Commented Berger: "It was a happy group of assessors at the end of our two-day judging process. We had worked through a very large sample of South African newspaper journalism, and were able to conclude that the best entries were of superb standard. Over the decade of this competition, it's clear that the best of the country's journalism just keeps getting better."
According to the organisers, this year's contest shows that increasing numbers of South African journalists are taking serious pride in their work. The entries represent 37 newspapers from across all nine provinces and include the community press. News Photography was the most popular category, with a total of 125 entries, while the Feature Photography and Feature Writing categories each attracted 105.
The judging panel included Pippa Green, Jodi Bieber, Joe Latakgomo, Tyrone August, David Wightman, Juby Mayet, Liesl Louw, Mathatha Tsedu, Tumi Makgabo, Paula Fray, Peter Sullivan, Mike Siluma, Adrienne Sichel and Arrie Rossouw.
Finalists and commended
| Category | Status | Journalist(s) | Entry title | Newspaper(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hard news | Finalist | Gloria Edwards | 'Panjo' series | Beeld |
| Hard news | Finalist | Omphitlhetse Mooki | 'Tale of SA's underworld - Agliotti hitman hated him' series | The Star |
| Hard news | Finalist | Angelique Serrao | 'Lifestyle Audit' | The Star |
| Hard news | Finalist | Mzilikazi wa Afrika & Stefan Hofstatter | 'Cele lied, say his generals' and others | Sunday Times |
| Hard news | Commended | Adriaan Basson, Babalwa Shota & Julian Jansen | 'The Dewani Dossier' | City Press |
| Hard news | Commended | Kathryn Kimberley & Xolisa Mgwatyu | 'In God's name' | Daily Dispatch |
| Hard news | Commended | Fanie van Rooyen | 'Sy wou Blou Bull vermoor' | Beeld |
| Analysis & commentary | Finalist | Samantha Reinders & Mara Kardas-Nelson | 'Blood, sweat and water'. Save us from Seepage: acid mine drainage series | Mail & Guardian |
| Analysis & commentary | Finalist | Ingi Salgado | 'Umgeni' and others | Business Report |
| Feature writing | Finalist | Charl Blignaut | 'Yum yum, bubblegum' | Sunday Times |
| Feature writing | Finalist | Willemien Brummer | 'Waar jou naelstring lê' | Die Burger |
| Feature writing | Finalist | Dana Snyman | 'Ons roep hom Sello' | Beeld, Die Burger & Volksblad |
| Feature writing | Finalist | Niren Tolsi | 'Fear and loathing in Obamaland' | Mail & Guardian |
| Feature writing | Commended | Murray la Vita | 'Kuns=lewe=kuns' | Die Burger |
| Feature writing | Commended | Beauregard Tromp | '10 today... 'Miracle' Rosita is still a ray of hope' | The Star |
| Feature writing | Commended | Shaun Smillie | 'A story of two boys' | The Star |
| Investigative journalism | Finalist | Amabhungane team | Zuma Inc series | Mail & Guardian |
| Investigative journalism | Finalist | Matuma Letsoalo | 'Company hit by new scandal'; Mrs Vavi, the pension fund and the R40 000 bribe (series) | Mail & Guardian |
| Investigative journalism | Finalist | Jacques Pauw | 'We bust a human trafficking ring' | City Press |
| Investigative journalism | Finalist | Herman Scholtz | 'Frozen Chicken Horror' (various articles) | Rapport & City Press |
| Investigative journalism | Finalist | Mzilikazi wa Afrika & Stephan Hofstatter | 'Cele lied, say his generals' and others | Sunday Times |
| Investigative journalism | Commended | Julian Rademeyer, Jacques Pauw & Andrew Trench | 'ANC's mines grab' | City Press |
| Investigative journalism | Commended | Antoinette Pienaar | 'Simply Slim' series of investigations into Simply Slim products | Beeld |
| Investigative journalism | Commended | Craig McKune | 'Gaston Savoi and government officials corruption probe' | Cape Times |
| Creative journalism | Finalist | Nikiwe Bikitsha | 'Hanging up my wig' | Mail & Guardian |
| Creative journalism | Finalist | Willem Kempen | 'Sewe dae by die Kunenes: Aand 1' | Beeld |
| Creative journalism | Finalist | Willem Kempen & Louis Kruger | 'As Mev. Ples of FB was...' | Beeld, Burger & Volksblad |
| Creative journalism | Commended | Phumla Matjila | 'Big pimpin' in the township' | The Times |
| Creative journalism | Commended | Katy Chance | 'Pornography of poverty isn't pretty' and others | Business Day |
| Editorial cartoons | Finalist | Bethuel Mangena | 'The Cape Town toilet controversy' and others | Sunday World |
| Editorial cartoons | Finalist | Wilson Mgobhozi | '4 million babies!'; 'Self demolition' and others | The Star |
| Editorial cartoons | Finalist | Jonathan Shapiro | 'Zumaglue'; 'Feel it...it is here!' and others | The Times and Mail & Guardian |
| Graphical journalism | Finalist | Rudi Louw | '2010 - All the newsmakers' | City Press |
| Graphical journalism | Finalist | John McCann | 'Cronin' and others | Mail & Guardian |
| Graphical journalism | Finalist | Morne Schaap | Various | Media24 |
| Popular journalism | Finalist | Yolanda Barnard | 'Leifdeskind' about Charlize Theron | Sondag Son |
| Popular journalism | Finalist | Prince Chauke | 'Redi: my secret pain' | Sunday Sun |
| News photographs | Finalist | Judy de Vega | 'Pensioners caught in protest crossfire chaos' | The Herald |
| News photographs | Finalist | Felix Dlangamandla | 'Delivery' | Beeld & Rapport |
| News photographs | Commended | Paballo Thekiso | 'Rescued babies' | Saturday Star |
| News photographs | Commended | Cornel van Heerden | Panjo' | Foto24 |
| News photographs | Commended | James Oatway | 'Haiti' | Sunday Times |
| Feature photographs | Finalist | Theana Breugem | 'Ratte' | Beeld |
| Feature photographs | Finalist | Phill Magakoe | 'Knights of the city - Pretoria's heroes in blue' | Pretoria News |
| Feature photographs | Finalist | Alon Skuy | 'Back to nature' | The Times |
| Feature photographs | Finalist | Cornel van Heerden | 'Hier is ET doodgekap' | Foto24 |
| Feature photographs | Finalist | Herman Verwey | 'Piet se laaste dossier' | Beeld |
| Feature photographs | Finalist | Deaan Vivier | 'JZ moes dalk sy kantoor soek in die mis' | Foto24 |
| Feature photographs | Commended | Cornel van Heerden | 'SA Rodeo' | Foto24 |
| Feature photographs | Commended | Alet Pretorius | 'Mnr & Mej Dwergiefees' | Foto24 |
| Sports photographs | Finalist | Antoine de Ras | 'Just for kicks' | The Star |
| Sports photographs | Finalist | Alon Skuy | 'Hand of devil' | The Times |
| Sports photographs | Finalist | Herman Verwey | 'Rand van ewigheid' | Rapport |
| Sports photographs | Finalist | Deaan Vivier | 'Totaal verslae' | Foto24, Beeld, Die Burger, Volksblad & Rapport |
| Presentation | Finalist | Nina Clark | 'How Australopithecus Sediba fits in' | The Star |
| Presentation | Finalist | Andries Gouws | 'Bafana at the World Cup' and others | Beeld |
| Presentation | Finalist | Debbie van der Merwe | 'Student word Meester' and others | Rapport-Mytyd |
| Journalism twenty-ten | Finalist | Sameer Naik | 'The best World Cup ever' | Saturday Star |
| Journalism twenty-ten | Finalist | Niren Tolsi | 'Field of shattered dreams' and others | Mail & Guardian |
Turbine Hall will be the venue for this year's awards ceremony on Tuesday 10 May in Johannesburg. Winners will receive a Mondi Shanduka Premier Award and a R15 000 cash prize.
For more, follow @MondiShanduka on Twitter and join the Facebook group.
