Awards handed to City entities

Service delivery excellence was recognised in the Development Planning and Urban Management Departmental Awards, handed out to City entities.
THE collective efforts of City employees in delivering services have paid off for the winners of the Development Planning and Urban Management Departmental Awards.

MMC Ruby MathangMMC Ruby Mathang: Awards important in assessing individual performanceThe awards, now in their second year, recognise excellence in City directorates, regions and municipal-owned entities. They were handed out at Emoyeni Conference Centre in Parktown on Thursday, 14 December.

Present to congratulate the winners was the portfolio head of the department, Ruby Mathang, accompanied by the acting executive director, Tiaan Ehlers. Speaking during the ceremony, Mathang said the awards were not only a motivation but were also a challenge to keep staff on their toes.

“These awards are important because they force us to look at our individual performance and assess how much we have made a difference to the lives of people we serve. I like the nomination process initiated as part of the awards because it allowed each of your offices to sit back and take stock of the work you have done since January.”

It was the last time the awards would be handed out following a decision by the City to separate urban management functions from those of development planning with effect from 2012.

“As you are fully aware, this year we have seen the establishment of a design option that will better meet the needs of the City and its citizens. It was widely agreed that the previous institutional model worked but Johannesburg is a dynamic organisation which is able to refine specific areas of operation,” explained Mathang.

He expressed confidence that the amount of work put into the Growth and Development Strategy GDS 2040 would meet the needs and demands of citizens, including the eradication of poverty; building and growing an inclusive economy; building sustainable human settlements; ensuring resource and environmental sustainability; achieving social inclusion; and enabling and promoting good governance.

Region F
Others City officials representing their offices at the awards ceremony included the directors of Region F, Nathi Mthethwa, and of Region E, Liziwe Ntshinga-Makoro, and the acting chief executive officer of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), Thanduxolo Mendrew.

JDA CEO Thanduxolo MendrewJDA CEO Thanduxolo Mendrew receives an award on behalf of JDAUrban management in Region E scooped the award for exceptional performance and presenting the most visible results throughout the year; the award was received Ntshinga-Makoro.

The second major award went to the JDA for doing the department proud in getting recognition nationally and internationally. Mendrew received the award on behalf of the agency.

The City’s corporate geo-informatics unit was awarded for being the most innovative unit in the City. The director, Marcelle Hattingh, received the award.

Region E forms one of Johannesburg’s eastern borders, and is situated in the northeast of the metro. It covers Alexandra, Marlboro, Wynberg and Sandton.

Clean-up
The region was commended for a variety of initiatives including the Siyakhona project, an ongoing community clean up initiative aimed at encouraging people to keep the environment clean. They are also taught about ways they can stop illegal dumping.

Earlier in the year, through its Siyakhona project, Region E partnered with the departments of health and development planning and urban management to carry out a massive five-day clean-up across the region. Churches and non-governmental organisations also took part.

During the clean-up, rodents, which had become a nuisance in the township and were attracted there by illegal dumping, were fumigated with carbon monoxide. Members of Siyakhona also hold community sessions with film screenings on various issues regarding healthy living. Another partner in the project is Hillside Digital, a video company based in Alexandra.

The region was also commended for helping the housing department get funding through the Expanded Public Works Programme to repair council-owned ablution facilities in six wards. It cost about R600 000.

MMC Ruby Mathang congratulates Marcelle HartinghMMC Ruby Mathang congratulates GIS director Marcelle HattinghThe JDA, which is mandated to stimulate and support development projects and rejuvenate economic activity, has much to show for its work. The agency prides itself on its involvement in installing the most celebrated landmarks in Joburg.

These include Nelson Mandela Bridge, which connects Braamfontein and Newtown; the Constitutional Court; the Ellis Park sport precinct; the Newtown cultural precinct; and Rea Vaya. All these are testimony to the agency’s efforts.

JDA
The JDA also made a submission to the International Associations of Public Participation (IAP2), which runs annual awards for organisations and projects that involve public participation. It won the Organisation of the Year Award at the meeting of the International Federation Board of Directors in Sydney, Australia in October.

The award recognises organisations that best live up to the IAP2 seven core values, the main one of which is integrating public participation in their core processes. IAP2 seeks to promote the practice of public participation among individuals, governments, institutions and other entities.

Another set of out-of-the-box thinkers, the corporate geo informatics (CGIS) unit, which is responsible for the management of the City’s spatial information, was commended for its innovations. One of its achievements is the development of the online mapping website.

The content of the website is produced though a joint venture between the CGIS, other City departments, municipal-owned entities and the private sector, ensuring comprehensive, up-to-date information. Earlier in the year, the team introduced the “find your voting station” application on the website, which enabled voters to locate ballot booths near them for elections.

On average, 250 to 300 people a year are trained by the directorate.

Other highlights of the year for the directorate included Map Your World, where more than 500 learners were taught about geo informatics systems at the University of Johannesburg, and International GIS Day at the Johannesburg Zoo, through which councillors were introduced to GIS principles and applications.