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Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Chronicle dominated the fourth edition of the Road Safety Journalistic awards, winning its third consecutive Best Print Media House of the Year award while eight of its reporters scooped several awards.
The annual media awards ceremony, which is hosted by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe, was held last Friday in Harare.
The Chronicle Editor, Innocent Madonko, hailed the newspaper’s staffers for flying the publication’s flag high.
“I am immensely proud of the achievements of our staffers who continue to enhance the reputation of The Chronicle as a newspaper that takes issues of traffic safety seriously.
“The fact that we have won the Best Print Media House of the Year award for three consecutive years shows consistency and dedication from the team. I am especially charmed by the performance of interns who have done extremely well,” he said.
The Chronicle’s chief photographer, Elias Saushoma scooped the best photojournalist award while photographer, Nkosizile Ndlovu, was the first runner-up.
A Chronicle intern, Crystabel Chikayi, scooped the managing director’s road safety student reporter of the year first runner-up award while Bianca Mlilo, another intern, was the second runner-up in that category.
Andile Tshuma was the second runner-up in the best print reporter of the year category, while three other reporters Obey Sibanda, Nqobile Tshili and Gibson Mhaka got consolation prizes under the same category which received the highest number of entries.
The Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Dr Joram Gumbo, who was the guest of honour at the event, said about five people are killed on the country’s roads every day while approximately 38 persons are injured.
The Minister bemoaned the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents which he said were on the rise.
“This is surely unacceptable. Prompt action must be taken. The sanctity of human life must be preserved. A single death is one too many.
“The media have a role to play in as far as the taming of the traffic jungle in Zimbabwe is concerned. The jungle behaviour of some road users, unlicensed drivers, and the condition of our roads, the human error causing road crashes, traffic congestion and any rot associated with enforcement of traffic laws must be reported in order to inform the public,” he said.
@winnie_masara
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter