Africa’s best investigative stories win Awards at FAIR conference

Story by Adu Koranteng back from Johannesburg

The 2012 Africa Investigative Journalism Conference, dubbed Power Reporting, held in Johannesburg from 29th October, to 1st November 2012 unveiled some of the best investigative stories investigated by renowned journalists on the continent.

The story of Stephan Hofstatter Mzilikazi WA AFRICA and Rob Rose, from Sunday Times in South Africa titled “shoot to Kill inside a South African Police Death Squad “ was adjudged the best story at the FAIR Investigative Journalism Awards held at the Devonshire Hotel. This was followed by the second priced investigative story by Estacios Valoi, a Mozambican journalist from the Zambezi Daily News with the title “Leaders involved in Timber smuggling in Zambezi province.

The two stories won a price of US$6000 out of which US$4000 went to the first price winners and US$2000 going to the second price winner at the short but colorful ceremony held to climax the four day conference in Johannesburg , south Africa.

The first price story “shoot to kill inside a south African death squad” exposed a hit squad ( the Cato manor death squad that operated within the Kwazulu Natal province in south Africa under the ultimate command of the province Hawks boss( that’s the special police commander , ) major General Johan Booysen . the reporters of Sunday times , as part of their investigations discovered that this organized crime had committed scores of assassination , some in retaliation for suspected cop killings with others related to what they termed as “ongoing taxi wars”.

Major Booysen, formerly provincial head of the organized crime unit was promoted serve as the head of the Hawks, a special police Unit by the former head of the South African Police Chief, Bheki Cele.

In the course of their investigations the reporters discovered that the hit squad had been involved in the killing of Bengani Mkhize, the taxi boss of the Kwamaphumulo district. The squad was also accused of being involved in the assassination of Lindele Buthelezi also a former Kwamaphumulo taxi boss. The squad was also involved in the killing of Sandile kinglock and Musa Kwabe, suspects in the murder of a Durban Lawyer and a host of other assassinations, according to the investigators.

The second story also exposed the illicit act of some political leaders in Mozambique. These leaders, the story indicated were engaged in illegal timber extraction in the Zambezi Province using pirated licenses.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, Abdullah Vawda, executive director for the Forum for Africa Investigative Reporters FAIR commended the award winners for filing the best stories on the continent. He said the nature of the stories gave the panel a hard time to select the best for the ultimate price. He promised that the next edition of the conference would see the inclusion of other categories of the awards like Radio and Television awards.

The power reporting 2012 and the African Investigative Journalism Conference assembled the best investigative journalists on the continent; from china; south and North America and Europe to deliberate learn share experience and network. Ghana was represented by four well known Ghanaian investigative Journalists, namely Anas Aremyaw Anas and Adu Koranteng from the New Crusading Guide, Benjamin Tetteh and Ohemeng Tawiah of Joy Fm

The 2012 Power Reporting - African Investigative Journalism Conference was regarded by organizers as a great success. “We had nearly 300 attending. Participants were able to learn new skills and discuss stories with journalists from across the continent and speakers from around the world, according to Abdullah Vawda.