And the winner is

	Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year Overall Winner - Vic de Klerk (Finweek) with Desmond Smith (Chairman)

FINWEEK’S VIC DE KLERK RE-CLAIMS SANLAM AWARD AFTER 32 YEARS

Johannesburg, 12 May 2011: Veteran journalist, Vic de Klerk of Finweek has been named the Financial Journalist of the Year for 2010 at the annual Sanlam Awards for Excellence in Financial Journalism. De Klerk has reclaimed the top spot 32 years after he was proclaimed the winner of the original competition, the Sanlam Financial Reporter of the Year in 1978.

The annual Sanlam Awards were introduced in 1974 to acknowledge the indispensable role of financial journalism in society and to promote the high standards required of financial journalists. This year, the competition attracted 109 entries (one short of the previous year’s tally) from 70 journalists representing 25 different publications, online news services and radio and television stations.

Lulu Letlape head of group corporate affairs of Sanlam says: “Apart from taking the overall prize, De Klerk also won the section Markets and Companies: magazines and weekly newspapers with his investigations, research and findings on the Sharemax saga. He was also a finalist in two sections from the 2010 competition.”

Sanlam also bestowed an honorary award for lifelong service to journalism veteran, Bert Ferreira of Sake24. As a public relations practitioner in 1974, he assisted in developing the framework for the Sanlam Financial Journalism Awards. His career in journalism started in 1951 and now, 60 years later, Ferreira writes a regular column on the world economy for Sake24.

When presenting the award for lifelong service, Sanlam Limited chairman, Desmond Smith said, “In the 37 years of the competition, Sanlam has, on recommendation of the adjudicators, twice presented special awards for lifelong or special contributions to financial journalism. The first honorary award was made to the late Harold Fridjohn, of the Rand Daily Mail. The second was made to Martin Weltz, editor of Noseweek. I am pleased to make only the third such special award tonight and that is to Bert Ferreira – a veteran journalist in the South African media landscape. The lifelong service award recognises exceptional dedication and achievement in financial journalism.” 

	Sanlam Financial Journalist of the Year Best Newcomer winner - Lindo Xulu (Moneyweb) with Desmond Smith (Chairman)

Following the presentation to Ferreira, the prize-winners for the different sections of the competition were announced:

• Jan de Lange, Sake24, a second successive prize in the section Economy and Industry: dailies and online;
• Rob Rose (last year’s winner) and Stephan Hofstatter from Business Times/ The Times in the section Economy and Industry, magazines and weekly newspapers
• Julius Cobbett from Realestateweb in the Moneyweb group, in the section Markets and Companies: dailies and online;
• Bruce Cameron of Personal Finance in the section Personal Finance: Financial media (This is his unequalled 11th award in this section alone);
• Pieter van Zyl from Huisgenoot/ YOU, in the section Personal Finance: Non-financial media;
• Sue Beukes and Chris Bishop, both from CNBC Africa, in the Audiovisual section;
• Claire Bisseker of Financial Mail, in the special section on the economic implications and effect of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; and
• Lindokuhle Xulu from Moneyweb for the best entry from an entrant with less than three year’s experience.

 
The adjudicators for the awards were:

• Prof. Anton Harber (former journalist/ editor and currently director: Wits School of Journalism and Media Studies),
• Maud Motanyane, chairperson of Kagiso Media and former editor,
• Ulrich Joubert (economist at Kruger International),
• Reg Rumney (former financial journalist/ editor and currently director of the Centre for Economic Journalism in Africa at Rhodes University),
• Conrad Sidego (former journalist, public relations practitioner and diplomat, and currently director of companies),
• Caroline Southey (former journalist/ financial editor and currently director: Informal Markets at Standard Bank),
• Hein Swart (former business editor and parliamentary representative of Die Burger in Cape Town),
• Peter Vundla (deputy executive chairperson: AMB Holdings).

Some of the winning entries will soon be available on Wits University’s www.journalism.co.za.

To read the transcript of the judging convenor's address click here.