The judging process

Three rounds of adjudication determine the finalists and winners.

A prestigious judging panel  sifts through the nominations and compile individual shortlists of 10 nominees in each category of the Award.

Hereafter they meet in panels to compare their nominations and identify the three finalists in each of the five Award categories – Health Care-Givers,  Corner Shop to Big Business Makers, Educators, Good Neighbours and Youth Movers. The criteria for the Award focus on the character of the individual, her ability and achievements and how her work impacts on the problems of South African society. The work of these women must be significant in terms of creating a better future for South Africans. It must show a desire to do something about the problems South African society faces as these difficulties all have the potential to damper our future.

The finalists undergo individual interviews by the panel of judges to determine the 5 women who they think should become the Women of the Year 2010 - one winner per category.

In 2010, the decision was not only up to the judging panel as, for the first time the public were also able to vote for the women they deemed most deserving of this accolade. Finalist profiles were published in Huisgenoot, YOU and Drum magazines, and also featured on M-Net. Members of the public were able to vote for their favourites through SMS voting lines as well as online on the Woman of the Year web site.

A select panel of judges, from nominations received, makes the final decision on who should receive The Life Time Achiever Award .

After an extensive nationwide search, the judging processes culminated in a spectacular gala ceremony held in July at Emperor’s Palace in Johannesburg where the five Women of The Year 2010 winners and Lifetime Achiever were announced. This dazzling event will be broadcast at 21h30 on M-Net on Women’s Day, Monday, 09 August 2010.