Three Sunday Times journalists have won the 2001 Nat Nakasa Award for media integrity for an eight month long investigation into the escalating R43 billion arms deal. 

The newspaper's investigation unit was honoured for a series of articles which exposed how then ANC Chief Whip Tony Yengeni obtained a whopping discount on a luxury 4x4 vehicle from an armaments company.

The investigation team comprises Jessica Bezuidenhout, Mzilikazi wa Afrika and Andre Jurgens. Their investigation forced a German company, the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company, into admitting it had helped 33 South African "VIPs" obtain luxury cars at cut prices.

The VIPs included Yengeni and his wife, Lumka; SA Defence Force chief Siphiwe Nyanda; Department of Trade and Industry director Vanan Pillay and former Armscor CEO Llew Swan.

Yengeni was arrested two weeks ago by investigators probing allegations of corruption and irregularities in the arms deal. He will face charges of corruption, fraud, forgery and perjury in January. His co-accused is Michael Woerfel, the suspended head of EADS.

The three journalists dedicated the award to the sources who had helped them during the Yengeni expose.

"We dedicate the award to all the honest South Africans who had the courage and integrity to speak the truth about the arms deal when we knocked on their doors. Without you, our job would have been impossible," said Jurgens.

Nathaniel Ndazana Nakasa was a journalist who died in exile on July 14 1965. The annual award is made in remembrance of him and it honours those in the media who show integrity and report fearlessly, display a commitment to serve the people of SA, strive to maintain a publication or other medium despite obstacles, show courage in making information available to the public, and resist censorship.

Former Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu described Nakasa as "a rainbow man before the rainbow was allowed".

With acknowledgment to the Sunday Times.