Journalists shortchanged: Editors’ Forum of Namibia fails to deliver full award prize money

The Editors’ Forum of Namibia (EFN) has failed to pay prize money amounting to N$45 000 to three journalists selected as winners in the EFN Journalism Awards last November.

The three journalists expressed their disappointment after receiving significantly lower cash prizes than stipulated on the award entry forms.

The EFN initially noted that each winner would receive a cash prize of N$15 000 per category. However, the three say they each received less than half that amount.

“The winner or winners of a collaborative entry will receive a cash prize of N$15 000 and a certificate. If there are two winners, the cash prize will be split in half.”

“The Journalist of the Year will be chosen by the judges, taking into consideration the depth and impact of the work. The Journalist of the Year Award will receive a N$25 000 cash prize and a certificate,” states the entry form.

EFN secretary general Selma Ikela says the forum will only provide a response today.

One Africa Television journalist Isai Sipunga is among the affected winners.

Sipunga, who won an award in the mining and energy category, said he was expecting N$15 000 but received N$3 750 instead.
“I followed up with the EFN’s treasurer, Toivo Ndjebela, and 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,” Sipunga says.

Similarly, The Namibian’s Sheefeni Nikodemus received only N$3 750 in mid-December, described as a “token cash prize” despite the category having been valued at N$15 000.

Nikodemus, who says he was shocked by the shortfall, notes that the organisers never indicated that some categories may not carry a cash prize.

“This goes against the EFN’s competition rules and erodes the credibility of the organisation,” he says.

Freelance journalist Timo Shihepo also faced a similar situation after winning a category that stipulated prize money of N$30 000 but receiving far less than that amount.

“I only received a ‘token prize’. The reason given was that the sponsors didn’t fulfill their commitments to the categories I won,” Shihepo says.

He has expressed disappointment that no further payments have been promised.

The EFN is yet to clarify why category winners received reduced prize packages, despite one sponsor providing N$250 000 towards the organisation of the awards and one of the categories.