The Editors’ Forum of Namibia (EFN) has admitted to reducing the prize money for its 2024 journalism awards due to financial constraints and lack of sponsorships.
This admission comes after the EFN failed to pay out a total of approximately N$45 000 to three journalists who won at the awards held in November.
Several Namibian journalists have expressed their disappointment after receiving significantly lower cash prizes than the N$15 000 per category promised.
The entry forms explicitly stated that the winner of each category would receive a cash prize of N$15 000, with collaborative winners splitting the amount, and the Journalist of the Year receiving N$25 000.
However, winners such as One Africa’s Isai Sipunga, The Namibian’s Sheefeni Nikodemus, and freelance journalist Timo Shihepo received only N$3 750 each, described as a “token cash prize”.
Responding to the backlash, EFN spokesperson Selma Ikela says that the organisation, a voluntary body reliant on membership contributions, faced financial strain due to some members failing to fulfil their obligations.
“In 2024, EFN reached out to various corporate entities to sponsor prize money for the eight award categories.
However, only four categories managed to secure sponsors.”
The sponsored categories each received N$15 000 in prize money, which was paid in full. However, Ikela says the EFN used its own limited funds to distribute N$15 000 across the remaining four categories, with each winner receiving N$3 750.
Ikela says this decision came at a cost to the organisation, including the suspension of allowances for its office administrator and media ombudsman.
“The EFN is grateful for the sacrifices made by these officials, who placed their own needs behind those of the winning journalists.”
The EFN also noted that winners of non-sponsored categories were informed about the financial constraints and added that no further payments would be made.
Sipunga, who won in the mining and energy category, says, “I was expecting N$15 000 but received N$3 750 instead.
When I followed up with the EFN’s treasurer, Toivo Ndjebela, he said that was the least they could do. No one else got paid the full amount, and some categories weren’t sponsored at all.”
Nikodemus says the organisers never indicated that some categories might not carry full cash prizes. “This goes against the EFN’s competition rules and erodes the credibility of the organisation.”
Shihepo faced an even greater shortfall, winning a category advertised as being worth N$30 000 but receiving far less.
“The reason given was that the sponsors didn’t fulfil their commitments to the categories I won,” Shihepo says, adding that no further payments had been promised.
“The forum considers this matter closed,” Ikela says.
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