INDABA Newsletter | February 2012

Networking forum Thank you very much to the Water Research Commission for hosting the club's first networking forum of the year on 26 January! It was a most interesting evening with good networking. Our next networking forum will be hosted by the Land Bank on 29 February – please diarise it and watch this space for details. Members should also diarise the Newsmaker of the Year event, which will be held at the CSIR International Convention Centre on Friday, 23 March. The 2011 National Press Club – Aon South Africa Newsmakers of the Year are Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and suspended ANC Youth League President Julius Malema. The winners of the Journalist of the Year competition will also be announced that night.

Journalist of the Year competition – deadline 24 February Club members have until Friday, 24 February to enter the National Press Club – North-West University Journalist of the Year competition. The overall Journalist of the Year winner receives R10 000, while each category winner receives R5 000, sponsored by North-West University. "We are honoured to again partner with the National Press Club in this venture," says North-West University Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Theuns Eloff. "We salute this endeavour of the club to raise the bar when it comes to journalism standards. Freedom of the media is one of the cornerstones of a democracy. If the National Press Club – North-West University Journalist of the Year award can assist in further improving the quality of journalism in our country, it will have served its purpose. The university's three schools of communication are renowned for its training in this vital science. I believe we are adding value to this award," says Eloff. The competition comprises 12 categories – the print categories are news, features and photography. The electronic categories are radio news, radio in-depth features/interviews, television news, television in-depth features/interviews, television cameraperson, online and social media. The last two categories are Media Liaison Officer and Editor of the Year. The attributes for Media Liaison Officer of the Year include outstanding communication skills, accessibility, and helpfulness. Entrants can be nominated or enter themselves. Journalists are invited to nominate the Editor of the Year. The editor should be professional, efficient and be fearless in tackling current issues and should display outstanding leadership and excellence. The executive committee will choose the winner in the Media Liaison Officer and Editor of the Year. The panel of judges comprises various independent experts and academics. For more information or to enter visit www.nationalpressclub.co.za/journalist.

Press Club continues to host newsmakers Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa addressed the rhino poaching issue at a National Press Club briefing. The National Press Club has hosted three news briefings since the beginning of the year. Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa briefed the media about measures to address rhino poaching, Auditor-General Terence Nombembe announced the latest audits outcomes of government departments and public entities and Arts and Culture Minister Paul Mashatile discussed the proposed SA Languages Bill. The club will continue to host these briefings regularly – briefings to be held in Johannesburg are also in the pipeline. Note that National Press Club briefings are open to club members and working journalists only.

Club membership fees – small increase There will be a small increase in National Press Club membership fees this year. The new fees are: Full members – R200 Associate members – R300 Student members – R100 Members will receive their invoices from the secretariat soon and are reminded to use their names or invoice numbers as reference. Members are also reminded that there are still some 'Black Tuesday' T-shirts available from the secretariat at R60 each. Contact Charmaine on 012 804 5199 or info@junxionpr.co.za.

Club news Congratulations to club member Breeda Veldman of SAPS who got married to Theodore Koopman on 16 December 2011. May you spend many, many happy years together! Congratulations to club member Tshepo Matseba who has been appointed Senior Corporate Communciations Manager at Huawei, a global ICT company. Tshepo is also President elect of the Institute for Public Relations and Communication Management (Southern Africa). The National Press Club bar will open soon – watch this space!

New members The National Press Club welcomes the following new members and hopes to see them at club events soon: Lesley Fay Musto – Impact Radio, David Smith – The Guardian UK, Mukondi Makhwathane, Lesego Ranchu, Makgodu Tsehloane and Lunga Mangcu – National Development Agency, Philip van der Merwe – Unisa, Govan Whittles – NewsFlash News Agency, Itumeleng Mehale – Top Tv, Henriette van der Merwe – freelance, Seth Parker – Independent Newspapers, Bradford Keen – Scoop, Christopher Townsend – Southern African Catholic Bishops Conference, Sandra Coetzee Mulder – Seyalemoya Company, Jennifer Janin – VOA News, Feroza Miller-Isaacs – Media24, Rudzani Tshivhase – SABC, Jacky Mashapu – Development Bank of Southern Africa, Thabo Makeleni – Auditor-General South Africa, Solomon Saohatse – Daily Sun, Ndumiso Mlilo – Radio Voice of the People/The Zimbabwean, Vincent Mnisi – Africa Institute of South Africa and Devon Maylie – Down Jones & The Wall Street Journal.

Feedback Please send any news, suggestions or information for this newsletter to Martin van Niekerk at the secretariat on martin@junxionpr.co.za, 012 804 5199. Website | Facebook | Twitter

Contact information

Telephone: +27 (0)12 804 5199
Email: info@junxionpr.co.za
Fax: +27 (0)12 804 6693
Address: Box 14176, Hatfield, South Africa, 0028

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