PRETORIA NEWS - Knysna-Plett Herald punched above its weight at the fifth annual Avbob FCJ Excellence Awards, as its editor, Wyndham Ewerts, has earned multiple top-five finishes and the newspaper placed in several categories.

The results were announced at the awards ceremony in Pretoria on Friday 21 August, when Avbob group CEO Eugene Strauss told the community journalists that their work should be regarded as a vital public service rather than simply a profession.

Ewerts was named runner-up for headlines, while also taking fourth place for columns/editorial comment and fifth for sports writing.

He has proved his versatility at FCJ level, previously also bagging second place for sports writing and second place for digital writing as part of the Group Editors team. Furthermore, in 2024, he was adjudicated photographer of the year at the Western Cape Sport Awards.

The Herald was also recognised for its overall newspaper performance, placing fifth for best front page, sixth for best back page and seventh for best sold newspaper.

"It's always nice to recognised individually on national level, and I want to thank the Knysna, Plett and Sedgefield community for trusting me with their stories," Ewerts said. "I consider it a huge honour. Knysna-Plett Herald doing so well each year is actually the highlight for me, as we have grown tremendously over the past three years. In this regard, I want to thank my whole team for pulling in one direction as we continue the quest to be the very best that we can be."

This year's awards mark the fifth edition of the competition, which has grown from its launch in 2022 to recognise excellence across 20 categories. A total of 280 journalists have been honoured since the awards began, with more than 2 000 entries submitted by community journalists across South Africa.

Strauss said local journalism plays an important role in keeping communities informed, holding institutions accountable and giving people a voice on issues affecting their daily lives. "Local journalism often tells stories that might otherwise go untold," he said. "It shines a light on issues that directly affect communities, highlights local achievements, addresses local concerns and gives voice to local aspirations."

He said institutions should not support community media because they expect favourable coverage, but because a free and independent press is essential to healthy communities. "We cannot celebrate journalism only when it tells stories we want to hear," Strauss said. "Nor can we claim to be partners of the media if we expect that partnership to soften scrutiny."

Strauss urged journalists to continue focusing on stories that make a difference. "An award cannot fully measure the value of good journalism, but it can recognise work that deserves attention," he said. "Keep telling stories that matter and empower society."

For the Herald, the strong showing represents a significant achievement for a community newspaper serving the Garden Route, and recognition of the quality and range of journalism being produced locally.

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