The AVBOB FCJ Excellence Awards, hosted by the Forum of Community Journalists NPC (FCJ), has become a well-known event in the media industry with the number of individual entries almost doubling from last year.
The 2022 competition attracted 527 individual entries. Winners were announced at a prize-giving dinner at the Cape Sun in Cape Town on 04 August 2023 with top honours going to Estella Naicker from Northern Natal News and Newcastle Advertiser (Journalist of the Year), Emily Bain from Northcliff Melville Times (Alet Roux Award for Upcoming Journalist of the Year) and Wayne van der Walt from Highvelder who is the Photographer of the Year.
Hermanus Times received the AVBOB Best Community Involvement Award for its Nomzamo Educare Centre project.
AVBOB, through its financial investment in the Forum and industry and the ongoing support from Caxton and Media24 allowed the FCJ to further enrich its offering and support to members – community journalists. Without this support, especially from AVBOB, the Forum will not be able to do this.
“This support enabled the Forum to re-introduce the industry to the No Guts, No Glory regional seminars kicking off with the Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga seminar to be held on August 17 and 18. The Western Cape will also host its seminar soon. We thank AVBOB, Media24 and Caxton for their support. The Forum has been able to contribute significantly to the upliftment of community journalism simply because of the trust in the work done by the Forum and community journalists,” said FCJ executive director Marietta Lombard.
In his address, AVBOB CEO, Carl van der Riet, said “As a business, AVBOB is deeply rooted in, and connected to the communities in which we operate. This is reflected in our support for community journalism. We applaud the work you to keep our communities informed and empowered with information. According to the United Nations, without freedom of the press, there can be no “real democratic societies”. Your work is an essential contribution to the building of a transparent and free society.”
“Similarly, the relationship between the media and broader society is critical on many levels in giving marginalised communities a voice on issues that affect them and in empowering them with information and an understanding of the evolving social and political dynamic around them. The absence of media in marginalised communities, leads to a divergence between expectations and experience,” added van der Riet.
The Forum also hosted its national seminar prior to the gala dinner with guest speakers Max du Preez and Press Council executive director Latiefa Mobara. The FCJ commends and thanks the judges’ panel and convener Andre Gouws for the phenomenal work in judging this year’s entries. “We commend and congratulate all the finalists and winners of the AVBOB FCJ Excellence Awards 2022,” says Lombard.
Winners and Finalists:
Journalist of the Year
Winner: Estella Naicker, Northern Natal News and Newcastle Advertiser
2nd place: Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
3rd place: Carina Roux, TygerBurger, and Helena Barnard, Noordkaap Bulletin
Remaining six finalists:
- Andries van Zyl
- Candice Bezuidenhout
- Christiaan Cloete
- Charné Kemp
- Nettalie Viljoen
- Gerhard Rheeder
Columns
Winner: Victor Mukwevho, Limpopo Mirror
2nd place: Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
3rd place: Eugene Gunning, George Herald
Remaining seven finalists:
- Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser
- Erica Pretorius, Bloemnuus
- Zita Goldswain , Witbank News
- Rick Marais, DistrictMail (DistriksPos)
- Veronica Fourie, Kouga Express
- David Rush, South Coast Herald
- Samantha Lee-Jacobs, People’s Post
Digital reporting
Winner: Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
2nd place: Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser
3rd place: Emily Bain, Northcliff Melville Times
Remaining seven finalists:
- Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad
- Candice Bezuidenhout, PE Express
- Nielen De Klerk, TygerBurger
- Jannie du Plessis, Mossel Bay Advertiser
- Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
- Gerhard Rheeder, Middelburg Observer
- Nettalie Viljoen, People’s Post
Editorial comment
Winner: Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
2nd place: Tobie van den Bergh, Middelburg Observer
3rd place: Ronelle Ramsamy, Zululand Observer
Remaining finalists:
- Maryke Swart, Weslander
- Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
- Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
- Mariette Strydom, Hermanus Times
- Jamey Lakin Gordon, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette
Hard news
Winner: Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
2nd place: Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
3rdplace: Maanda Bele, Limpopo Mirror
Remaing seven finalists:
- Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad
- Elmon Tshikhudo, Limpopo Mirror
- Emily Bain, Northcliff Melville Times
- Linzetta Calitz, Lowvelder
- Chelsea Pieterse, Lowvelder
- Candice Bezuidenhout, PE Express
- Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Headlines
Winner: Kristy Kolberg George Herald
2nd place: Etienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad/Ster
3rd place: Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Remaining seven finalists:
- Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
- Mark Kinnear, Lowvelder
- Britney Edwards, South Coast SUN
- Zita Goldswain , Witbank News
- Inge Strydom, Central24 / Sentraal24: Bloemnuus, Express, NoordKaap Bulletin, Vista
- Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
- Shirwan Newton, Bloem News, Express, Vista
Human interest
Winner: Liezl Scheepers, Parys Gazette
2nd place: Mariette Strydom, Hermanus Times
3rd place: Nielen de Klerk, TygerBurger
Remaining seven finalists:
- Charné Kemp, Noordkaap Bulletin
- Liezl Davids, Paarl Post
- Jarryd Westerdale, Roodepoort Record / Roodepoort Northsider
- Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
- Noluvu Ludidi, Weslander
- Esmé Erasmus, TygerBurger
- Vuctor Mukwevho, Limpopo Mirror
Investigative
Winner: Estella Naicker, Northern Natal News and Newcastle Advertiser
2nd place: Anton van Zyl, Limpopo Mirror
3rd place: Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
Remaing seven finalists:
- Emily Bain, Northcliff Melville Times
- Nettalie Viljoen, People’s Post
- Charné Kemp, Noordkaap Bulletin
- Jarryd Westerdale, Roodepoort Record / Roodepoort Northsider
- Nielen de Klerk, TygerBurger
- Esmé Erasmus, TygerBurger
Sport
Winner: Blake Linder, Knysna-Plett Herald
2nd place: Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum
3rd place: David Rush, South Coast Herald and Etienne van Rensburg , Vaalweekblad/Ster
Remaining six finalists:
- Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
- Lebohang Pita, Benoni CityTimes
- Wouer Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
- Naidine Sibanda, Rosebank Killarney Gazette
- Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
- Marti Will, Vista
Photography
Photography: General
Winner: Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
2nd place: Taylum Meyer, The Village NEWS and Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Highly commended: Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Remaining six finalists:
- Mitzi Buys, Hermanus Times
- Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
- Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
- Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad/Ster North
- Yaël Malgas, Weslander
- Linzetta Calitz, Lowvelder
Photography: News
Winner: Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
Highly commended: Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad; Kristy Kolberg, George Herald
Remaining seven finalists:
- Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
- Setena Teboho, Express Bloemfontein
- Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
- Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
- Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
- Charné Kemp, Noordkaap Bulletin
- Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Photography: Sport
Winner: Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
2nd place: Etienne van Rensburg, Vaaalweekblad
Highly commended: Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum
Remaining seven finalists:
- Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad/Ster North
- Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
- Carina Roux, TygerBurger
- Blake Linder, Knysna-Plett Herald
- Teboho Setena, Express Bloemfontein
- Rashied Isaacs, People’s Post
- Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Photographer of the Year
Winner: Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
2nd place: Etienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad
Highly commended: Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Remaining seven finalists:
- Blake Linder, Knysna-Plett Herald
- Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad
- Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
- Carina Roux, TygerBurger
- Chantélle Hartebeest, Paarl Post
- Charné Kemp, Noordkaap Bulletin
- Daleen Naude, Middelburg Observer
Newspaper of the Year
Any newspaper not belonging to a major media group
Winner: Limpopo Mirror
2nd place: Zoutpansberger
No third place
Corporate free, fewer than 24 pages
Winner: Northcliff Melville Times
2nd place: Roodepoort Northsider
3rd place: Potchefstroom Herald
Remaining finalists
- Rekord Mamelodi
- Polokwane Review
- Rosebank Killarney Gazette
- Parys Gazette
- Sandton Chronicle
- Rekord Centurion
- Fourways Review
- Randburg Sun
- Eyethu Baywatch
Corporate free, more than 24 pages
Winner: Polokwane Observer
Highly commended
DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette
Corporate paid circulation under 5000
Winner: Knysna-Plett Herald
2nd place: Bosveld
3rd place: Ladysmith Gazette
Remaining finalists:
- Vaalweekblad
- Dundee Courier
- Estcourt News
- Vryheid Herald
Corporate paid circulation over 5000
Winner: Paarl Post
2nd place: Lowvelder
3rd place: George Herald
- Remaining seven finalists:
- Zululand Observer
- Worcester Standard
- South Coast Herald
- Weslander
- Witbank News
- Newcastle Advertiser
- African Reporter
Best front page
Any newspaper not belonging to a major media group
Winner: Zoutpansberger
2nd place: Limpopo Mirror
3rd place: The Village NEWS
Remaining finalists:
- Witzenberg Herald
- Pondoland Times
- Mangaung Issue
Corporate-owned, free
Winner: Rosebank Killarney Gazette
2nd place: Highvelder
3rd place: Bedfordview Edenvale News
Remaing seven finalists:
- Potchefstroom Herald
- Parys Gazette
- Germiston City News
- Southlands SUN
- Lowvelder Express
- South Coast SUN
- DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette
Corporate-owned, paid
Winner: Lowvelder
2nd place: Zululand Observer
3rd place: Knysna-Plett Herald
Remaining seven finalists:
- Suid-Kaap Forum
- Witbank News
- South Coast Herald
- George Herald
- Mpumalanga News
- Paarl Post
- Vaalweekblad
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