Locals honoured at community awards ceremony

The annual Cantare Community Awards celebrates and recognises a year of excellence in the Alberton community.

The Cantare Children’s Choir hosted the event with Solidariteit Helpende Hand this year.

Coert Grobbelaar was the MC and made the guests feel welcome.

Held at the Alberton Civic Centre, the evening began with an opening song by Harmonia Girls’ Choir, followed by a speech from Cantare Children’s Choir chairperson and board member Eugenio Menezes, and another song item by the Dulcet Development Group.

The first round of awards, the Primea Excelenza Awards, were presented to Simnikiwe Ndlovu, Sergeant Lindile Moloi and Tertia Burger. A performance by guest artist Lisa Katzke followed.

The awards were a chance to acknowledge and share the pride of the learners, community organisations and the greater community for their dedication to building meaningful relationships and embodying social change.

During the intermission, guests enjoyed eats supplied by CCC Catering.

The programme resumed with a performance by Cantare Children’s Choir and a speech by Solidariteit Helpende Hand East Rand regional organiser Mariolette Vorster, who was grateful for the collaboration with Cantare Children’s Choir NGO because the event was a fundraiser to support children in need.

In the Corona Award category, Ilse Salzwedel, Gwen Bezuidenhout and Jacques de Villiers received acknowledgement for their contribution to community and culture.

The last round of awards, the Laureate Awards, were presented to Johan Bezuidenhout, Lizz Meiring and Solidariteit Helpende Hand, who had significantly impacted the greater Alberton community.

A moving musical piece performed by the mass choir concluded the evening.