Standard Bank, the biggest bank in Africa by assets, congratulates the 15 winners of the 16th annual Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards, held in collaboration with the South African National Editor’s Forum (SANEF).
This year’s competition attracted more than 400 entries from journalists and media practitioners across South Africa, reaffirming the enduring strength, resilience, and relevance of quality journalism in the country.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners on a truly outstanding achievement. Journalists know that South Africa, and the world, are always better off when people have more information, when the truth emerges, when those in power are required to account for their actions, and when institutions function transparently and efficiently. We are grateful for their commitment and their courage,” says Sim Tshabalala, Standard Bank Group CEO.
SANEF newly appointed Chairperson, Katy Katopodis says: “The awards see the best of the best across various journalistic platforms being benchmarked against their peers by a panel of top quality and highly credible judges. The judging panels described the 2026 competition as one of the most fiercely contested in recent years, with the overall quality of submissions surpassing previous editions of the awards. In several categories, judges found themselves engaged in lengthy and robust deliberations as they attempted to separate outstanding work from exceptional work.”
Standard Bank has been partners of the Sikuvile Awards for 16 years and is encouraged by the sustained interest demonstrated in the large number of entries every year.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners. This year’s theme, ‘Truth in the Age of AI: The Fight for Sustainable Journalism’, speaks directly to the challenges journalists navigate daily – their work is proof that quality journalism continues to play a vital role in society,” says Virginia Magapatona, Group Head of Communications at Standard Bank.
The Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards remain South Africa’s premier journalism awards programme, recognising excellence in reporting, storytelling, photography, commentary, innovation, and leadership in the media sector.
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