Minister Anroux Marais' speech at the 2018 DCAS Long Service Awards ceremony | Western Cape Government

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Minister Anroux Marais' speech at the 2018 DCAS Long Service Awards ceremony

5 March 2018

WESTERN CAPE MINISTER OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND SPORT, ANROUX MARAIS

2018 LONG SERVICE AWARDS

2 MARCH 2018

Good evening, molweni, goeienaand

It gives me great pleasure to present the Long Service Awards to 62 deserving officials of our award-winning department.

This ceremony serves to celebrate and honour long serving officials for loyalty, commitment, dedication and their significant contribution to our vision of a socially inclusive, creative, active and connected Western Cape.

For a long time, there has been a particular perception of governmental public servants. One which obscurely maintains officials to be lethargic, procrastinators, unconcerned and even remiss. The public service officials receiving awards this evening defies this misperception. They have challenged this misconception in their 10, 20, 30 and 40 years of active, diligent, dedicated service to the people of the Western Cape.

Dis vir my ’n eer en voorreg om die Langdiens-toekenning aan hierdie buitengewone staatsamptenare te oorhandig, want dis simbolies van die Wes-Kaapse Regering se opregte waardering vir u bydrae tot ons visie om goeie regering en geïntigreerde dienslewering in te sluit. Die 10 – 40 jaar diens is inderdaad ’n verpersoonliking van passie, deursettingsvermoë en die wil om betekenisvolle verandering in die lewens van die mense van ons provinsie te weeg te bring. U uitstekende voorbeeld in die kunste, taal, kultuur, sport, biblioteke, argiewe en museums is niks minder as inspirerend. Hiermee my opregte dank vir u kosbare tyd en die professionele manier waarop u pligsgetrou ’n bydrae gelewer het om te help om die Wes-Kaap Beter Tesame te maak.

Through cultural affairs and sport, this department offers and delivers services which affords our province the opportunities to escape the cycles of poverty thriving in our communities. Our department makes a significant difference in bringing about positive change to our communities. We improve the self-esteem of our youth and identify in them talents they would otherwise not explore. We enable a love for reading, history, culture, heritage and arts which improves educational outcomes, not only for the youth but our province as whole. We open channels of communication so that all in our province are able to access our services irrespective of their mother tongues as we promote linguistic democracy by elevating the status of all 3 official languages. I can very easily go on and on about why we are the fundamental department in the Western Cape Government, but there will be no department and we would not be as fundamental without our hardworking and loyal officials.

Those receiving awards tonight, you are this department and I hope you have realised that over these 10 – 40 years of public service, you have made a meaningful difference in the lives of others and you can be rest assured that you have helped another become successful against all odds and trying circumstances. For that, I am profusely grateful to you.

Sir Richard Branson once said, “While many people talk about profits and productivity as the necessary ingredients, I believe that a business’s long term success is built on staff who love working there and customers who love the company’s products or services”. He also advises, “Train people well enough so they can leave, yet, treat them well enough so they don't want to”. The success of our department and the long service of all those receiving awards tonight are testament to these words.

I thank you. 

Media Enquiries: 

Stacy McLean
Spokesperson for Minister Anroux Marais
Email: Stacy.McLean@westerncape.gov.za
Tel: 021 483 4426
Cell: 083 504 117