On 15 July the first of the Govan Mbeki 2008 Housing Awards were held at the Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane at a very smart gala event that was attended by all important dignitaries of the Department of Housing and Local Government, with the awards being handed out by MEC Maite Nkoane-Mashabane.

Soutpansberg-based Mununzwu Newco were awarded first prize for the Best Subsidy Builder of the year, including a R10 000 cheque. This award was in recognition of the 118 quality houses they a had completed for their farm workers near Elim and as far afield as Thohoyandou. Mununzwu Newco was also runner-up in the Developer Under Difficult Circumstance award in recognition of the difficult circumstances under which they had to build some of the houses.

 Mr Carl Henning of Mununzwu Newco said he felt that they had won the Subsidy Builder of The Year award as a result of the quality of the houses they had built, which included the extra finishes like ceilings, lights, gutters and downpipes, as well as a proper roof, which are usually not found in normal RDP houses.