Public Official Award for Righardt
Righardt le Roux recently was honoured with the Outstanding Public Offcial Award.
Westonaria head librarian Righardt le Roux has been working at the Westonaria Library for the past six years, and recently was honoured with an Outstanding Public Official Award.
“Like everyone else I am defined by my race. The beautiful thing about it is that even though people in our very own organisation define me by my background. But this is not how others see me,” says Righardt.
Righardt grew up in a family with a lot of self-esteem, which rubbed off on him.
“Luckily I also have many people who believe in me, who is not stuck in the past, but who think about the future. This is not to say that our history is bunk, just that it is important that we are not trapped by it, that we should not think backward but forward.”
With this view on life, Righardt was nominated for this prestigious award.
For the past eight years the Honorable Premier of Gauteng has honoured people with the Outstanding Public Official Award.
“Towards the end of 2013 I found out that I had been nominated for this prestigious award by the Department of Sport Recreation Arts and Culture,” says Righardt.
He adds that he loves the way our country is transitioning and transforming constantly.
Righardt strongly believes that success is when preparation meets opportunity.
“The nomination was made possible by a network of good friends, organisations such as UKS and supervisors such as Esmé Kuipers and Tokky Morolo who believe in my crazy ideas when it comes to marketing the Westonaria Library,” he adds.
“It is like Nelson Mandela said, ‘It is not about black empowerment, it is not about white empowerment, it is about people empowerment’. Therefore I am humbled by the opportunity to achieve this great award.
“When we get along, we realise that we all are in this together and it is not just about what is good for us as a community or a province, but as a nation.”
Righardt’s dream at Westonaria Library is to educate and empower as many people as possible, to help the youth take charge of their lives and start leading lives that add value to the community.
“I was very surprised by the nomination itself, more so when I was shortlisted, and sitting there the evening of the awards I knew even if I don’t make it, my voice has added something,” says Righardt.
