HR & Management News South Africa

2017 Tiso Blackstar AMARA Recruitment Award winners

The annual Tiso Blackstar AMARA Recruitment Awards (AMARA's) celebrated the country's leading HR and recruitment professionals at The Empire Conference and Event venue in Parktown, Gauteng on 18 November.
Publisher's Award winner, Jimmy Wayland with Reardon Sanderson, GM group sales and marketing at Tiso Blackstar Group.
Publisher's Award winner, Jimmy Wayland with Reardon Sanderson, GM group sales and marketing at Tiso Blackstar Group.

Reardon Sanderson, general manager of group sales and marketing at Tiso Blackstar says, “The AMARA’s have grown to become the most sought after accolade in an industry that faces enormous challenges in South Africa. The responsibility the HR industry carries in matching employers and employees in mutually beneficial relationships is immense and often goes unacknowledged. This is why Tiso Blackstar is committed to honouring those individuals and agencies that contribute so much to the development and success of SA’s human capital.”

SA’s leading HR professionals adjudicated the entries in both the public and private sector. Alan Hosking (HR Future publisher) chaired the panel which included Mateboho Green (Manager Corporate Communications at Higher Education South Africa), Nikki Munsie (Business Director at Independent Agency Search & Selection), Ross Mengel (Managing Director at DMA People), and Welile Mabaso (Human capital Consultant).

The AMARA winners for 2017 are:

Best Recruitment Advertising Agency


  • Winner – Gear Advertising
  • 1st runner up – Basadzi Personnel
  • 2nd runner up – Strategy Recruitment Marketing

Best Newsprint Creative: Private Sector


  • Winner – Human Communications for Group 5
  • 1st runner up – Human Communications for Debswana
  • 2nd runner up – Human Communications for Impala Platinum Mining

Best Newsprint Creative: Public Sector


  • Winner – Basadzi Personnel for the National Treasury
  • 1st runner up – Human Communications for National Health Lab Services
  • 2nd runner up – Siyafika Communications for Landelahni SAA

Best Newsprint Creative: Education Sector


  • Winner – Goodbye Boring for Henley Business School
  • 1st runner up – Gear Advertising for Diocesan School for Girls
  • 2nd runner up – Human Communications for University of the Free State

Jimmy Wayland from Gear Advertising was the recipient of the prestigious Publisher’s Award, while Whoodoo Media Advertising received the Rising Star Award.

“Whereas in past years, recruitment ads appeared to be treated as 'routine' advertising, it’s becoming clear that some recruitment companies are now starting to exercise creativity in order to attract the right talent for their clients. This is evident in the concepts, wording, and visuals being used,” said Hosking, commenting on the 2017 award winners.

Let's do Biz