Sponsored by Standard Bank and hosted by PSS, the Awards saw a total of 328 entries in 14 categories. The entries were judged in July by the judging panel and 41 titles were selected as finalists.

As per tradition, categories 15 to 18 will only be announced at the Awards ceremony, which will take place on Thursday, 19 October at The Venue Greenpark (also known as Johannesburg World Trade Centre) in Sandton, Gauteng.

The judging panel was headed by convener judge, Mathatha Tsedu, and includes Dinesh Balliah, Gus Silber, Henry Jeffreys, Mike Siluma, Tyrone August, Phil Mtimkulu, Pippa Green, Tim du Plessis, Latiefa Mobara, Thabo Leshilo, Mary Papayya, Ryland Fisher, and Neo Ntsoma.

The finalists, as well as their categories, have been listed as the following below:

Category one – Hard News

  • Frank Maponya and Sandile Ndlovu – School of horrors, Sowetan;
  • Mzilikazi wa Afrika – High commissioner exposed as drug mule, Sunday Times; and
  • Mzilikazi wa Afrika – Minister smuggles friend on state Jet, Sunday Times.

Category two – Columns/Editorial

  • Phillip de Wet – Winegum racism, Mail & Guardian;
  • Mondli Makhanya – Tragic fall of Brian, City Press; and
  • Adriaan Basson – Decoding Pravin Gordhan, News24.

Category three – Enterprise News

  • Laura Lopez Gonzalez – The big chill: Health posts freeze threatens services, Health-E News/Daily Maverick;
  • Lisa Steyn – From boom to bust in five years, Mail & Guardian; and
  • The Star Women’s Team 2016 – The rise of women’s power, The Star.

Category four – Feature Writing

  • Estelle Ellis – Shock closure of frail care centres;
  • Toxic river Spill, The Herald;
  • Shaun Smillie – raising private Mtolo, The Times; 
  • Hanlie Retief – Apartheid was n familliekwaal, Rapport; and
  • Hlengiwe Nhlabathi – Mashaba: mayor in waiting, City Press.

Category five – Investigative Journalism

  • Suzanne Venter – Life Esidimeni, Rapport;
  • Sipho Masondo – Watergate, City Press; and
  • Mzilikazi wa Afrika – Minister smuggles a friend on state Jet, Sunday Times.

Category six – Editorial Cartoons

  • Brandan Eugene Reynolds – Body of work, Rapport;
  • Jonathan Shapiro – Body of Work, Mail & Guardian; and
  • Wilson Mgobhozi – Body of Work, The Star.

Category seven – Graphic Journalism

  • Lebohang Elvin Nethononda – SOWETO uprising 1976, The Star;
  • Rudi Louw – 2016 F1 World championship, Graphics24 for City Press; and
  • Jaco Grobbelaar – Gupta’s strike black gold, Graphics24 for City Press.

Category eight – Popular Journalism

  • Stephen Molobi – Pastor Doom, Daily Sun;
  • Philani Mzila – Meet Nathi’s nyatsi, Sunday Sun; and
  • Norman Masungwini – Mapona Minister, Sunday Sun.

Category nine – News Photographs

  • Alon Skuy – Cliff/Dali/Oscar, The Times;
  • Phando Jikelo – Grabouw Meyham, Cape Times; and
  • Motshwari Mofokeng – Youth gone off the rails, Daily News.

Category 10 – Feature Photographs

  • Phando Jikelo – Blind and in despair amid hardship, Cape Times;
  • Jaco Marais – Freedom through art, Die Burger; and
  • Leon Sadiki – I’m the celebrity love, City Press.

Category 11 – Sports Photographs

  • Alon Skuy – Calebs quest for the stage, The Times; and
  • Phando Jikelo – BlitzBoks fall at final hurdle, Daily News.

Category 12 – Presentation

  • Vuyo Singiswa and Sarah Buitenbach – FM covers 2016, Financial Mail; and
  • Narianan Nelandri – June 16: 40 Years on, The Star.

Category 13 – Multiplatform

  • Athandiwe Saba, Delwyn Verasamy, and Malcolm Sekgothe – Unitrans stall over vital back pay, Mail & Guardian;
  • Liesl Pretorius, Ross Eyre, Lailah Ryklief, and Ray Joseph – Dying for a toilet, City Press; and
  • Graeme Hosken, Alon Skuy, and Boikhutso Ntsoko – #DeathDrive, The Times/TimesLive.

Category 14 – Multimedia

  • Le Roux Schoeman – Kan jy van snoek alleen oorleef, Netwerk24.com;
  • Susan Comrie – Pushing Heroin, City Press Online; and
  • Jerusha Sukhdeo-Raath – Frontline in conversation, News24.
To be announced on the evening:
  • Category 15 – SA Story of the Year;
  • Category 16 – Upcoming/Rising Star of the Year;
  • Category 17 – Journalist of the Year; and
  • Category 18 – Allan Kirkland Soga Lifetime Achiever Award.
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