This year, the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards celebrates the theme 'Write Here. Right Now'. Looking back on a year that has seen huge news stories and seismic changes in the media landscape, the entries were once again of a high standard. We saw journalists pushing the boundaries to get their stories and share them with the country and the world.

Convenor of the judging panel Mary Papayya said: 'This is the 14th year of the Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards. Every year, the judges find themselves having to make incredibly hard decisions about winners, and this year was no different. We were presented with excellent entries across the board and we’d like to congratulate all the winners.'

We’d like to congratulate all the winners in the KwaZulu-Natal region for thought-provoking and excellent journalism.

- Maya Makanjee, Chief Officer for Corporate Affairs

This year, 832 entries were received in the 12 categories: CSI/Sustainability, Editor’s Choice, Financial/Economic, Online, Photography, Print Feature, Print News, Radio Feature, Radio News, Sport, Television Feature and Television News. There were 149 entries for the KwaZulu-Natal Province.

Tribute to the judges

Maya Makanjee, Chief Officer for Corporate Affairs at Vodacom Group, said: 'I would like to pay tribute to the judges, who, year after year, provide their expertise and knowledge to the judging of these prestigious awards.

'This year’s judging panel comprised experts in their fields, and I would like to thank Mary Papayya, Elna Rossouw, Collin Nxumalo, Arthur Goldstuck, Albe Grobbelaar, Ryland Fisher, Patricia McCracken and Megan Rusi, who made their time and expertise available to us,' said Makanjee.

KwaZulu-Natal winners

Regional winners for the KwaZulu-Natal Province were announced on 8 October at a function at the Protea Hotel Umhlanga Ridge, Durban. 

Each of the regional winners took home R5 000 and will travel to Johannesburg for the national finals in November.

The winners of the 2015 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Regional Awards in the KwaZulu-Natal Province are:

2015 CSI/Sustainability winner

Loyiso Sidimba. The Sowetan, Illegal Mine Threatens School

2015 Financial/Economic winners

Matthew Savides, Suthentira Govender, Taschica Pillay, and Bongani Mthethwa. Sunday Times, Wesbank Bullies

And

Judith Subban. eNCA, SA’s Construction World