The winners of the 2011 SAPOA Property Journalist Awards are Thabang Mokopanele of Business Day who received top honours in the best Property News Journalist category, Joan Muller scooped the Property Features Journalist award with her exceptional coverage of the property sector for FinWeek and The Property Magazine has taken the title of South Africa’s Best Property Publication.
Left to right: Athalea Minnaar – Hermans & Romans Property Solutions (Sponsors); Sandy Welch – The Property Magazine (Winner of best Property Publication); Thabang Mokopanele – Business Day (Winner of best Property News Journalist); Joan Muller – For articles in Finweek (Winner of best Property Features Journalist) and Marna van der Walt – SAPOA Property Journalism Awards chairperson and CEO of JHI.
Sponsored by Hermans & Roman Property Solutions, the SAPOA Property Journalism Awards are held annually to acknowledge excellence in property journalism and to encourage furthering the highest standards of reporting about this essential sector in South Africa’s economy.
Judges for the awards include leading property professionals from top companies and organizations. This year the judge’s panel comprised Business Development Manager Athalea Minnaar of Hermans & Roman Property Solutions, CEO of JHI Marna van der Walt, GM Research and Marketing for Broll Sanett Uys, Stanlib Head of Property Funds Keillen Ndlovu and CEO of the Property Sector Charter Council Portia Tau-Sekati.
The title of Property News Journalist of the year was awarded to Mokopanele for his informative and easy-to-understand style of writing. Judges commended Mokopanele for providing a consistently balanced view, taking into consideration the different perspectives of the topics tackled. The issues he covered were considered thought provoking, topical and pertinent.
The judges expressed praise for Muller’s well-written and presented articles which showed excellent attention to detail, bestowing on her the title of Property Features Journalist. Muller’s use of numerous informative sources in articles made for interesting reading and demonstrated excellent research and factual accuracy. Her outstanding knowledge of the listed property sector was commended as well has her exceptional ability to combine original work with facts and figures. The judges also noted Muller’s courage in tackling her subjects which resulted in articles that make a strong statement.
The Property Magazine won the coveted Best Property Publication of the year title with the judges highlighting its interesting and diverse content, readability, strong visual appeal and expansive reader interest, all underpinned by highly attractive layout, style and design.
CEO of SAPOA (South African Property Owners Association) Neil Gopal was impressed by the high quality of the total 26 entries received for the awards.
“We are continuously delighted to see the quality of the property journalism which is entered each year, and the extensive participation from the journalists is greatly encouraging,” says Gopal. “The participation in the SAPOA Property Journalist Awards affirms the status of property journalism as a unique and specialised discipline which continues to grow.”
Entries for 2011 were of such a high standard that a number of special citations were made by the judges. Adrienne Brookbanks from Walls and Roofs received a special mention in the Feature Journalist of the year category for her informative and well researched articles. In addition, South African Property Review also received special commendation in the Best Property Publication category.
Says Kevin Roman, Group CEO of Hermans & Roman Property Solutions: “As sponsors, we’re delighted to support SAPOA in recognising the role of the media and journalists to the property sector and our hope is to ultimately boost property journalism. The property sector is a valuable one and media coverage contributes to informing the public about property and how this sector effects them.”
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