The Mail & Guardian scooped three awards, more than any other single media organisation, at the regional finals of the inaugural Vodacom Journalist of the Year awards this week.
Robert Kirby, the M&G‘s columnist, also won a Thomas Pringle Award this week for his TV column, Channel Vision.
At a function held in Sandton on Monday night, the M&G grabbed accolades in the print (feature), specialist and special award: editor’s choice categories.
Stefaans Brummer, the newspaper’s senior investigative reporter, received the feature award for his ”tourist war” in Afghanistan. Columnist John Matshikiza received the specialist category prize for his weekly column With the Lid Off.
Reporter Thebe Mabanga was nominated for the special award: editor’s choice. The award is for a young reporter thought to be the most promising journalist in the region.
All recipients will compete in the national finals to be held in Midrand, Johannesburg, on November 2.
Awarding the Pringle to Kirby, the English Academy of Southern Africa noted: ”Kirby’s fresh and non-formulaic approach certainly broke the monotony, with his columns infused with ‘subtly’ overt humour.”
Kirby now writes a weekly social commentary column, Loose Cannon.