Twenty-five outstanding individuals who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others and themselves were honoured during Azwi Development Agency’s Seventh Ceremonial Investiture 2008 during a glittering function held at the Mphephu suite of the Khoroni Casino Hotel.

The glowing function was held on Saturday morning and was attended by the Vho Thovhele Tony Mphephu, who also received an award on behalf of his late father, Khosikhulu Vho Patrick Mphephu, who was the first State President of the then Republic of Venda.

The awards this year brought some surprises as they went beyond the borders of South Africa whereby a deputy-minister from Zimbabwe was also a recipient. The recipients were given awards in 11 categories, including leadership, entertainment and community building, amongst others.

Azwi Development Agency has already achieved a measure of global significance and a reputation of being among the nation’s trusted awards. In just a few years of its existence, it has become a company that cares and this would not have been possible without the contributions of the awardees.

Introducing the awards, the chairperson and patron of the awards, Mr Jackson Mafunzwaini, said this year’s awards were dedicated to the late President Patrick Mphephu of the former Republic of Venda. “He is the best leader I have ever known and he is the one who molded me to what I am today. I owe everything to him,” he said.

Mafunzwaini said the recipients deserved to be honoured publicly for their good deeds. “We are here honouring deserving men and women who make our lives meaningful and restore our faith in the inherent goodness of humanity,” he said. “Those we are honouring are extraordinary people men and women, from both inside and outside our country, some of whom have since passed on. Therefore, we pause from our daily labors and, in a spirit of solemn reflection, we honour their memory. We thank them from the bottom of our hearts for what they did or are still doing for our land,” he said.

Mafunzwaini said the icons of the good deeds are shining examples to others; they ennoble the human spirit as they ennoble all South Africans. “Equally, we doff our hats in honour of those awardees who are not South Africans but who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of the global condition of humanity, including those of our communities. We salute their having helped to lift our eyes to the hills of achievement, to dream beyond the mountains of high hope and see our aspirations soaring as an old order crashed down and a new order of corporate emerges,” he said.

Speaking after the honour was bestowed on him, Zimbabwean Deputy Minister of Information and Publications Bright Matonga said he was humbled to have been honoured outside the borders of his home country, Zimbabwe. “It is a noble award for me and it is a special award for the people of Zimbabwe,” he said. Matonga, who was accompanied by his wife, Sharon Mugabe, urged South Africans to visit his country and not to be scared by what they hear from the media. “We have challenges like any other country as you have here, but those challenges are not life-threatening. We are one people. Let us work together and build Africa together,” he said.

Matonga commended the board for Azwi for a job well done and urged them to work hard in order to make them grow. He also pledged his full support to make them grow into an African event.
Receiving the award on behalf of his late father, Khosikhulu Vho Patrick Mphephu and former first State President of the Republic of Venda, Vho Thovhele Tony Mphephu said he was glad that his late father’s contributions have not gone unnoticed and that he was still remembered. “My father did a good job for his community and most of his achievements could still be seen today, I just pray that God gives me the power and wisdom to follow in my father’s footsteps and to serve my community with dedication,” he said.

Amongst the prominent awardees were well known personalities, Pastor Mbulaheni Muhali of the Higher Grace Church, Dr Ferdi Hartzenberg, who together with Dr Andries Treunicht formed the Conservative Party in 1993, SABC’s Martha Makhela and Hendrik Jacobus Rufus Myburg, who was a chief director in the Department of Constitutional Development and also a life-long friend of the late President Mphephu of the former Venda Republic amongst others.

The complete list of recipients was as follows:
Leadership: Traditional - Khosikhulu Vho Patrick Ramaano Mphephu, Khosi Vho Nanga Frank Nndwakhulu Ravele, Khosi Vho Etienne Rasivhetshele Bill Nesengani, Khosi Vho Ravhalitsheni Reckson Sumbana and ThovheleVho Stepha-nus Tshikonelo Mphaphuli.
Leadership: Political - Dr Ferdinand Hartzenberg, Adv Thomas Langley and Mr Bright Matonga.
Leadership: Administrative - Vho-Julius Tshinyadzo Lidovho; Mrs Ndishavhelafhi Rose Ambani.
Leadership: Government and Administration - Vho Francis Nkhanedzeni Mbulungeni
Leadership: Religious - Pastor Mbulaheni George Muhali, Pastor Khathutshelo Hartson Mathaba and Pastor Muhani Salphinah Madzinge.
Leadership: Business - Vhamusanda Vho Elias Davhana Netshivhulana Mulaudzi.
Leadership: Administrative - Hendrick Jacobus Rufus Myburg, Vho Phalanndwa Wilson Ne-mukongwe.
Media - Martha Makhela.
Community Development - Azwinndini Christinah Mbulaheni, Mukegulu Vho Nyawasedza Selinah Musweswe, Vho Rathani Mabel Sikhitha, Mrs Nkhangweni Joyce Mudau.
Business Management - Vho-Fulufhelo Cornelius Sadiki
Entertainment - Mashudu Lucky Steven Mabidi.
Business (Banking Corporate) - Takalani Joyce Lethole.