IOL journalists Mervyn Naidoo and photojournalist Ayanda Ndamane were among the standout winners at the 2026 Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards, which recognise excellence in South African journalism across print, digital and photography categories.
The awards, hosted by the South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) and Standard Bank, were held in Johannesburg on Friday, celebrating what judges described as one of the most competitive editions in recent years, with more than 400 entries submitted nationwide.
“We are very proud of the achievements of our journalists and content producers who go above and beyond every day to bring to light stories of hope and triumph, chronicling the daily challenges of South Africans, while also holding those in power to account. These wins are testimony to IOL’s commitment to telling stories without fear or favour,” said IOL Editor-in-Chief Lance Witten.
Mervyn Naidoo – Hard News
IOL veteran journalist Mervyn Naidoo was the winner of the Hard News category for his article ‘Durban pharmacist’s desperate SOS to husband as her vehicle sank in a river’, adding to his long-standing reputation within South African media.
“It’s an awesome feeling and a privilege to be recognised in this way. Last year, I finished as the runner-up in the Lifestyle category, so I’m so pleased to have gone a step ahead in 2026. Landing the award in the Hard News category is especially pleasing because I have won Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards previously in the Sport and Lifestyle categories. I feel well-rounded now,” Naidoo said, celebrating his win.
“My story about a pharmacist who made a desperate call to her husband when her vehicle got washed away as she crossed over a bridge in the Pinetown area. All she was able to say to him was ‘I’m in the river’. She was driving home at the time. Her husband was left with those haunting words. Her tragic death was a huge talking point at the time, so my story was able to provide insight on her last moments, her panic and how things went wrong for her.”
Naidoo revealed how his source helped him get the award-winning but heartbreaking story and thanked God. “Thankfully, through my impeccable source, I was able to get the key information I needed to present the story in the way I did. I obviously had to work quickly as there was huge public interest and huge media attention. I realised I had to find information that would take the story forward from what was already published. I’m grateful to God that everything came together as quickly as it did, in quick time. As every seasoned journalist knows, it doesn’t always work out that way, but we never stop trying.”
The veteran journalist also spoke on the importance of fact-checking and verification in the age of fake news.
“There can be no compromise when it comes to fact-checking. Given how fake news and false narratives are more and more prevalent these days, society relies on journalists to deliver with accuracy, and we must do it to the best of our ability. Always. When you sign up for journalism, working under pressure is a given and we must always endeavour to do our best. All information must be properly interrogated for accuracy.”
“I love telling stories about people, stories that matter…good or bad, success or failure, triumph or tragedy, it gets me going.”
Ayanda Ndamane – News photography
Photojournalist Ayanda Ndamane secured a win in the news photographs category for his work on Hanover Park Rock.
Ndamane is known for his work covering breaking news and high-intensity public events, with past nominations and wins in national journalism awards reinforcing his profile as one of the country’s emerging photographic talents.
Speaking to IOL after winning the News Photography category at the 2025 Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards, multi-award winning photographer Ayanda Ndamane said the award-winning image remains one of the most memorable of his career.
The photograph was taken during a raid in Hanover Park, Cape Town, last year, where three people were shot.
“The image that won this award is one I took in Hanover Park during a raid. Last year, JP Smith, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, was conducting raids in Hanover Park.
“While he was busy with the raid, or had just finished it, three people were shot. That’s the image that won.”
Ndamane said he was working in the middle of a volatile gang-related shooting.
“We were in the midst of what you could call a war between gangsters because it was a gang-related shooting. It’s one of those situations you find yourself in as a photojournalist.”
He said one of the injured victims became the focus of the award-winning photograph.
“Three guys were shot. One died and two were injured. This one was injured.”
Rather than producing a graphic image, Ndamane said he deliberately used natural and available light to create a photograph that conveyed the tragedy without focusing on the bloodshed.
“There was a lot of blood on the floor, but I had to use my creativity and my skill using natural light to make sure the image was not gruesome.”
“When you see the image, it must be artistic rather than gruesome. There was a lot of blood, and I needed to minimise that side of the image while showing the beauty of the lighting using natural light and street lights.”
He explained that the lighting helped direct viewers’ attention away from the graphic details.
“If you look at the image, this guy is lying down with a lot of blood around him, and paramedics are trying to help him. But because I used the light correctly, you can’t even see the paramedics clearly. You only see a hand with gloves and a torch near his head. My aim was to make the picture more artistic than gruesome.”
The award-winning photograph.
Ndamane said photographers must decide what story they want their images to tell.
“Sometimes it depends on what you want to achieve. Do you want to show the gruesome side of the picture because you’re sending a message, or do you want to be creative and show your skills?”
Having worked as a news photographer for years, he said the Hanover Park assignment ranks among the most difficult of his career.
“Although there were police, city officials and other authorities on the ground, the gangsters still opened fire.”
He said photographers often face hostility while doing their jobs.
“You’re scared as a photographer because you’re carrying a camera, and people are hostile towards you because you’re photographing an injured gang member. Their friends and family can be very hostile.”
Despite the risks, he said journalists have a responsibility to tell the story.
“As a storyteller, you must help people understand why you’re there. I’m there to tell the story visually because I’m a photographer.”
Ndamane also reflected on the challenges facing professional photography in the age of social media and artificial intelligence.
“Social media has created challenges. You have X, TikTok, unverified information and AI. It’s a challenge for media professionals.”
He said formal training remains one of the key differences between professional photographers and people using mobile phones.
“People with cellphones just take a picture. They don’t always consider the light. But light is much more than that. It’s about how you illuminate your subject to emphasise what you want people to see.”
He said professional photography requires careful thought about composition, lighting and storytelling.
“The way you compose the image, what you want out of the image and what story you want to tell is what sets you apart from people on social media.”
According to Ndamane, photographers should approach every assignment with a clear purpose.
“You don’t just go and take a picture. You think first. You ask yourself what you want to get out of the assignment. That’s where composition comes in.”
He said technical decisions, including lens selection, depth of field and camera settings, all contribute to telling a compelling visual story.
“As a professional news photographer, you must always shoot for the front page. That’s what makes you different from cellphone photographers.”
Why the awards matter
This year’s Sikuvile Awards drew widespread attention across the media industry, with finalists and winners selected from hundreds of entries spanning investigative reporting, community journalism, feature writing and photography.
Judges praised the overall standard of entries, noting that in several categories the margin between finalists and winners was “exceptionally narrow,” reflecting the depth of talent in South African journalism.
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