The National Press Club has named the COVID-19 pandemic the Newsmaker of the Year for 2020.
Today marks one year since Health Minister, Dr Zweli Mkhize, confirmed the first case of coronavirus in South Africa.
The annual award is made by the National Press Club.
Mkhize says the award is for all the South Africans fighting COVID-19, the health workers and all those who have had to endure the difficulties of the pandemic.
He accepted the award during a webinar last night – taking a moment to remember the more than 50 000 people who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 in the country.
Mkhize says the pandemic shows that South Africans can work together and unite in difficult times.
“I think it is important for us to realise that we all got into this completely unaware of the severity that it was going to create among us. But we have seen people responding very eagerly, coming in, responding to the use of masks, responding to distancing, Basically we changed our behaviour and created a new culture which was a good sign for us to say: whereever there are challenges that we face as a country, we are able to rally together and try and find a way to make sure our country survives.”
