Frank Mavhungu scoops Sport Photographer of the Year award

Limpopo Mirror’s own Frank Mavhungu received the Photographer of the Year award during the 2023 Limpopo Sports Awards, hosted by the Limpopo Department of Sports, Arts and Culture and presented by MEC Nakedi Kekana. The function was held at The Ranch Hotel, outside Polokwane, on Saturday, 2 December.

Sportsmen and -women from all over Limpopo were given awards for excellence on and off the sports field in 17 different categories, including the Journalist of the Year and Photographer of the Year categories. Each category had three nominees, of which the winners were announced during the ceremony.

Mavhungu, a resident of Tsianda, is Limpopo Mirror’s longest-standing correspondent, having joined the news publication 33 years ago in 1990. Over the years, he has won several awards, including the National Print Journalist Award (2005) and Thulamela Municipality’s Sports Journalist of the Year award (1998), among others.

He was very humble about winning this prestigious award. “I shoot in the dusty villages that most photographers shy away from. This award was made possible by the people from these communities who allowed me to capture them. There are so many hidden sporting talents in these communities. My aim is to expose these talents.”

He expressed his appreciation for the support that he continues to receive from family, friends, colleagues, and the various editors. “I would not make it on my own without these people’s support. I’d like to dedicate this award to my mentor, Mr Anton Van Zyl, and the entire editorial team,” he said.

Talking technique, Mavhungu said that photographers must accept that their photos will not always be appreciated by everyone. “Taking photos is not easy; it takes teamwork. Criticism is another recipe for a successful career in photography. Accept it and try to focus on that. To journalists and aspiring journalists, all I can say is that you must report truthfully, factually, and tackle your job boldly and without fear or taking sides,” said Mavhungu.

On behalf of the news team, the editor of Limpopo Mirror, Mr Anton Van Zyl congratulated Mavhungu on this remarkable achievement. “What makes Frank’s photos so intriguing and important is the fact that he does not only focus on the big soccer stars. His portfolio includes well-known names from teams such as VFC and Black Leopards, but it also includes the teams in the lower leagues. He focuses a lot on women’s soccer, trying to assist the sport through wider publicity.

“But the real power in Frank’s photos lies in the finer detail. The pictures depict teams playing on barren fields, where every tackle ends in a small dust storm. It shows players dribbling down the side of the field, with spectators watching from the back of a truck parked a few metres away. It shows the passion of the spectators, often centimetres away from the action. It also shows how the passion spills over in anger over umpire decisions. The technical quality of Frank’s photos is superb. Through his lens, he manages to capture more than just the action; he also captures the spirit of the beloved sport,” said Van Zyl.

Date:08 December 2023

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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