Yusuf Abramjee, Primedia Broadcasting’s Head of News and Current Affairs, has been reelected as chairperson of the National Press Club for the third consecutive year. This follows the election of a new executive committee for the club.
Jos Charle, Executive Editor of the Pretoria News was re-elected as the deputy chairperson. Martin van Niekerk of Junxion Communications was re-elected as the treasurer and Tanya de Vente-Bijker, freelance journalist, was re-elected as the public relations officer.
They are joined by the elected executive committee members for 2011 – Antoinette Slabbert of Sake 24, Herman Scholtz of Rapport, Graeme Hosken of Pretoria News, former chairman Ben Rootman, Elizabeth Kruger of the Daily Sun, Annemarie van Burick of the SABC, Zelda Venter of the Pretoria News, Doreen Gough of Unisa, Edwin Tshivhidzo of BuaNews, Frans Machate of Pina News and Mosidi Mokgele of Absa.
Abramjee thanked the National Press Club for the confidence they had placed in him by electing him as chairperson. “The press club has in the last few years re-established itself as an important networking platform and will continue to do so. The membership is very strong and growing,” he says.
According to Abramjee the club will continue to ensure that newsmakers use the National Press Club to interact with the media and the South African public.
Abramjee served as chairperson of the National Press Club from 2000 until 2003. He was the first person of colour at the time to be elected chairperson. He is the Group Head of News and Current Affairs at Primedia Broadcasting, the head of Corporate Affairs/Communication at Primedia as well as the head of Crime Line.
Junxion Communications will continue to serve as secretariat of the club.
Members who attended the networking forum on Saturday evening, 30 April at the Carousel Casino certainly had a great time as the casino’s team � General Manager Harry Swart, Tania, Basil and Andrea went out of their way to entertain us.
Following tasty eats and drinks and an exciting raffle at the casino’s lapa, ZamaJobe who has shrugged off the mantle of �just another Idols contestant’ and emerged as one of the country’s premiere performers, enthused the crowd in the Cheyenne Saloon. Among others, she performed hits from her albums Ndawo Yami and Ndoni Yamanzi.
When member Breeda Veldman developed kidney problems, the Casino’s paramedics rushed her to the Urology Hospital where she was admitted. After passing two kidney stones, she was fine and released.
Once again thanks to the Casino team for a remarkable evening.
This month’s networking forum will be held at the CSIR on 25 May. Details to follow.
Ben Rootman and Antoinette Slabbert enjoying a glass.
Carousel Casino and Entertainment World General Manager Harry Swart welcoming members.
Seipati Sentle (right) and friends.
The 2011 media event
With a third of the world’s population of seven billion people watching, the wedding of British Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, 29 April is certainly so far this year’s media event. At one stage the wedding was mentioned online every 10 seconds!
And National Press Club Chairman Yusuf Abramjee was there! Almost. Yusuf attended celebrations at the British High Commission, together with club members Val Boje and Elaine Ash.
Yusuf also met with Prince William earlier when he was in South Africa.
We wish the couple a prosperous future.
The famous kiss(es).
When William met Yusuf.
Elaine Ash, Yusuf Ambramjee and Val Boje celebrating in real royal style.
World Press Freedom Day – journalists must be bold and fearless
The National Press Club has called on government to ensure that press freedom is upheld and that journalists are allowed to do their jobs without interference, intimidation, abuse or harassment.
In a statement marking World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the club also called on the Libyan government to immediately release South African photographer, Anton Hammerl and other journalists.
National Press Club Chairman Yusuf Abramjee said “the continued detention of our colleagues in Libya is worrying.
“We again appeal to the South African government to assist and to pressurize Libya to release Hammerl. It’s now going for three weeks and as we mark World Press Freedom Day, Hammerl and others who are in detention are in our thoughts and prayers.
“I’ve recently had discussions with Libya’s ambassador to South Africa, Dr Abdoola Al-Zubedi, who promised to assist. We hope to meet him this week again to follow-up and see what, if any, progress has been made.
“Journalists should be allowed to do their work without any fear, intimidation, abuse, harassment or detention. In many parts of the world, members of the media are targeted and we condemn this in the strongest terms,” said Abramjee.
The club also paid tribute to reporters who have been killed in the line of duty. “Many have lost their lives and on this occasion, we again remember them and we salute them.”
Abramjee said media freedom had to be protected. “Any laws that will hamper us in what we do will be strongly opposed.”
“We appeal to newspapers to have some open white spaces on their pages tomorrow as part of World Freedom Day to show readers what can and will happen if we are censored or silenced. Radio and TV stations should also dedicate a few seconds of �dead air’ to create awareness around media clampdowns,” he said.
Abramjee said there have been a number of worrying incidents where journalists have been intimidated and threatened with arrest – and in some cases, even arrested – by members of the South African Police Service while doing their job.
“We will continue to raise our concerns with the police leadership. We must be allowed to work freely,” he said.
Abramjee reiterated the need for the media to be fair, balanced and independent.
“We must ensure that we pride ourselves on accuracy and on balanced reporting. If and when we err, we must be bold enough to apologise with the same prominence as the original report,” he said.
“Journalists have to be bold and fearless.
“We must continue to expose wrongdoing at every turn. We must be the watchdogs for society,” said Abramjee.
Background to World Press Freedom Day: The United Nations General Assembly declared 3 May to be World Press Freedom Day to raise awareness of the importance of freedom of the press and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and marking the anniversary of the Declaration of Windhoek, a statement of free press principles put together by African newspaper journalists in 1991.
Toastmasters International honours Yusuf Abramjee
Toastmasters International presented a prestigious award to media personality, Yusuf Abramjee, for “an outstanding contribution to his community and country”.
Abramjee, Head of News and Current Affairs at Primedia Broadcasting and National Press Club Chairman, received the “Communication and Leadership Award” in Mogale City recently.
The International President of Toastmasters International, Canadian Pat Johnson presented the award to Abramjee.
“This award is given to those individual non Toastmasters who have exhibited exceptional communication and leadership skills to the benefit of society at large,” said District Governor for Southern Africa, Rob Douglas.
“Yusuf’s driving role behind the highly successful Crime Line campaign and the more recent LEAD SA initiative, have justifiably earned him this recognition,” said Douglas.
Previous recipients of this award included archbishop Desmond Tutu, former president F W de Klerk, late Proteas captain Hansie Cronje, actor Pieter Dirk Uys, business leader Clem Sunter and former governor of the Reserve Bank, Chris Stals.
Abramjee said he was “honoured and humbled” to have received the award.
Abramjee was the main founder of the Crime Line campaign, the anonymous 32211 SMS tip-off service which was launched in June 2007.
Over 1 000 arrests have been made and almost R40 million worth of stolen property, counterfeit goods and drugs have been seized.
In his acceptance speech, Abramjee said: “The Toastmasters International Award is most appreciated and we will continue to do the right thing – drive our nation for the better. We all need to lead and make a difference.
“Lead SA and Crime Line are making a difference. Every citizen is a leader in his and her own right. We all need to work together,” he said.
Abramjee said the recently launched Bill of Responsibilities “was already making a difference and the message was fast spreading.
“Each and every one of us need to play a role. We have rights but with it goes responsibilities,” he said.
Toastmasters International President Pat Johnson (left) and Southern African Governor, Rob Douglas, presents Yusuf with the Communication and Leadership Award.
New members
The National Press Club welcomes the following new members and hopes to see them at club events soon:
Jan van der Walt � Game & Hunt Magazine, Derrick Banks, Vanessa Jackson, Werner Vermaak & Andr� Visser � ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd, Anna Teichert � It’s a Wrap Productions, Daniella du Plooy � eNuus, Khabonina Maduna � UNISA, Pauli van Wyk � Beeld.
Photograph of the month
Andries Tatane was allegedly killed by police officers during recent protest in Ficksburg regarding poor municipal service delivery.
So that this never happens in South Africa again! Photographer Willem van der Berg, Volksblad.
Feedback
Please send any news, suggestions or information for this newsletter to Martin van Niekerk at the secretariat on martin@junxionpr.co.za, +27 (0)12 804 5199. Visit the website at www.nationalpressclub.co.za.
The National Press Club � North-West University Journalist of the Year for 2010 is Graeme Hosken of the Pretoria News. The award was made at the annual National Press Club � Aon South Africa Newsmaker of the Year function on 14 March 2011.
National Press Club Chairperson Yusuf Abramjee said the awards aim to encourage excellent journalism and communication and reward excellence.
The winners in the other categories were Graeme Hosken, Mogomotsi Magome and Patrick Hlahla of the Pretoria News in the print news category for their articles ‘City tender can of worms’ and ‘Tswane Metro Police’. Herman Scholtz of Rapport was commended in this category for ‘Ou vleis herverpak.’
Graeme Hosken of the Pretoria News won the print features category for his reporting on the earthquake in Haiti, Masi Losi of Pretoria News won the photography category and Mandy Wiener of Eyewitness News won the radio news category for ‘Lolly Jackson’.
Melini Moses of SAfm was the winner in the radio in-depth features category for ‘Out of pocket’ and Mandy Wiener of Eyewitness News was commended in this category for her feature ‘Rent a child’. Joy Summers and Bernadette Cook of Carte Blanche are joint winners in the electronic media � television in-depth features category for ‘Acid mine drainage’ and ‘Rhinos’ respectively. Julie-Anne Reid of Carte Blanche was commended in this category for ‘Witbank hospital horror.’
Mia Willemse of eNuus is the winner in the TV news category for “Renoster” and “Danville” and Taurai Maduna of Eyewitness News in the electronic media � online category for ‘Jub Jub protests.’ Dr Barbara Jensen from the Gautrain was named the Media Liaison Officer of the year. Members of the National Press Club nominated their favourite media liaison officers and the executive committee chose the winner in this category. Abramjee said Barbara won because she is always available for media comment and very helpful towards the media. “We looked for someone with outstanding communication skills, accessibility, helpfulness and the like.”
Ferial Haffajee of City Press was awarded as the Editor of the Year for 2010. Members of the National Press Club nominated their favourite editor and the executive committee chose the winner in this category. She was awarded for her uncompromising stance on excellence. “Her influential voice continues to be heard � whether it is on official platforms like SANEF or on her hugely popular Twitter account. She constantly advances the voices of other women, in her newspaper and on other platforms, and is a trusted source of analysis about the state of our nation,” said Abramjee. The entries were judged by a panel of various independents experts and academics.
Cornia Pretorius is a senior lecturer in journalism at the School of Communication Studies at North-West University. Before that she was associate editor, education at the Mail & Guardian and editor of the Teacher. She won the Unitech Higher Education Journalism Award in 2004, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa award for education journalism in Africa in 2003 and the Sanlam/British Council Award for education journalism in 1987 and 1988.
Gilbert Mokwatedi has 15 years of experience in radio journalism, journalism training � specialising in radio news and current affairs � media relations and corporate communications. He has worked for media organisations such as the South African Press Association and the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
Peter Morey has been running his own photographic studio for the last 16 years after working as a photographer at the Pretoria News for many years. He was the official photographer at the inauguration of both former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki.
Marion Scher is an award winning freelance journalist, writing for many of South Africa’s major consumer publications, the custom publishing field as well as public relations companies and the corporate world. She is also a trainer for the Print Media Association of South Africa and trains at 702 Talk Radio.
Theuns Eloff, Vice-Chancellor of North-West University says the university has a long standing scholarly relationship with journalism. “To express the NWU’s ongoing commitment to the indispensable role of an independent media in South Africa, I would like to announce our further sponsorship for a future prize for “Editor of the Year”. May this encourage the media as a whole to maintain the high standards of ethical journalism, the quest for truth in the public interest and appropriate accountability. The NWU supports you fully in this noble endeavour.”
Abramjee says the club will continue to award and reward excellence in journalism. “We must continue to raise the bar,” he said.
The National Press Club � North-West University overall Journalist of the Year won a cash prize of R10 000 and the winners in the different categories won a cash prize of R5 000 each, sponsored by the North-West University. The editor of the year received a luxury weekend break-away.
Abramjee thanked the North-West University for their sponsorship. “We are delighted to have the university on board as a partner. It is a yet another indication of their commitment to recognising excellence.”
