The Daily Voice’s very own Robin-Lee Francke, 25, has been named the Vodacom Young Journalist of the Year: Western Cape and will be going up against several other bright and upcoming stars in the finals taking place in Joburg later this month.
The regional winners were announced at the Marriott Hotel, Crystal Towers in Century City on Thursday.
The Young Journalist award honours reporters who have been in their profession for less than three years and nominees are selected by the panel of judges.
The national winner of the Young Journalist award wins an all-expenses paid trip to be trained at the renowned Thomson Foundation and in a newsroom context.
Robin-Lee was unable to attend the ceremony due to work commitments and says she was informed by excited Independent Media colleagues that she had won the award.
“I was shocked and dumbstruck. My phone was buzzing non-stop on Thursday and I could not believe it when my colleagues told me I had won an award.
“I never win anything. I demanded photographic evidence,” she jokes.
“I feel a sense of pride as this is a very auspicious award. I always wanted to tell the stories of our oppressed and be the voice of others. I feel so honoured,” the young journo says.
Daily Voice Editor Taariq Halim congratulated Robin Lee on her award.
“We are all so proud of Robin. She has come a long way since joining the Daily Voice in 2015 as an intern. But we all knew that she would go places because she possesses that winning quality of being passionate about her job and her community. Slamat, Robin.”
saafia.february@inl.co.za