Hazel Friedman, of the Special Assignment current affairs show on SABC 3, walked away with a R100,000 cash prize as overall winner of the Vodacom Journalist of The Year 2007 competition in Midrand on Sunday evening.
Friedman won the accolade for the TV feature “For the Boys” about corrupt prison officials. The judges described her work as “rigorous in its research and innovative in its approach”.
Other national winners were Tanya Farber of The Star (best print feature), Robyn Smith of e.tv (best TV news), Simphiwe Piliso of the Sunday Times (best print news), Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance (best financial journalism), Carlos Amato of Soccer Life, Sunday Times (sport), Paddi Clay of The Herald (best columnist), Mandla Khwela and Sandile Nzama of Ikwezi Radio (best community media), Mandy Weiner of Talk Radio 702 (best radio news) and Mabutho Ngcobo of Health-E News (best radio feature).
Greg Marinovich and James Oatway of the Sunday Times shared the best photography award while Sifiso Yalo was named best cartoonist for his cartoon in the Sowetan which “strikingly juxtaposed the sad realities of 1976 and 2006”.
The Editor’s Choice award, for a young journalist showing potential, went to Sipokazi Maposa of The Cape Argus. She wins the opportunity to study at the Thompson Foundation in Cardiff, Wales for three months.
Presidency denies hidden agenda in Johncom bid
President Thabo Mbeki’s office says there is nothing sinister about a bid to buy independent media company Johncom.
The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that several confidantes of Mbeki, including his adviser Titus Mafolo, foreign ministry spokesman Ronnie Mamoepa and former chief of state protocal Billy Modise, have launched a R7-billion bid for 100 percent of Johncom.