Is it a scandal or what: mining media awards: senior journalists upset a need stay away

In the media cycles, questions are being asked whether the mining media awards are a genuine cause made by the sponsors or a scandal that needs to be exposed.

This is because every year, the winners of the awards have complained in one way or another about how they have been used to portray the mining sector and the organisers of the awards as doing well, yet the awards given to journalists in the form of money are a serious pittance.

Just on Friday (15 November) yet another event to give awards to the scribe was conducted at the Cresta Oisis Hotel in Harare where some journalists drawn from both the public and the private media got the gongs and  purportedly on cash.

But indications were that those who were announced as winners only got medals and certificates while they were promised that money would be transfered to their accounts.

However, indications are that this is the tradition that occurs almost every year prompting most senior journalists to shun making entries.

One senior journalist who once made an entry and won several awards described the events of presentation of awards as a misrepresentation of what transpire in the background.

He said a year ago he was announced a winner but was only given US$75 out of the awards money he was promised to get.

"These awards are a waste of time and insult to the profession. They portray us as do desperate and destitute. I sometime won the award but was given US$75. I will never was my time any more to submit entries for that rubbish," said the senior journalist.

"Who ever is playing with our lives and time must stop. We are not children. They can not pretend to be rewarding us when they abuse us emotional by announcing us as winners and give us nothing. We under stand that sponsors put money there but some one must be spinning that money and diverting it to other things and giving journalists pittancy."

Another senior journalist who was once announced as winners said he will never ever waste his time entering the awards. He said when one is announced a winner it does not mean that any reasonable money will reach his pocket.

"Instead you are told the money will come soon. The other is paid in local currency the other small amount is paid in US$ but this is after a long wait. Last time when I won in November I got the money the following year in February and to discover that in local currency it lost value and in US$ it was very insiginificant," he said.

Journalists suspect foul play and want sponsors to know their displeasure.

They were also concerns that the organisers also invite people whom they know would not win and do not want to take care of them instead of inviting those that have won.

"Why do you invite someone who has obviously not won and not want to full cater for that person after wasting that person's time? They do not respect journalists, they treat us any how they want," he said.

On Friday Raymond Jaravaza of Bulawayo Zimpapers was announced an over all winner after winning three awards. Others who won was Tatenda Chitagu, Mthandazo Nyoni of Newsday  while Clayton Masekesa scooped several runners up awards.

Several mining firms such as Zimplats among others sponsored te awards.

Most of the senior journalists have since withdrew their participation from the awards describing them as a waste of time and energy.