Shortlist out for Mondi Shanduka Newspaper awards

The jury consisted of Tyrone August, Martie Retief Meiring, Ebbe Dommisse, Tumi Makgabo, Irwin Manoim, Liesl Louw, David Wightman, Mandla Langa, Juby Mayet, Sophie Tema, Jabulani Sikhakhane, Paula Fray and Peter Magubane.

Wider entries this year

The 41 shortlisted candidates - comprising winners, finalists and commendees - were chosen from 604 entries representing 34 newspapers. This year's competition attracted a wider variety of entrants, with an increase in entries from community papers and two in isiZulu. Feature photography proved to be the most popular category with 90 entries. Feature writing was the next most popular, with 78 entries. Here, the judges noted, "Many of the features were of a very high standard. They were well-researched, and clearly reflected hard work and careful planning."

Shortlist

• Adriaan Basson - Series - Confed Cup security fiasco and other articles (Mail & Guardian);
  
• Adrian de Kock - Rough riding (The Star);
  
• Alex Eliseev - MEC and the murky Merc and other articles (The Star);
  
• Alon Skuy - Shober as a judge (The Times);
  
• Angelique Serrao - Bullying in schools (The Star);
  
• Anton Vermeulen - Stryd van die vaste vyf (Sports 24);
  
• Brandan Reynolds - 2009... What a year (Business Day);
  
• Brendan Boyle - The loud, loutish dumbing down of government (Sunday Times);
  
• Brian Hayward - Tycoon's secret paradise (The Herald);
  
• Colleen Dardagan - Various articles - Durban Story (The Mercury);
  
• Cuan Miles - Eishkom - more pain for the people and other entries (Daily Dispatch);
  
• Danie Toerien and Elsolet Joubert - Agter die nuus. 13 (Sake24);
  
• Debbie van der Merwe - Dankie vir die vis and other entries (Rapport);
  
• Dudu Zitha and Jackie Mapiloko - Survival of the fittest (City Press);
  
• Felix Dlangamandla and Julian Rademeyer - Perdfris Shaik! (Rapport);
  
• Fred Kockott - Shoot to kill (Sunday Tribune);
  
• Gcina Ntsaluba - Broken homes (Daily Dispatch);
  
• Gert Coetzee - Brandpunt - Rassiste anoniem biegsessie vir ongeneeslikes (Volksblad);
  
• Halden Krog - Fat cat (The Times);
  
• Helen Walne - Human League column - South Africa gives and she takes away (Cape Argus);
  
• Herman Verwey - Klein Mpho wou nie haar eerste paar skoene uittrek (Beeld);
  
• Jaco Grobbelaar - various (Die Burger);
  
• Jacqueline Aires - Rites and wrongs: probing initiation (Sunday Independent);
  
• Jennifer Bruce - Last call of the sea and other articles (The Star);
  
• Jonathan Shapiro - Vote ANC 99 - 09 and other entries (Mail & Guardian); and Tripartitecycle (Sunday Times);
  
• Lucky Sindane - Colours of loyalty (Mail & Guardian);
  
• Matthew le Cordeur - 67 ways to help your neighbour (The Witness);
  
• Michael Bleby - Reflections on an inner-city dilemma (The Weekender);
  
• Nikiwe Bikitsha - Google me, baby and other entries (Mail & Guardian);
  
• Oliver Roberts - The quest to be one (Sunday Times);
  
• Patrick Bulger - The late night news column - Fighting talk from Bush and Russia (The Weekender);
  
• Prince Chauke - Look how I'm beating Aids! and other articles (Sunday Sun);
  
• Rob Rose - Match fixing and other articles (Sunday Times);
  
• Solly Maphumulo - Makhumalo: An African love story (The Star);
  
• Stephan Hofstatter - The real trouble with land reform (The Weekender); Fat cats milk R100-m fund and other articles (Sunday Times);
  
• Stephan Hofstatter and Rob Rose - Exposed: deadly taxi racket (Sunday Times);
  
• Sue Blaine - What's an idea worth? (The Weekender);
  
• Thanduxolo Jika - Top ANC official is 'dead' according to his ID and other articles (Daily Dispatch);
  
• Ziphozonke Lushaba - Cops brutality and other articles (The Star).

In celebration of the upcoming 2010 FIFA World Cup, the venue for the awards ceremony is Soccer City in Johannesburg at 7pm on 5 May 2010, where the winners will receive a Mondi Shanduka Premier Award and R15 000 in cash.