Nat Nakasa Award 2019
Dear Guests and SANEF members…
List of people to acknowlege
It is my honour to announce the winner of the Nat Nakasa
Award for Courageous Journalism this year.
First, let me thank all those who took the trouble to nominate
people.
South Africa is blessed with an abundance of courageous
journalists: they are among us tonight, but even more of them
are not here. They are working in our big newsrooms, in small
broadcasting studios, in tiny rural news operations, trying – and
succeeding – to tell the truth. Many of us are aware of the
dangers they face, we have faced them ourselves, but tonight’s
winner may have alerted us to one we seldom, if ever, consider.
Your judges – Peter Sullivan, Chrystal Oderson and I - felt there
were several nominations for great stories, or excellent
reporting. While welcome, these did not meet the criteria for
the Nat Nakasa Award.
For this one, we do not look for a good or excellent report. This
award celebrates courage. Let me remind you of the criteria:
1. Show integrity and report fearlessly;
2. Display a commitment to serve the people of South Africa;
3. Tenaciously strive to maintain a publication or other
medium despite obstacles;
4. Resist censorship; and
5. Show courage in making information available to South
Africa’s public
Any combination of these is taken into consideration by
your judges. We welcome all nominations, encourage you
all to think of people to nominate next year, so we can
have a wide range, again, of courageous journalists from
whom to choose.

 Joining the ranks of our 30 previous winners is a reporter whose
courage comes not only from investigative reporting, or
fearlessness in talking truth to power, or courage in confronting
the most powerful people in the country.
Her courage was also displayed in revealing her own anxieties,
in writing and talking and sharing her fears about mental
health, in warning us all to find equilibrium in the demanding
and volatile jobs we do. Therapy is needed to heal the trauma
we face.
Originally from Durban, she started on Muslim radio and has
been a journalist since 2011. She has worked for publications
such as The Sunday Times, Daily Maverick, Eye Witness News,
the Mail & Guardian. Her focus is politics, and frankly living in
South Africa in these times politics is probably the most exciting
beat for a journalist, but potentially very dangerous indeed. We
salute her courage and congratulate her on this award.
Her nominator, Muhammad Abdool, wrote:
“When Nat Nakasa passed on, he was 28 years old
and by then already had a dynamic and impactfull career in journalism. Which is why it is only
fitting that this award this year is given to a young
journalist, who at 25 years old has proven to be a
fearless journalist who is committed to her craft…
“As a young powerhouse, she has been at the
forefront of political reporting in South Africa.
Having started as a 17 or 18 year old, she has
accomplished much more than any of her seniors.
In her reporting on state capture, governance and
party politics she has shown utmost integrity and
has reported fearlessly. Her body of work has made
her one of the country’s lead investigative and
political reporters.

 “Her reporting on the so-called ‘Maharani meeting’
proved that she is not only a skilled reporter, but
does not shake in her boots when threatened. She
has faced a litany of attacks, including death
threats, from supporters of former president Jacob
Zuma. She has fought back against legal threats
and blatant intimidation. Her reporting sets the
agenda week after week and I find that she focuses
on stories that many ignore.
“(She) recently shared her battle with anxiety and
has begun an open conversation about the need for
journalists to get therapy. She has advocated for
open conversations about mental health in
newsrooms, which has prompted many other
journalists to come forward with their stories.
“As a young female journalist, (she) has proven
over and over again that she (stands against)
censorship, shows courage and works tirelessly to
uncover the truth.”

Our winner is Quaanitah Hunter.
ENDS