According to the team behind the awards, the event has been sponsored by Standard Bank for multiple years. This falls under the bank's key tenet of supporting press freedom, which is an integral part of the country's democracy.

The 2020 awards theme is 'The Naked Truth'. The team says that, in the year that saw the world shut down because of COVID-19 and lockdown, as well as the increase of fake news, it was a most fitting theme. It also aims to emphasise the importance of good and ethical journalism, which the awards celebrate.

"COVID-19 and the national lockdown has increased the already pressure on newsrooms, media houses and journalists, as revenues dropped substantially and many journalists losing their jobs," says the Publishers Support Services.

"It is especially in this light that Standard Bank's sponsorship of the awards is so important. Standard Bank's continued commitment to the awards and journalism in the country is important to the industry and South Africa's democracy," concludes the Publishers Support Services.

The Sikuvile Awards category winners will take home R15 000, a trophy and a certificate. The live broadcast of the awards can be followed here

Individuals are encouraged to join at 18:30 for the awards, which will start at 19:00. Finalists can be contacted during the live broadcast for personal interviews.

For more information, visit www.pdmedia.org.za. You can also follow the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards on Facebook.