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A wave of emotion, gratitude and disbelief swept over photographer Sandile Ndlovu when he was named Journalist of the Year 2026 at the prestigious Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Awards in Johannesburg on Friday night.Ndlovu also won the feature photographs category. He is only the second photographer to win the overall award in the event’s 16-year history.He described the moment as overwhelming. “To be recognised as the Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalist of the Year 2026 is something I never imagined, and it is a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life,” he said.His entry was a body of work that included several powerful photo essays, among them Mthwalume Brass Band, The Skater and Owami. Though each project explored different realities, the stories were united by themes of resilience, hope, perseverance and the strength of ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances.Ndlovu said his aim was always to spotlight overlooked communities and tell authentic human stories through compelling visual storytelling.The judges praised the ability of his images to tell complete stories without relying heavily on words.Ndlovu said documentary photography demanded patience and persistence, revealing that The Skater took three years to complete after he lost contact with the subject and later resumed documenting his journey.“Meaningful stories cannot be rushed,” he said.One of the photographs that Sandile Ndlovu included in his entry. (Sandile Ndlovu) Arena Holdings CEO Pule Molebeledi congratulated Ndlovu on the achievement, describing the award as a reflection of the strength and quality of journalism within the newsroom.“This is an exceptional achievement by one of our leading journalists. We are really proud of the recognition, which we believe is a reflection of the talent in our newsroom that continues to deliver quality journalism to our readers,” said Molebeledi.Sunday Times acting editor-in-chief Mike Siluma said the recognition reflected Ndlovu’s dedication, consistency and hard work in the newsroom.“This outstanding achievement is recognition of the meticulous hard work and consistency he continues to demonstrate as a valued member of the Sunday Times/TimesLIVE team. We look forward to seeing him reach even greater heights in his career,” he said.Ndlovu said the award reinforced the importance of journalism in documenting the lives of ordinary South Africans with dignity and honesty.He also encouraged young journalists to remain patient, avoid shortcuts and focus on truthful storytelling instead of chasing awards.“This award is not the finish line; it is motivation to work even harder,” he said.
