FCJ honours man who took historic Hector Pieterson photograph

Date: 25 August 2006 By: Wilson Dzebu

Nzima was presented with a framed collage of a story depicting his life, which appeared a newspaper lately. He was also presented with a cheque of R2 000 in recognition of the role his picture played in bringing about the freedom of the country.

Nzima was awarded at Aventura Loskopdam, Mpumalanga, on Friday. Now a businessman, Nzima was a journalist for The World newspaper, when he took the picture in 1976.

FCJ Chairperson Karin Espag said: “The man deserves our honour because he has displayed that one can transform the country through journalism. He is a shining example to all journalists and members of the immediate public.”

When accepting the tokens, the obviously jubilant Nzima said: “I never imagined I would get such a huge honour from the media industry. The picture has been used worldwide, but I did not get special recognition. My success is the pride of all journalists and I am filled with gratitude because I have been honoured by my own people while I am still alive. The picture still hangs in every household in Soweto and it made history by becoming the first one to be banned from being published in South Africa.”

Nzima advises young journalists to be objective and do their job with integrity. “I did not put down the camera to go assist the boy who was shot. My duty was to take pictures and expose the situation to the world. You will not become a good journalist if you put down your camera and try to become a doctor in chaotic situations,” he said jokingly.

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Wilson Dzebu

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