The Deputy Director-General for Immovable Assets, Ms. Sindi Linda together with Mr Nathi Zondi, the Director for Property Development & Valuation, stole the show at the 2nd KZN EPWP Kamoso Awards ceremony held at the Golden Horse Casino and Conference Center in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday 18 October 2017. The duo left the event with excitement and jubilation as they scooped an award in “Best Programme: Environment & Culture Sector” through the Izandla Ziyagezana Programme on behalf of the Department and the entire team within Immovable Asset component (including Regions and Districts)
In his keynote address at the Kamoso Awards ceremony, the MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works, Mr Ravigasen Pillay said; “We have celebrated excellence in job creation projects through the KAMOSO Awards where we also took stock of the impact of our interventions and honoured those who have distinguished themselves as being a cut above the rest.” It is therefore too understandable that South Africa’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) is one of the largest public employment programmes in the world.
EPWP has its origins in Growth and Development Summit (GDS) of 2003. At the Summit, four themes were adopted, one of which was ‘More jobs, better jobs, decent work for all’. He further said that “The GDS agreed that public works programmes ‘can provide poverty and income relief through temporary work for the unemployed to carry out socially useful activities’. As the Department responsible for overall EPWP provincial coordination, Public Works places enormous emphasis on planning, monitoring and evaluation by convening gatherings such as an extensive indaba of the diverse role players”.
Seventy-four nominees submitted entries to the 2017 Kamoso Awards with four Sectors taking centre stage of the occasion. They included Provincial Departments, Municipalities (metro, district and local) and Non Profit Organisations (NPOs). The competition was mainly tight amongst 24 award categories with the key focus of entrants having adequate Sector expertise of Infrastructure, Social, Environment & Culture and Non State (Non-Profit Organisation and Community Works Programme).
The winners: Mrs Sindi Linda with Mr Nathi Zondi who scooped the Best Programme Award: Izandla Ziyagezana under Environment & Culture Sector
As winners were congratulated for wining their different accolades, those who did not make it to the cut were motivated to do more in the 2018 awards. It is therefore without doubt that an award plays an important role in one’s career. It is almost like a badge that says you are extremely recognised as having achieved something your community. It is also something to distinguish yourself against others. Interesting enough is that even if you do not win, competing for an award is often a worthwhile effort that will help you further your professional development.
It can be safely stated that the EPWP Kamoso Awards have afforded officials from all sectors of government, especially in the province an opportunity to celebrate the importance of public service. Above all, it is a challenge to all of us to do everything we can to support the objective of reform at all levels of public administration for the next generation. Through EPWP, we envisage to keep up with societies in order to make the provincial government more responsive to the society’s needs and demands. Firstly, this comes because of changing demands such as efficiency/ effectiveness from citizenry to towards public administration and service delivery. Secondly, trust need to be re-established. Through EPWP, the provincial government will provide more choice, democracy and transparency by strengthening communication and connection with its citizens. Finally, the department will, through competitive pressure, radical economic transformation and outside forces ensure to open up for societies and adapt to new roles in changing societies by displaying performance improvement in service delivery.
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