Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale on 5 June hosts the annual Govan Mbeki Awards to honour those who outdid themselves in delivering quality housing.
The purpose of the Govan Mbeki Awards is to promote and inculcate a culture of excellence within the Human Settlement sector in the delivery of quality Human Settlements and dignity to South Africans. Encourage all Stakeholders in the sector to respond systematically and foster the entrenchment of spatial patterns across all geographic scales that exacerbate social inequality and economic inefficiency.
In addressing these patterns the Awards takes in to account the unique needs and potentials of different rural and urban areas in the context of emerging development corridors in the Southern African sub-region.
Who is Govan Mbeki
The Awards were named after Govan Mbeki in 2006 based on the role he played and vision he had on the preservation of human dignity and provision of human settlements for all. In all his work, he distinguished himself as a scholar, a disciplined cadre, a builder and a teacher. His students remember his distinctive, interactive and encouraging style of teaching, using methods which were well ahead of time.
He built and sustained a tradition of excellent political journalism and theoretical writing. Together with Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Elias Motsoaledi, Raymond Mhlaba, Andrew Mlangeni, Wilton Mkwayi and Dennis Goldberg and he was sentenced to life imprisonment in Rivonia Trial by the apartheid government in 1964.
Govan Mbeki was and remained a firm believer in the superior morality of socialism to his last day. Former President Nelson Mandela paid a moving tribute at the funeral of Govan Archibald Mvuyelwa Mbeki in September 2001 in Port Elizabeth:
“I want you to know that (Govan) was one of the truly great sons of Africa and that we can take courage from his life. He as a deep thinker, an aspiring leader, an educator, a fearless revolutionary, and a man who championed the cause of common people of South Africa. Govan Mbeki was one of the great heroes of our liberation struggle. We salute him.”
Awards
The awards will acknowledge and recognise the following categories:
Provincial contesting categories
- Best Priority Project Nationally
- Best Rural Project
- Best Accredited Municipality
- Best informal Settlement Upgraded Project
- Best Community Residential Units
- Best Institutional Units
- Best Social Housing
- Best People’s Housing Process Project
- Best Finance Linked Subsidy Project
- Best Women Contractor
- Best Youth Contractor
- Best Contractors Project in the Non-Subsidy Market
National contesting categories
- Best Provincial Department in performance delivery
- Best Metropolitan Municipality
MEC and Minister's awards
- Recognise students who were awarded bursaries and have completed their studies and due for placement in the Department.
- Any other award determined by the Minister or MEC .
