Victor Mecoamere

Victor Mecoamere

South Africans are helping in the establishment of a stronger, more competitive and harmonious nation by continuing to support the Community Builder of the Year Award.

Sponsored and organised by Old Mutual, the SABC and Sowetan - with the provincial social services departments - the award recognises and rewards people who unselfishly give their time and talent to improve the quality of life of fellow South Africans.

It is a part of the Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation that was initiated in 1991 by late Sowetan editor in chief Aggrey Klaaste after he had spearheaded the newspaper's nation-building campaign in 1988.

Stuart Ntlathi of the Stuart Ntlathi Science and Engineering Institute at Matlosane in Klerksdorp, North West, is the overall winner for 2007. He also won the youth section.

His runners-up are:

lSenior category: Maria Manoto of Emthonjeni Awareness Centre in Gauteng;

lAdult section: Noriah Mabunda of Ndengeza Xizambhani Community in Limpopo; and

l Group section: Motsilu Boima of Kopanong Community Project in Limpopo.

People making a difference in education, environmental awareness, health and social welfare, crime prevention, youth development, sports and recreation and road safety are nominated.

Provincial social services department teams handle the distribution and collection of nomination forms, arrangement of provincial adjudication and provincial award ceremonies - and give crucial "aftercare" to community builders during the campaigns.

For the provincial finals nominees for the youth, adult, senior and group categories are adjudicated by a panel of social services experts.

One winner for each category is selected and these provincial winners qualify for the national finals.

For the national finals 12 finalists, three each from the youth, adult, senior, and group categories, are selected from the 36 provincial winners.

At the finals category winners are selected from these 12 finalists and the overall national winner is then selected from the four category winners.

Provincial judging and award sessions and functions will be held in:

lEastern Cape: June 5 and June 6;

lNorthern Cape: June 12 and June 13;

lGauteng: June 19 and June 20;

lLimpopo: June 26 and June 27;

lMpumalanga: July 3 and July 4;

lKwaZulu-Natal: July 10 and July 11;

lWestern Cape: July 17 and July 18;

lNorth West: July 24 and July 25;

lFree State: July 31 and August 1.

Twelve people will be honoured on December 4