The awards celebrate journalistic excellence where reporters cover stories with global reach and significance, requiring in-depth research to bring their stories to life. The country’s 20 years of democracy was also celebrated.
Regional winners will each take home R5 000 and attend the national finals on 31 October 2014.
This year, 967 entries were received in the 12 categories, this was an increase from 830 last year. The Print Feature category received the most entries, with 211 journalists vying for the title.
The winners of the 2014 Vodacom Journalist of the Year regional Awards in the Northern Region are:
2014 CSI/Sustainability winner
Sheree Bega. Saturday Star, Remining could mean double the toxic trouble for residents.
2014 Financial/Economic winners
Pieter-Louis Myburgh and Dewald van Rensburg. City Press and Rapport, Transnet tender doubts.
2014 Online winners
Bianca Bothma, Dianne Hawker, and Lenyaro Sello. eNCA, Road to Qunu.
2014 Photography winner
Paul Botes. Mail & Guardian, Marikana aftermath.
2014 Print Feature winner
Carlos Amato. Sunday Times, feature on Carlton Centre and articles on the rape trial and murder trial of Anene Booysen and its aftermath (Body of work).
2014 Print News winner
Debora Patta. City Press, Coverage of how ambulance broke down on night former President Nelson Mandela was transported to hospital – the beginning of the end.
2014 Radio Feature winner
Melini Moses. SABC, SAfm, Prevalence of childhood cancer.
2014 Radio News winner
Alex Eliseev. Eyewitness News, South Africa’s water crisis.
2014 Sport winner
Sameer Naik. Saturday Star, Preparations for Brazil World Cup, contextualsing South Africa versus Brazil.
2014 Television Feature winners
Fathima Simjee. Health e-News Service, Sugar Daddies.
2014 Television News winner
Zikhona Tshona. eNCA, Investigation into “fake” sign language used at former President Nelson Mandela’s memorial service.
2014 Editor’s choice winner
Christine Mhundwa.
Chief Officer for Corporate Affairs at Vodacom Group Maya Makanjee said, “We’d like to congratulate all the winners in the Northern region for thought-provoking and excellent journalism. We look forward to meeting you at the national finals, where we will be celebrating excellence in journalism in South Africa.”
