Vodacom Group

(Vodaworld, Johannesburg - 9 October 2009) The victorious winners of the eighth annual Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards were announced at a glittering function held at Vodaworld tonight, attended by South Africa's leading editors and journalists.

Talk Radio 702's Nomsa Maseko was named the 2009 Vodacom Journalist of the Year winner and received R125 000, as well as being given the opportunity to donate an additional R125 000 to the official charity of her choice.

Maseko won South Africa's journalism's top honour for her moving coverage of the xenophobic attacks in Gauteng last year, and broadcast on Talk Radio 702. The judges praised Maseko for her ability to make a difficult subject accessible to the listening public.

Xenophobia was the subject of a number of winning entries including Beauregard Tromp's The Burning Man - published in The Star - which won him the award in Print News category and Thanduxolo Jika for Dying to Live published in the Daily Dispatch which won in the Print Feature category. A team from the Daily Dispatch also won in the Online Journalism category for Dying to Live

The grand prize is in addition to the R15 000 each national category winner received and the

R7 500 every regional category winner was given earlier this year. Each national winner also received a Nokia E71.

The Lifetime Achievement Award - nominated by the judges - was awarded to veteran journalist Khaba Mhhize. Mkhize was recognised for his relentless contribution to great journalism during the pre- and post-democratic phases of South African history. He is a prolific writer, whose contributions have graced some of the most influential news publications both in this country and abroad.

Editors throughout South Africa were encouraged to identify their most promising journalists with the prize a three-month all expenses paid journalism course with an overseas journalism school. The winner, selected by the judging panel for 2009, was Sikonathi Mantshantsha from Finweek.

The full list of winners who earned national winning status in the following categories is:

• TV news: Nonkumbelo Sithole for Camps in eTV Prime Time News
• TV feature: Joy Summers for Water aired on M-Net's Carte Blanche
• Print news: Beauregard Tromp for The Burning Man in The Star
• Print feature: Thanduxolo Jika for Dying To Live in Daily Dispatch
• Radio news: Nomsa Maseko for Xenophobia in Gauteng on Talk Radio 702
• Radio feature: Siphiwe Cyril Mnguni for Utrecht on SABC News
• Financial/economic: Claire Bisseker for On Pins and Needles in Financial Mail
• Columnist: Brian Hayward for One Wedding, Two Cultures And... in The Weekend Post
• Cartoonist: Jonathan Shapiro for Rape of Justice in The Sunday Times
• Photography: Alon Skuy for Living Inside A Bridge in both The Times and Mail & Guardian. (There was a commendation by the judging panel to Ronelle Ramsamy for the photograph Head Hunted of the Zululand Observer.)
• Sport: Johann Russouw for reportage of the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan on RSG
• Community Media: Munadia Karaan for the Muslim marriage act that made global history in Voice of the Cape
• Online Journalism: Tegan Bedser, Shadley Haupt, Jan Hennop, Theo Jephta, Thanduxolo Jika, Rudi Louw, Sino Majangaza and Andrew Trench for Dying To Live posted on the Daily Dispatch site.
• Editors' Choice: Sikonathi Mantshantsha from Finweek

Said Bob Collymore, Chief Officer of Corporate Affairs for the Vodacom Group: "As a total communications company, we believe in upholding the principles of great journalism -  truth, honesty and integrity. Our heartiest congratulations go to all this year's winners as their outstanding reporting has successfully captured change in our society. We also extend our thanks to all the participating journalists who submitted their best reporting."

The judging panel are Melanie Chait, Johann de Wet; Victor Matom, Rich Mkhondo, ZB Molefe, Maud Motanyane, Collin Nxumalo, Len Maseko, Mary Papaya, Lizette Rabe and convener of judges, Robin Sewlal.

The Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards is sponsored by Vodacom in association with 1Time Airline, Southern Sun, Sandton Sun, Nokia, Media Express and the JSE (Johannesburg Stock Exchange).