Gert Sibande District Municipality (GSDM) awarded top achievers at its annual GSDM Mayoral Excellence Awards in Secunda on Friday, 15 June.
Councillors and executive mayors of all seven local municiplaities, cooperatives and GSDM officials were invited by the district executive mayor, Mr Muzi Chirwa, to recognise them for their outstanding performance and service during the 2017/18 financial year.
Categories ranged from best performing individuals per level and per department in GSDM, best performing sections in GSDM, best performing councillors, best performing council committees, best performing agricultural cooperatives, cleanest environment and the most improved municipality in terms of an audit outcome for the financial year.
The category for long service was also included for officials who have been with the institution for more than 10 years and longer.
Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality walked away with the first prize of R10 000 for the most improved municipality in terms of the audit outcome by the auditor general. Govan Mbeki Local Municipality received the first prize of R10 000 for the cleanest environment award.
The Mkhondo and Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipalities came second and third respectively in the cleanest environment category.
In the promoting agricultural cooperatives category, the winners are:
• Ithuba GFG Cooperative of Dipaleseng Local Municipality claimed the first prize.
• Qhubekani boMama Cooperative of Chief Albert Luthuli Local Municipality came second, while Mpumelelo Sewing Cooperative of Mkhondo Local Municipality walked away with the third prize.
During his address, Mr Chirwa made it clear that the awards were aimed at recognising work that was beyond expectation.
“We are not here to praise mediocre performance,” Mr Chirwa said.
He encouraged those in attendance to honour the legacy of Mr Nelson Mandela and Ms Albertina Sisulu and to be true servants of the people.
He further appreciated municipalities that improved on audit outcomes for the financial year and said he was looking forward to better results in the next financial year.
