Department Officially Opens The Govan Mbeki Awards 2017 Process | Western Cape Government

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Department Officially Opens The Govan Mbeki Awards 2017 Process

6 June 2017

Today, 5 June 2017 the Western Cape Provincial Department of Human Settlements opened the application phase of the Provincial Govan Mbeki Awards (GMA) 2017.  The application period will be open until 23 June 2017. The period marks a time where housing projects in the various district areas across the province compete to be honored for excellence in the delivery of human settlements.

Established in 2008, the Govan Mbeki Awards is an annual event which aims to recognize outstanding performance in the delivery of housing projects. It also aims to encourage a culture of excellence within the human settlements sector. Winners of the Provincial Awards go on to compete with other provinces in the National Govan Mbeki Awards to be held in November this year.

The application phase marks the start of the awards process. All Western Cape municipalities will now start to nominate their own housing projects for the financial year 2016/17 to compete in the provincial ceremony, which is scheduled to take place in August 2017.

Once the municipalities have nominated their best housing projects from their list of active projects, they will fill in the necessary forms and submit those to the Provincial Department of Human Settlements. After a rigorous assessment and adjudication process, the Department will make its shortlist and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in August later this year.

Provincial Minister of Human Settlements, Bonginkosi Madikizela, encouraged municipalities to show innovation that is beyond superlatives.

“I would like to see municipalities utilising innovative technologies to construct housing units that respond to issues such as climate change, energy and water conservation. Municipalities must think outside the box,” said Minister Madikizela.

Head of Department, Mr Thando Mguli also stressed the importance of innovation in the delivery of human settlements. “Innovation should also address issues of housing for the disabled, as well as affordability for those who cannot get bank finance but also don’t qualify for free houses from the government,” said Mr Mguli.

Last year, the Bitou, George and the City of Cape Town municipalities’ housing projects were among the Provincial Award winners.  The City of Cape Town’s Bothasig and Steenberg Social Housing Projects went on to scoop awards nationally in 2016.

Media Enquiries: 

Mrs Ntomboxolo Makoba-Somdaka
Spokesperson for Minister Bonginkosi Madikizela
Tel: 021 483-4798
Cell: 082 935 0026

Mr Nathan Adriaanse
Director: Communication and Stakeholder Relations
Tel: 021 483-2868
Cell: 083 263 1720