MEC Anroux Marais honours long service officials of Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport

10 Mar 2020

On Friday evening, 6 March 2020, MEC Anroux Marais presented Long Service Awards to officials of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport in Stellenbosch.

The ceremony honoured long serving officials for loyalty, commitment, dedication and their significant contribution to our vision of a socially inclusive, creative and active Western Cape. Officials received awards for 10 – 40 years in service of the public, indicative of their passion and perseverance in bringing about positive change to the province through Cultural Affairs and Sport.

At the awards ceremony, MEC Marais said, “As the Western Cape Government innovatively focusses on increasing safety and creating opportunities for social inclusion, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport remains instrumental in creating a province in which all who call it home live healthier lifestyles, in safer environments, more prepared for tomorrow’s economy. We achieve this through our work in sport, recreation, culture, heritage and the arts and therefore play a key role in the Provincial Strategic Plan and the Vision Inspired Priorities (VIP) particularly around:

VIP1: Safe and Inclusive Communities; and
VIP3: Empowering People. Every person, young or old, thrives when they feel a sense of belonging and central to the business of our Department is to create positive spaces and programmes as alternatives to the negative circumstances and unsafe spaces throughout the province.

The arts, sport, recreation and cultural affairs teach people how to think, not what to think, rendering the work of our Department a fundamental branch of government. In addition to physical activity, it is concerned with the wellbeing of the mind to equip those we serve in our diversity and constructively empower them to seize the opportunities rightfully availed to them. We have made great strides in fulfilling this our essential role, but there will be no department and we would not be as fundamental without our hardworking, dedicated 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 significantly contributed to the reimagining and implementation of a better future against all odds and challenging circumstances. For that, I am profusely grateful to you”.

The following long serving officials, with residential areas for ease of reference, received awards on the evening:

20 Years: