MBABANE – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has officially launched the 2026 SADC Media Awards, inviting journalists from all 16 Member States to submit entries in Print, Radio, Television, and Photo Journalism. The awards aim to recognise outstanding media work that promotes regional cooperation, integration, and development across Southern Africa.
Established in 1996, the awards offer first prizes of US$2,500 and runner-up prizes of US$1,000 in each category. Last year’s winners included Veronica Gwaze of Zimbabwe for Print, Kudakwashe Hunda of Zimbabwe for Photo, Thabo Harry Rakhomo of Lesotho for Television, and Launcelot Mpho Lakaje of South Africa for Radio, with runners-up from Angola, Malawi, and Zimbabwe.
Eligible entries must have been published or broadcast between January and December 2025 and focus on SADC-related issues such as infrastructure, economy, agriculture, water, culture, and sports. Submissions can be in English, Portuguese, French, or any indigenous SADC language, with a transcript provided in English, French, or Portuguese.
The rules specify word counts and duration limits for each category: Print entries must be 100 to 2,000 words; Radio broadcasts 1 to 30 minutes; Television segments 1 to 45 minutes; and Photo submissions may include one image or a pictorial spread of up to 20 photos published in a single edition.
All entries must be submitted on the official SADC Media Award Entry Form to the National Adjudication Committees (NACs) or SADC National Media Coordinators (SNMCs) in each Member State by 29 February 2026. Entries submitted directly to the SADC Secretariat will not be accepted. Shortlisted entries from each country will be forwarded to the Regional Adjudication Committee (RAC) for final selection.
Prizes will be awarded during the 46th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government. Winners unable to attend the ceremony will have prizes delivered to their home countries. Monetary awards will be accompanied by certificates signed by the SADC Chairperson.
For more information and to download the official entry form and competition rules, journalists can visit SADC Media Coordinators or the SADC website. For enquiries, contact Barbara Lopi (blopi@sadc.int), Innocent Mbvundula (imbvundula@sadc.int), or Peter Mabaka (pmabaka@sadc.int), with a copy to prinfo@sadc.int, or call +267 395 1863.
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