Cosmo City gets Mbeki an award

Recognition was given to Cosmo City, which was named in the Govan Mbeki Human Settlements Awards for its amenities and breaking new ground.
ONE of Johannesburg’s newest suburbs, Cosmo City, has received recognition for its amenities and for adhering to the principle of breaking new ground

The suburb was first runner up in the Best Priority Project category of the Govan Mbeki Human Settlements Awards, which were handed out by the departments of Human Settlements, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs at a glittering gala dinner at the Silverstar Casino in neighbouring Mogale City on 17 May.

Gauteng Local Government and Housing MEC Humphrey Mmemezi honoured those in the housing value chain who excelled in their contribution to alleviating the plight of the poorest of the poor and in making a difference to the lives of those in need.

Cosmo City is a huge mixed-income development in the northwest of Joburg. More than simply housing, it is a sustainable settlement, with schools, clinics, recreation and other facilities purpose built for the suburb. Energy efficiency was incorporated into the build, with solar geysers among the interventions.

A prestigious initiative, it has the status of a Premier Priority Project and was undertaken by the City in partnership with the Gauteng provincial government. Codevco was the overall developer and also acted as the City’s agent.

The Govan Mbeki Human Settlements Awards are given out in all provinces and nationally by the Department of Human Settlements and its subsidiaries at provincial and national level. They were established in 2006. Mbeki, the father of former president Thabo Mbeki, played a significant role in human settlement and worked to further the cause of building a nation free of inequity.

An ANC struggle stalwart, he is regarded as a warrior, a revolutionary, an educator, a publicist, an organiser and a leader of the people.

The awards seek to recognise excellent work done by the department, promote best practice, create healthy competition and act as a monitoring tool to ensure delivery.

They also motivate stakeholders in the human settlements sector to harness resources in accelerating delivery. This highlights the improved lives of millions of the poor through built sustainable livelihoods, communities and job opportunities, as well as through providing a choice of quality housing opportunities with secure tenure and access to water and sanitation.

Role players in the housing value chain are also rewarded, including developers, building contractors, the banking sector, community-based organisations, the mining sector, building materials suppliers, professional associations partnering with the government in building sustainable human settlements and making the Millennium Development Goals achievable by 2014.