SANEF Opens Entries for the 2026 Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards
Date: 02 February 2026
The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is pleased to announce that the 2026 edition of the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards is now officially open. These prestigious awards recognise outstanding journalistic achievement across print, digital, and broadcast platforms.
Eligibility and Deadlines
The 2026 awards will honour work published or broadcast by South African media between 1 January 2025 and 31 December 2025.
Submissions must be received by no later than Tuesday, 31 March 2026. Please note that due to the intensive adjudication process required to maintain the highest standards of evaluation, no extensions to this deadline will be granted. The winners will be celebrated at a gala ceremony in June 2026 at a venue in Johannesburg, Gauteng.
Upholding the Integrity of the Fourth Estate
Now in its fifth year under the stewardship of SANEF, the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards serve as a cornerstone of media excellence in South Africa. In an era characterised by the rapid spread of misinformation, these awards reaffirm the vital importance of accurate, ethical, and courageous reporting. We continue to shine a spotlight on the journalists who safeguard our democracy through truthful storytelling.
ALL ENTRIES in ALL CATEGORIES published in languages other than English must include subtitles or a transcript in English.
2026 Award Categories
Please consult the entry information pack for details and rules in every category:
We invite submissions from journalists in the following categories:
• Hard News: Breaking stories and frontline reporting.
• Indigenous Language Reporting: Celebrating proactive reporting in South Africa’s Indigenous languages within community-specific contexts.
• Community Reporting: Focused on hyper-local issues and grassroots narratives published by members of the Association of Independent Publishers (AIP), or similar organisations.
• Investigative Journalism: In-depth reporting that uncovers systemic issues.
• Business Journalism: Insightful coverage of the financial and economic sectors.
• Features: Separate awards are now offered for Print/Online and Broadcast platforms.
• Lifestyle: Exceptional coverage of culture, leisure, and society.
• Columns/Editorials: Excellence in opinion-based journalism and analysis.
• Visual Journalism: Including editorial cartoons and graphic layouts.
Photography: (Consult the entry information pack)
• News Photographs
• Feature Photographs
• Sports Photographs
• Manager/Publisher of the Year: Recognising leadership in the newsroom (requires a motivation letter).
Special Judges’ Awards
• Juby Mayet Rising Star of the Year: Honouring the industry’s most promising emerging talent.
• Journalist of the Year: The top accolade for exemplary contribution to the craft.
• The Allan Kirkland Soga / Standard Bank Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award: Recognising sustained excellence and impeccable ethics throughout a distinguished career.
Submission Process
Journalists and media professionals are encouraged to download declaration forms from the website www.sikuvileawards.co.za
We kindly request that all forms be digitally completed or typed to assist with legibility and accurate record-keeping. Handwritten submissions will not be accepted.
Submit the entries via email, together with the forms and samples of the stories, to [email protected].
Detailed submission guidelines and category requirements are available at the official website: www.sikuvileawards.co.za.
Contact Information: For further inquiries, please get in touch with the SANEF Secretariat:
• Reggy Moalusi (Executive Director): 071 682 3695 | [email protected]
• Hopewell Radebe (Projects Manager): 083 582 1734 | [email protected]
• Dzudzie Netshisaulu (Coordinator): 079 029 7656 | [email protected]
