Joe Thloloe receives SANEF-Wrottesley Award

The award is given periodically, as the need arises. The award is not made annually and is made at an AGM or at a milestone event, such as SANEF's 10th Anniversary Celebration).

Mary Papayya's nomination of Joe Thloloe for the SANEF-Wrottesley Award 2006/7 read:

"All criteria are met by Joe who:

1. is a paid-up SANEF member in good standing
   
2. has been active in SANEF since its inception in October 1996
   
3. has shown both practical and leadership commitment, often behind the scenes: most recently in repairing the relationship with the SABC
   
4. has stepped in when SANEF has had difficulties, whether as in 2004/5 when he collected funds from sponsors 2 - 3 years overdue, or whether guiding us in making principled decisions in Council Meetings, as Chairperson 2004/5 and 2005/6
   
5. has worked towards the achievement of SANEF's strategic goals:

   1. To be a representative and credible voice of journalism in society;
      
   2. To facilitate diversity in newsrooms and reporting;
      
   3. To enable a culture of real debate;
      
   4. To promote free and independent journalism of the highest standard;
      
   5. On media freedom, to campaign for the elimination of legislation and commercial pressures that restrict media;
      
   6. To support the establishment of, and take part in, editors' fora in the region and the continent.
      

6. has contributed significantly towards the achievement of SANEF's project objectives over a number of years, most recently realising the "Media freedom is YOUR freedom" campaign (May 2005), benefiting the industry at large
   
7. has shown initiative in helping to solve problems e.g. both within Sanef and at a public level.
   

Joe Thloloe's words have guided, and still guide SANEF: "We have taken on the job of being the watchdogs of society - albeit for a profit. I still insist that the media in South Africa are part of South African society and are therefore obliged to strive for the goals spelled out in the preamble to the constitution. We also have three other responsibilities:

• To uphold the vision that is in the constitution and remind South Africans of their commitments;
• To hold all those in power accountable for turning this dream into reality; and

• To tell the daily story of the bumpy journey to this new world.

We will be judged on how well, collectively, we meet these responsibilities."

The award, criteria and nomination process are published on www.sanef.org.za. Thloloe receives a framed certificate and a financial token of R10 000.