Opinion piece by: William Baloyi, Chief Director: Media Engagement GCIS
In a world filled with information overload the significance of our own stories should not be
overlooked, especially those that contribute positively towards achieving regional integration
and co-operation between the people of the Southern African Development Community
(SADC) region.
Regional integration and telling our own stories was one of the key reasons for the
establishment of the SADC awards, following a decision by the Council of Ministers in 1996
to recognise the best media work in disseminating information on SADC to support the process
of regional cooperation and integration.
The awards aim to recognise excellence in journalism in the area of print, photo, television,
radio as well as to encourage media practitioners in member states to cover issues
pertaining to the region.
With the closing date for the 2024 SADC Media Awards now only a few weeks away, there
has never been a better opportunity to share our stories. We call on media practitioners in
South Africa and the region to share their stories that focus on economic well-being,
improvement of the standard of living and quality of life, freedom and social justice, peace
and security for the people of Southern Africa. The SADC Media Awards present a unique
opportunity for the SADC region’s journalists to be celebrated and recognized by their peers.
Media practitioners are encouraged to continually ensure that we popularise projects that are
underway in the SADC region. Africa and the region must tell her own stories. We must hear. from a range of voices from our diverse nations. By telling our own stories, we will bridge divides between SADC nations.
The other focus of the awards is to encourage SADC nations to further boost intra-Africa
trade through greater market integration, cross-border infrastructure development, and policy
coordination.
By sharing and telling these stories, we can show how integration and infrastructure
development is driving regional economic development, trade, and investment.
The SADC Secretariat has announced that entries for the 2024 SADC Media Awards are
open. Entries must be submitted by no later than 29 February 2024, and will be judged in
four categories namely; Photo, Print, Television, and Radio Journalism. The awards are open
to journalists from the SADC Member States. Journalists who wish to enter the competition
can access more information about the competition from the www.sadc.int and
www.gcis.gov.za websites.
