South Africa, July 1 -- Sanef's chairperson, Makhudu Sefara, in his address, noted that the global media landscape has become increasingly perilous for journalists. He said that according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), 129 journalists and media workers were killed in 2023, and another 122 in 2024. These brave individuals were not only reporting from a war zone but were often targeted, labelled partisans, and tragically, many were killed along with their families.

He highlighted the central theme of the awards, 'Guardians of Democracy: Upholding Integrity in a Changing World', saying journalists must continue serving the public interest through fearless storytelling, safeguard their integrity, and hold fast to the i...