Independent Media photojournalist Ayanda Ndamane has snagged a prestigious Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Award.
On Saturday, he was announced as the winner in the category News Photographs for his entry “Pro-Palestine crowd clash with Police” during a gala dinner at The Venue Melrose Arch in Johannesburg.
He had been a finalist a total of four times over the years.
Ayanda, 41, has been a photojournalist for 16 years.
He dedicated his win to his late grandfather, Jongilanga Ndamane, a grand storyteller hailing from a rural village in Lady Frere, Eastern Cape.
“I was raised by my grandfather. He never went to school but he used to tell very powerful stories. Because you’re in the rural areas, you don't have newspapers, tv and radios but he used to tell us very powerful stories about our village, about history. So growing up, I wanted to tell stories but in a different way.”
His grandfather passed away in December 2023, at the age of 94.
Before ending up at Indie, Ayanda worked as a security guard, waiter, cashier, and he was also a SANDF soldier.
While studying at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology in Bellville, he also often acted as a taxi gaatjie to get to campus.
Ayanda says: “This award represents the kid who is poor, who thinks nothing will come out of their lives.”
The winning entry was captured in November 2023, when pro-Palestine supporters had gathered for a peaceful picnic and demonstration at the Sea Point Promenade, but was met with a heavily armed contingent of police, law enforcement, and metro police, culminating in a confrontation.
SANEF executive director Reggy Moalusi said around 655 entries were received this year.
“As per the judges’ citation, his image “not only captures the news event itself and reflects the incredible closeness and courage of the photographer, but also shows that even in situations that might feel life-threatening, the main function of press photographers is to present a fair and accurate representation of events, to tell the story without prejudice or preference around issues of race and religion.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za