By Barbara Lopi in Maputo
Six winners of the 2012 SADC Media Awards have been announced and presented with a prize of US$2000.00 each during the opening ceremony of the 32nd Heads of State and Government SADC Summit in Maputo, Mozambique. Incoming Chairperson of SADC, President Armando Emelio Guebuz of Mozambique presented the awards to the winners. Three of the Awards are for excellence on reporting on water resources management in the region, and the other three are for excellence in promoting regional integration in SADC. Mr. Factmore Dzobo from the Chronicles Newspaper in Zimbabwe received the Award in the Print Water category, for his report on the importance of involving women in the management of water.The Award in the Radio Water category went to Mr. Belmiro Timoteo Mangaze from Mozambique for his report on the importance of water in regional and national development. Lesotho Times photo journalist Mr. Ramajake Walter Monamane received the Photo Water Award for his photos depicting the plight of people in a village in Lesotho for clean, safe and potable drinking water. The Awards for excellence in the coverage of water resources management was introduced in 2007 by the SADC Water Sector programme to enhance awareness raising on water issues within the region, as well as to encourage journalists to write about Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The Awards for excellence in promoting regional integration in SADC went to Mr. Yobe Shonga from Botswana for the Photo category; Mr. Patson Phiri from Zambia for the Print category, and Mr. Jugdish Parsadee Jatoo from Mauritius for the Television category.