintances and the people she interviews. Her work shows she cares about her subject and the community. She has a passion for her work.”
His excellent portfolio earned Herman Steyn of Die Pos (Bela-Bela) the Photographer of the Year prize. He also won the section prize for Features.
With increasing attention to the "looks" and general quality and "packaging"of content, competition was as fierce as ever in the newspaper category. But Paarl Post and Springs Advertiser proved they were true champions by retaining the Sanlam Cronwright and the Sanlam Hultzer trophies respectively for newspapers with circulation of more and less than 15 000. Zoutpansberger won the Sanlam award as best independent community newspaper in the country.
In the Writing category one of the best achievers was Zerelda Bam of Randfontein Herald, who scooped two sections, Investigative Reporting and Local Government. Joining her as section winners were TK Mashaba, Limpopo Beat (Township and Rural Newspapers), Cathy Grosvenor, Springs Advertiser (Editorial Comment), Esther Lewis, People's Post (Human Interest), Graeson Haw, Tabletalk (Columns), Francois de Jongh, Gansbaai Courant (Regional news), Norman McFarlane, Bolander (Personal Finance/Business: Sanlam Cobalt Trophy), Mark Kinnear, Lowvelder (Headlines) and Brian Gaffney, People's Post (Sport).
MC Botha of Hermanus Times (portraits), Zita Goldswain, Witbank News (News) and Salomé Kotzé, Klerksdorp Record (sports photos) shared the main photography prizes with Herman Steyn.
The other main prize-winners were in the Front Pages category where The Mercury (paid papers), Stellenbosch Gazette (free sheets) and Zoutpansberger (small town papers) chalked up the first prizes.
The Alet Roux Medal of Honour for the best newcomer went to Tanya dos Santos of The Newcastle Advertiser.
The complete results can be accessed here. For more information, go to www.sanlam.co.za/eng/aboutus/awardsforcommunitypress/.
