The Standard Bank Sikuvile Awards 2020 take place this Thursday, 15 October.

This year the event is a virtual event, with guests and shortlisted candidates streaming in to view who will walk away with this year’s Awards, especially the coveted Journalist of the Year and South African Story of the Year.

The Awards, which recognise and reward journalistic and newspaper excellence in South Africa, have been sponsored by Standard Bank for many years, as a key tenet of the bank is the support of press freedom as an integral part of the country’s democracy.

This year’s Awards theme is The Naked Truth, and in the year that saw the world shut down because of COVID-19 and lockdown, and fake news abound, it was a most fitting theme.

It also emphasises the importance of good and ethical journalism which the Awards recognise.

COVID-19 and the national lockdown has also increased the already pressure on newsrooms, media houses and journalists as revenues dropped substantially and many journalists losing their jobs.

It is especially in this light that Standard Bank’s sponsorship of the Awards is so important, said the Publishers Support Services.

“Standard Bank’s continued commitment to the Awards and journalism in the country is important to the industry and South Africa’s democracy,” said PSS Spokesperson.

The Sikuvile Awards category winners will take home R15 000, a trophy and a certi?cate on Thursday evening.

The live broadcast of the Awards can be followed on the URL link :  https://vimeo.com/event/340687

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