Pretoria – The South African media are invited to submit their entries for the 2017 SADC Media Awards Competition.
To promote regional integration and cooperation, the awards aim to recognise excellence in journalism in the area of print, photo, television, radio as well as to encourage media practitioners in member states to cover issues pertaining to the region.
The competition also consists of the Water Media Awards which are aimed at recognising stories that promote Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) in the SADC region.
The competition has four categories namely; print, photojournalism, television and radio.
Journalists who wish to enter the competition can access more information about the competition, including competition rules as well as application forms from the GCIS website link: http://www.gov.za/speeches/2017-sadc-media-awards-competition-rules-8-mar-2017-0000.
The closing date is 20 March 2017.
Entries need to be posted or delivered to the GCIS offices marked: SADC Media Awards Entry, GCIS, 1035 Francis Baard Street, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028.
Minister of Communications Faith Muthambi, at a SADC Media Awards thank you dinner in Pretoria on Friday night, said the SADC Media Awards provide outstanding exposure for winners, nominees and sponsors alike.
“Dedicated to excellence in journalism, these media awards present a unique opportunity for the SADC region’s journalists to be celebrated and recognised by their peers.”
In 2015 the GCIS received 43 competition entries, but last year they had a record number of 104 entries from South African journalists.
Minister Muthambi described this as impressive.
“It is our firm belief that Africa must tell its own stories, and in order for that to happen we must genuinely work to transform our media landscape to ensure that it is inclusive of more voices from our diverse nation.
“We hold the view that a media that is transformed will actively tell South African and SADC stories to build bridges between the citizens of our sister SADC countries.”
The SADC vision is one of a common future, within a regional community that will ensure economic well-being, improvement of the standard of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice, peace and security for the peoples of Southern Africa.
This shared vision is anchored on common values and principles and historical and cultural affinities that exist among the people of Southern Africa.
She said although South Africa did not win at regional level last year, government held the dinner on Friday to celebrate the eight winning entries that were selected from the 104 other quality entries submitted.
“I congratulate each one of you on reaching the regional adjudication. The significance of your stories is that they contribute positively towards achieving regional integration and cooperation between the people of the region.”
The winner in the Print General Category is Theunis Jacobus (TJ) Strydom for his entry Relief For Flood-Hit Mozambique and Malawi published in The Times.
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