IZITHELO Hortgro Media Award 2025 | Michelle van der Spuy

The Izithelo Media Award for outstanding journalism in and on the deciduous fruit industry is to ensure continuous, constructive engagement between the fruit industry, its stakeholders, and the media.

The winner is selected based on the following:

• Strategic media coverage (written/broadcast/digital) that could influence the future of the fruit industry in SA in the short and long term.
• Operational: Continuous coverage of general agricultural issues or issues that could impact agriculture.
• Hard news, short-term, hard-hitting news issues, or In-depth coverage.
• Creativeness – New, original, and easy to understand.
• Dynamic, extensive, and topical coverage.
• Coverage should be well-written, balanced, non-partisan, and ethical.

Michelle van der Spuy is a seasoned agricultural journalist known for her insightful reporting on vital developments in South Africa’s farming sector. Her work appears in Landbou.com, the digital platform of Landbouweekblad, where she regularly reports on hard-hitting news issues.

In her coverage, she connects the deciduous-fruit sector to broader topics such as export logistics, market access, and the economic pressures facing exporters and packhouses. Michelle’s reporting consistently reflects:

• A focus on local agricultural initiatives—from education to community development to economics.
• A blend of coverage that balances market insights, technological updates, and environmental impacts.
• And, how macro supply chain or policy shifts filter down to fruit producers.

Michelle woon al haar hele lewe in die Kaap. Sy het aan aan die Hoërskool DF Malan gematrikuleer, en haar honneursgraad in joernalistiek aan Universiteit Stellenbosch behaal, asook ‘n Meestersgraad in joernalistiek in 2020.

Voordat sy by die Landbouweekbladspan aangesluit het in 2018, het sy by News Nigeria, MSN Africa en Die Eikestadnuus gewerk.

Terug by die huis in Durbanville is sy ’n eggenoot vir Jaco wat saam met haar op skool was. Hulle is in 2022 getroud en sy is ook ma van hulle dogtertjie, Nina. Michelle sê hulle hou daarvan om te braai, te gaan stap en wynplase in hul mooi omgewing te besoek. Sy kan egter nie tans die wynplase volkome geniet nie aangesien sy sewe maande swanger met hul seuntjie is.