FCJ announces finalists of the AVBOB FCJ Excellence Awards for 2022
The Forum of Community Journalists is proud to announce the finalists of the AVBOB FCJ Excellence Awards for 2022. After a month of hard work and working through 531 entries, the panel of judges, lead by convenor André Gouws, selected the finalists in each category.
“Adjudicators were impressed with the quality and sheer number of entries received – many more entries were received than the previous year. With so many entries, the judges faced a difficult task to select the winners. Many participants who did not make the list of finalists also entered very good work. The overall quality was impressive and to be a finalist is a big achievement as winners in this competition are truly the best of the best,” says Gouws.
“All finalists will be invited to the prestigious prize-giving gala dinner on Friday 4 August 2023 at the Southern Sun Cape Sun Hotel in Cape Town. So, if you see your name here, start making travel reservations. Invitations will be sent next week,” says Marietta Lombard, Executive Director of the FCJ.
To qualify for the discounted rate when booking a room, use AVBOB FCJ as the reference.
The finalists – in alphabetical order by first name – in each category are:
Photography
Photography: General
Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad/Ster North
Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Linzetta Calitz, Lowvelder
Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
Mitzi Buys, Hermanus Times
Taylum Meyer, The Village NEWS
Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
Yaël Malgas, Weslander
Photography: News
Charné Kemp, NoordkaapBulletin
Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad
Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
Kristy Kolberg, George Herald
Teboho Setena, Express Bloemfontein
Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Photography: Sport
Blake Linder, Knysna-Plett Herald
Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad/Ster North
Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Elsje Vermeulen, Vaalweekblad
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad
Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum
Rashied Isaacs, People’s Post
Teboho Setena, Express Bloemfontein
Wayne van der Walt, Highvelder
Upcoming photographer of the year
Not enough entries received.
Writing Categories
Columns
Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser
David Rush, South Coast Herald
Erica Pretorius, Bloemnuus
Eugene Gunning, George Herald
Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
Rick Marais, DistrictMail
Samantha Lee-Jacobs, People’s Post
Veronica Fourie, Kouga Express
Victor Mukwevho, Limpopo Mirror
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Digital reporting
Alet Engelbrecht, Mossel Bay Advertiser
Candice Bezuidenhout, PE Express
Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad
Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Emily Bain, Northcliff Melville Times
Gerhard Rheeder, Middelburg Observer
Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
Jannie du Plessis, Mossel Bay Advertiser
Nettalie Viljoen, People’s Post
Nielen De Klerk, TygerBurger
Editorial comment
Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
Jamey Gordon, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette
Lise Beyers, Paarl Post
Mariëtte Strydom, Hermanus Times
Maryke Swart, Weslander
Ronelle Ramsamy, Zululand Observer
Tobie van den Bergh, Middelburg Observer
Hard news
Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
Candice Bezuidenhout, PE Express
Chelsea Pieterse, Lowvelder
Christiaan Cloete, Vaalweekblad
Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
Elmon Tshikhudo, Limpopo Mirror
Emily Bain, Northcliff Melville Times
Linzetta Calitz, Lowvelder
Maanda Bele, Limpopo Mirror
Headlines
Britney Edwards, South Coast SUN
Carina Roux, TygerBurger
Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad/Ster
Inge Strydom, Central24 / Sentraal24: Bloemnuus, Express, NoordkaapBulletin, Vista
Kristy Kolberg George Herald
Mark Kinnear, Lowvelder
Shirwan Newton, BloemNews, Express, Vista
Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
Zita Goldswain, Witbank News
Human Interest
Charné Kemp, NoordkaapBulletin
Esmé Erasmus, TygerBurger
Helena Barnard, NoordkaapBulletin
Jarryd Westerdale, Roodepoort Record / Roodepoort Northsider
Liezl Davids, Paarl Post
Liezl Scheepers, Parys Gazette
Mariëtte Strydom, Hermanus Times
Nielen de Klerk, TygerBurger
Noluvu Ludidi, Weslander
Victor Mukwevho, Limpopo Mirror
Investigative reporting
Andries van Zyl, Zoutpansberger
Anton van Zyl, Limpopo Mirror
Charné Kemp, NoordkaapBulletin
Emily Bain, Northcliff Melville Times
Esmé Erasmus, TygerBurger
Estella Naicker, Northern Natal News and Newcastle Advertiser
Jarryd Westerdale, Roodepoort Record / Roodepoort Northsider
Nettalie Viljoen, People’s Post
Nielen de Klerk, TygerBurger
Sport
Blake Linder, Knysna-Plett Herald
Daleen Naudé, Middelburg Observer
Dave Savides, Zululand Observer
David Rush, South Coast Herald
Ettienne van Rensburg, Vaalweekblad/Ster
Hugo Redelinghuys, Suid-Kaap Forum
Lebohang Pita, Benoni CityTimes
Marti Will, Vista
Naidine Sibanda, Rosebank Killarney Gazette
Wouter Pienaar, Potchefstroom Herald
Best front page
Any community/local newspapers (not owned by any of the major media groups)
Limpopo Mirror
Mangaung Issue
Pondoland Times
The Village NEWS
Witzenberg Herald
Zoutpansberger
Corporate-owned: free
Bedfordview Edenvale News
DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette
Germiston City News
Highvelder
Lowvelder Express
Parys Gazette
Potchefstroom Herald
Rosebank Killarney Gazette
South Coast SUN
Southlands SUN
Corporate-owned: paid
George Herald
Knysna-Plett Herald
Lowvelder
Mpumalanga News
Paarl Post
South Coast Herald
Suid-Kaap Forum
Vaalweekblad
Witbank News
Zululand Observer
Newspaper of the year
Any community/local newspapers (not owned by any of the major media groups)
The winner will be announced at the prize-giving event.
Corporate-owned free: fewer than 24 pages
Northcliff Melville Times
Parys Gazette
Polokwane Observer
Polokwane Review
Potchefstroom Herald
Rekord Centurion
Rekord Mamelodi
Roodepoort Northsider
Rosebank Killarney Gazette
Sandton Chronicle
Corporate-owned free: more than 24 pages
DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette
Eyethu Baywatch
Fourways Review
Randburg Sun
Corporate-owned paid: circulation under 5000
Bosveld
Dundee Courier
Estcourt News
Knysna-Plett Herald
Ladysmith Gazette
Vaalweekblad
Vryheid Herald
Corporate-owned paid: circulation over 5000
African Reporter
George Herald
Lowvelder
Newcastle Advertiser
Paarl Post
South Coast Herald
Weslander
Witbank News
Worcester Standard
Zululand Observer
AVBOB Best Community Involvement Award
The winner will be announced at the prize-giving event.
Judges
As always, the panel of judges consisted of seasoned veterans of the community newspaper industry and some of the best academics in the field of journalism.
They are:
Andre Gouws, lecturer at Akademia (convenor)
Willem Kempen, freelance journalist and editor
Virginia Keppler-Young, freelance journalist and author
Cornia Pretorius, journalism lecturer, North-West University
Thalyta Swanepoel, senior lecturer: Journalism & Media Studies, North-West University
Johann Maarman, Deputy Editor, Die Burger
Marlene Malan, freelance journalist and author
Hennie Stander, retired editor of Potchefstroom Herald
Pieter Delport, former editor of Bloemfontein Courant
Marita Meyer, former group editor of WP Media
Hennie Homan, well-known press photographer
Eddie Alberts, well-known photographer
Dewet Potgieter, freelance journalist and former editor at Lowveld Media
Carla van der Spuy, freelance journalist
Marlese Erasmus, former chief sub editor at Central24
Colin Hoffman, former senior sport journalist at Media24
Buks Viljoen, freelance journalist
Izak Minnaar, journalism consultant and trainer
