Shanti Jafta, PE Express and UD Express reporter, has been announced as a finalist in the prestigious Sikuvile Journalism Awards 2025.
The awards are held by the South African National Editors’ Forum (Sanef), in partnership with Standard Bank.
Jafta is a finalist for his report about the plight of Lapland residents in Kariega, whose homes were destroyed by floods. Residents shared their dissatisfaction with government officials for moving them back to their homes without allegedly checking whether it is safe to live, after flooding forced them to leave the area.
According to a media statement announcing the finalists, the judges noted that it was particularly encouraging to see “the incredible progress in the quality of entries from community media.”
“This signals a sector performing commendable work, as evidenced by the high calibre of submissions. We must encourage more community media journalists to enter the competition next year,” stated Lizeka Mda, convenor of the judges and veteran journalist, emphasising the importance of their participation.
The winners will be announced at a gala event in Johannesburg on 28th June.
