Through the years the Newsmaker of the Year award, the registered intellectual property of the club – has become synonymous with the National Press Club.

Nominations are judged scientifically in terms of news value and the resulting media coverage created by the nominees.

Previous honours went to Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, FW de Klerk, the South African Air Force, the late Hansie Cronje, Josia Thugwane, Penny Heyns, Big Brother, Zachie Achmat and the treatment Action Campaign and the Oscar winner Charlize Theron.

2017 Winner

The Gupta Leaks were named the 2017 National Press Club Newsmaker of the Year and the recipient of the award is the amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism. The announcement was made on 28 January 2018. Read the release

Past winners