JUST weeks after Joburg was named Best Performing Metro in Gauteng, it continued its winning streak at the annual Vuna Awards 2007, held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand.

The City scooped three awards and a R2-million cheque at the prestigious ceremony on Tuesday, 4 December. Two of the awards were for key performance areas - in the categories Municipal Transformation and Good Governance - beating its neighbours, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane municipalities.

Celebrations continued when the winners of the main awards were announced. In a tight competition between six strong municipalities, namely eThekwini, Ekurhuleni, Nelson Mandela Bay, City of Cape Town, Tshwane and Johannesburg, the city of gold outshone them all. It took home the main prize, the Best Metro. The prize included a R2-million cheque, a certificate and trophy.

The Vuna Awards are an initiative of the Department of Provincial and Local Government, in partnership with the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the National Productivity Institute, and the South African Local Government Association. They seek to promote a culture of performance measurement and benchmarking as well as highlight municipal best practice in delivering services to citizens.

Congratulating Johannesburg: minister of provincial and local government, Sydney Mufamadi (Photo: Enoch Lehung, City of Johannesburg) Among the guests at the ceremony were Johannesburg Executive Mayor Amos Masondo; City manager, Mavela Dlamini; the minister of provincial and local government, Sydney Mufamadi; his deputy, Nomatyala Hagana; and the Gauteng MEC for local government, Qedani Mahlangu. A total of 141 municipalities participated in the awards.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mufamadi said that all 283 municipalities in the country struggled with problems ranging from not enough access to basic services and poverty, to a high level of insecurity because of high crime.

He added that though there were challenges, they were determined to overcome these. The 2007 Community Survey published by Statistics South Africa showed that municipalities were working hard.

It was found that the number of households with access to water increased from 59 percent in 1994 to 88 percent this year. Households with access to sanitation had risen from 48 percent in 1999 to 78 percent in 2007.

"We have no intention of losing our developmental sensibilities. We are determined to stay on course … on the road to a better and worthy future," Mufamadi said.

Other municipalities that walked away with more than one award included Steve Tswete Local Municipality, in Mpumalanga, Bophirima District Municipality, in North West, and eThekwini and Nelson Mandela Bay metros.

Source: joburg.gov.za