A host of local news outlets received awards for their work at this year’s Avbob FCJ Excellence Awards, hosted by the Forum of Community Journalists NPC (FCJ).

The competition attracted 527 individual entries and the winners were announced at a prize-giving dinner at the Cape Sun in Cape Town on Friday.

The top honours went 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.

JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Estella Naicker
Northern Natal News and Newcastle Advertiser#AvbobFCJAwards pic.twitter.com/ZrylT8rv8M

— Forum of Community Journalists (@ForumofCJ) August 5, 2023

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Wayne van der Walt
Highvelder#AvbobFCJAwards pic.twitter.com/AjZy4dipH0

— Forum of Community Journalists (@ForumofCJ) August 5, 2023

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.

“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 commended 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.

Keynote speaker at the FCJ 2023 Annual National Seminar, Max du Preez.#FCJ #CommunityJournalism #Journalism
AVBOB South Africa pic.twitter.com/8WNjN4HCpX

— Forum of Community Journalists (@ForumofCJ) August 5, 2023

Winners and Finalists:

Journalist of the Year

Winner: Estella Naicker, Northern Natal News and Newcastle Advertiser

2^nd place: Dave Savides, Zululand Observer

3^rd 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

2^nd place: Lise Beyers, Paarl Post

3^rd 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

2^nd place: Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser

3^rd 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

2^nd place: Tobie van den Bergh, Middelburg Observer

3^rd 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

2^nd place: Dave Savides, Zululand Observer

3^rdplace: 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

2^nd place: Etienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad/Ster

3^rd 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

2^nd place: Mariette Strydom, Hermanus Times

3^rd 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

2^nd place: Anton van Zyl, Limpopo Mirror

3^rd 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

2^nd 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

2^nd 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

2^nd 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

2^nd 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

2^nd place: Zoutpansberger

No third place

Corporate free, fewer than 24 pages

Winner: Northcliff Melville Times

2^nd place: Roodepoort Northsider

3^rd place: Potchefstroom Herald

Corporate free, more than 24 pages

Winner: Polokwane Observer

Highly commended

DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette

Corporate paid circulation under 5000

Winner: Knysna-Plett Herald

2^nd place: Bosveld

3^rd place: Ladysmith Gazette

Corporate paid circulation over 5000

Winner: Paarl Post

2^nd place: Lowvelder

3^rd place: George Herald

Best front page

Any newspaper not belonging to a major media group

Winner: Zoutpansberger

2^nd place: Limpopo Mirror

3rd place: The Village NEWS

Corporate-owned, free

Winner: Rosebank Killarney Gazette

2^nd place: Highvelder

3^rd place: Bedfordview Edenvale News

Corporate-owned, paid

Winner: Lowvelder

2^nd place: Zululand Observer

3^rd place: Knysna-Plett Herald