{"id":296189,"date":"2026-03-05T11:57:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T09:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/?p=296189"},"modified":"2026-03-05T12:02:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T10:02:44","slug":"media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/","title":{"rendered":"Media and Communication team \r\nhonoured with national excellence award"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KOUGA<\/strong> – The Media and Communication Section in the Office of the Deputy Municipal Manager at Kouga Local Municipality has been nationally recognised for its outstanding performance during one of the most challenging emergencies in the municipality’s recent history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The team received the prestigious Crisis Communication Excellence Award at the 2026 National Communicators Forum (NCF) Awards, hosted by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in Cape Town.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The award recognises a team that demonstrated exceptional implementation of crisis communication with clear, consistent messaging during an emergency, providing accurate and timely information to effectively guide, inform, and reassure the public amidst challenging circumstances.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leading from the front during January fires<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kouga Local Municipality proudly submitted its nomination in recognition of the exceptional efforts of its Media and Communication Section during the devastating fires that swept across the Kouga region from 6 to 15 January 2026.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fires posed a significant threat to lives, homes, infrastructure, farms and the natural environment, marking one of the most testing disaster events in recent municipal history.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the onset of the fires, the municipality activated its Disaster Joint Operations Centre (JOC) to coordinate emergency response efforts. The Media and Communication Section formed an integral part of the JOC, ensuring that verified, accurate, and actionable information was disseminated swiftly to residents, businesses, community organisations and key stakeholders.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Communication efforts included real-time updates across digital platforms, regular media statements, internal staff briefings, public advisories, safety notices, and direct engagement with affected communities. The team worked around the clock to counter misinformation, clarify evacuation procedures, provide safety guidelines, and keep the public informed of road closures, relief measures and firefighting progress.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Importantly, the communication strategy focused on both internal and external communication \u2013 ensuring that municipal leadership, operational teams, councillors and frontline responders were aligned and informed, while residents received clear and reassuring updates during a period of uncertainty and distress.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dedication beyond the call of duty<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kouga Media and Communication Manager, Monique Basson, said the award belongs to the entire team, who demonstrated unwavering dedication under immense pressure.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This award is a testament to the incredible resilience, professionalism, and commitment of our Media and Communication team,” Basson said. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“During the fires, our team worked extended hours, often late into the night and over weekends, to ensure that residents received accurate and timely information. They went the extra mile \u2013 not because they had to, but because they understood the critical importance of communication in protecting lives and maintaining calm.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added that crisis communication is not merely about sharing information, but about providing reassurance and stability during moments of fear and uncertainty.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“In times of crisis, communication becomes a lifeline. Our responsibility was to ensure that every message was clear, factual and constructive. We understood that our words had the power to either create panic or instil confidence, and we chose to communicate with empathy, transparency, and responsibility.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong leadership and coordination<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basson further expressed appreciation for the leadership provided by Kouga’s Deputy Municipal Manager, Dawie de Jager, during the disaster response.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We extend our sincere appreciation to Deputy Municipal Manager Dawie de Jager for his exceptional handling of the disaster. His ability to navigate a highly complex and fast-moving situation with clarity and calm was truly inspiring,” she said.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“He consistently motivated teams, ensured strong coordination within the Joint Operations Centre, and made certain that we, as communicators, were always well informed. This enabled us to keep the public accurately and responsibly informed at all times. His leadership played a pivotal role in the effectiveness of our communication strategy.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A model for crisis communication<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recognition at the National Communicators Forum Awards underscores Kouga Local Municipality’s commitment to transparency, accountability and community-centred governance.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By integrating communication into its operational disaster response structures, the municipality ensured that information flowed seamlessly between emergency teams and the public \u2013 reinforcing trust during a time of crisis.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Crisis Communication Excellence Award not only honours the team’s performance during the January fires but also highlights the critical role that strategic communication plays in disaster management and public safety.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Kouga, the award stands as both a proud achievement and a reaffirmation of its dedication to serving and safeguarding its communities \u2013 even in the face of adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ<\/strong>: Western Cape showcases export power at global buyers event<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kouga Municipality’s Media and Communication Section receives national recognition for outstanding performance during challenging emergency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":296248,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_linkdex":"72","_yoast_wpseo_content_score":"30","_yoast_wpseo_inclusive_language_score":"90","_yoast_wpseo_is_cornerstone":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image-id":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image-id":"","newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","_crsspst_to_novanewscoza":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozabloemnewsexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozacityvision":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozadistrictmailhelderberg":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaeikestadnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozahermanustimes":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozakomani-karoo":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozamthathaexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozanoordkaapbulletin":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapaarlpost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozapeoplespost":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaswartlandgazette":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozatygerburger":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaudexpress":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavistanews":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozavrystaatkroon":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweskusnuus":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaweslander":false,"_crsspst_to_novanewscozaworcesterstandard":false,"_EventAllDay":"","_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":"","_EventShowMapLink":"","_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":"","_EventVenueID":"","_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":"","_VenueShowMapLink":"","_application":"","_batch_id":"","_company_name":"","_company_tagline":"","_company_twitter":"","_company_video":"","_company_website":"","_custom_id":"","_EventDuration":"","_EventOrigin":"","_EventTimezoneAbbr":"","_featured":"","_filled":"","_job_expires":"","_job_location":"","_media_credit":"","_media_credit_url":"","_menu_item_menu_item_parent":"","_menu_item_object":"","_menu_item_object_id":"","_menu_item_target":"","_menu_item_type":"","_menu_item_url":"","_menu_item_xfn":"","_navis_media_can_distribute":"","_navis_media_credit_org":"","_OrganizerOrigin":"","_provider":"","_pum_built_in":"","_pum_default_theme":"","_pum_form_conversion_count":"","_remote_id":"","_remote_name":"","_remote_position":"","_report_frequency":"","_report_reference_dates":"","_send_attempts":"","_site_id":"","_sitemap_exclude":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","_sitemap_priority":"","_source_url":"","_subscription_period":"","_subscription_period_interval":"","_subscription_price":"","_tec_slr_enabled":"","_tec_slr_layout":"","_template_type":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_tribe_aggregator_allow_multiple_organizers":"","_tribe_aggregator_content_type":"","_tribe_aggregator_file":"","_tribe_aggregator_finalized":"","_tribe_aggregator_hash":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_id":"","_tribe_aggregator_import_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_interactive":"","_tribe_aggregator_origin":"","_tribe_aggregator_post_status":"","_tribe_aggregator_preview":"","_tribe_aggregator_source_name":"","_tribe_aggregator_type":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_hide_attendees_list":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":"","_tribe_ticket_version":"","_type":"","_VenueOrigin":"","_wp_attachment_context":"","_wp_attachment_image_alt":"","_wp_font_face_file":"","_wp_old_date":"","_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":"4","_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":"","_yoast_wpseo_focuskw_text_input":"","_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_block-catalog":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":"1","_yoast_wpseo_primary_job_listing_type":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_nova_retailer":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_publication":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_tribe_events_cat":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-duration":"","_yoast_wpseo_videositemap-rating":"","_menu_item_classes":[],"_tribe_modified_fields":[],"_wp_attachment_backup_sizes":[],"_wp_suggested_privacy_policy_content":[],"_yoast_post_redirect_info":[],"_yoast_wpseo_video_meta":[],"activation_date":"","archive_insertion_is_repeating":"","archive_insertion_posts_count":"","article_feature_media":"1","article_feature_type":"normal","article_main_image_caption":"Zoyisile Njikelana (Media Liaison Officer \u2013 Graphic Designer), Monique Basson (Manager: Media and Communication), and Roslyn Klaasen (Media Liaison Officer). \r\nPHOTO: RRAD PHOTOGRAPHY","article_media_icon":"1","article_template":"news","author_byline":"","background_color":"","block_editor":"1","byline":"","cmplz_hide_cookiebanner":"","competition_end_date":"","contact_advertise_email":"","contact_advertise_phone":"","contact_editorial_email":"","contact_general_email":"","contact_general_phone":"","contact_office_hours":"","contact_physical_address":"","enabled":"","featured_image_custom_caption":"","featured_video_url":"","fields":"","font_body":"","font_header":"","frequency":"","headline":"Media and Communication team \r\nhonoured with national excellence award","hide_border":"","icon":"","is_wp_suggestion":"","issuu_download_url":"","issuu_embed_url":"","language_version_url":"","large_border":"","name":"","nm_contact_name":"","nm_contact_number":"","nm_date_lost":"","no_overlay_background":"","node-url":"","obituary_born_date":"","obituary_died_date":"","obituary_memoriam_text":"","origin":"","overlay_color":"","overlay_opacity":"","overlay_size":"","placement":"","plural_label":"","post_author":"","post_id":"","post_language":"en","secret-key":"","sponsored_utm_campaign":"","sponsored_utm_content":"","sponsored_utm_medium":"","sponsored_utm_source":"","sponsored_utm_term":"","start_date":"","utm_suppression":"","video_embed_url":"","wp_pattern_sync_status":"","data_version":[],"enclosure":[],"pongrass_image":["jrAward_P1","jrAward_P2"],"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_newspack_byline_active":false,"_newspack_byline":"","newspack_content_restriction_is_exempt":false,"scaip_prevent_shortcode_addition":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[9016,9288,9287,7909],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"publication":[],"class_list":["post-296189","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-kouga-municipality","tag-national-communicators-forum","tag-national-excellence-award","tag-recommended"],"yoast_head":"\nMedia and Communication team honoured with national excellence award | Kouga Express<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award for outstanding crisis communication during emergencies.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award for outstanding crisis communication during emergencies.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Kouga Express\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-05T09:57:45+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-05T10:02:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2554\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"2190\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kouga Express\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kouga Express\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa\"},\"headline\":\"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-05T09:57:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-05T10:02:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":724,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Kouga Municipality\",\"National Communicators Forum\",\"national excellence award\",\"Recommended\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#respond\"]}],\"copyrightYear\":\"2026\",\"copyrightHolder\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\"}},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/\",\"name\":\"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award | Kouga Express\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-05T09:57:45+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-05T10:02:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"The Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award for outstanding crisis communication during emergencies.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg\",\"width\":2554,\"height\":2190,\"caption\":\"The Kouga Municipality's Media and Communication Section. PHOTO: RRAD Photography\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/news\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\",\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"description\":\"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png\",\"width\":512,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"Kouga Express\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/PEExpress1\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/express_newspapers\\\/\"],\"description\":\"Kouga Express has been the eyes, ears, and voice of the Kouga area since 2004. Established with the goal of keeping the Kouga and Koukamma communities informed, we have grown into one of the most trusted local news sources in the region, with 20,000 free copies delivered mostly door to door every week. Kouga Express\u2019 distribution area includes Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, St. Francis Bay, Cape St. Francis, Aston Bay, Patensie, Hankey, Storms River, Tsitsikamma, Misgund, Joubertina, Krakeelrivier, Louterwater, Kareedouw, and Uniondale.\",\"email\":\"kougaexpress@novusmedia.co.za\",\"telephone\":\"042-992 5650\",\"legalName\":\"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd\",\"foundingDate\":\"2025-01-01\",\"vatID\":\"4100318916\",\"taxID\":\"2000\\\/018234\\\/07\",\"numberOfEmployees\":{\"@type\":\"QuantitativeValue\",\"minValue\":\"51\",\"maxValue\":\"200\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa\",\"name\":\"Kouga Express\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-ZA\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kouga Express\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/novanews.co.za\\\/kougaexpress\\\/author\\\/kougaexpress\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award | Kouga Express","description":"The Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award for outstanding crisis communication during emergencies.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award","og_description":"The Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award for outstanding crisis communication during emergencies.","og_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/","og_site_name":"Kouga Express","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/","article_published_time":"2026-03-05T09:57:45+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-05T10:02:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2554,"height":2190,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kouga Express","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kouga Express","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/"},"author":{"name":"Kouga Express","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/person\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa"},"headline":"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award","datePublished":"2026-03-05T09:57:45+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-05T10:02:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/"},"wordCount":724,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg","keywords":["Kouga Municipality","National Communicators Forum","national excellence award","Recommended"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#respond"]}],"copyrightYear":"2026","copyrightHolder":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization"}},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/","name":"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award | Kouga Express","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg","datePublished":"2026-03-05T09:57:45+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-05T10:02:44+00:00","description":"The Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award for outstanding crisis communication during emergencies.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-ZA","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg","width":2554,"height":2190,"caption":"The Kouga Municipality's Media and Communication Section. PHOTO: RRAD Photography"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/media-and-communication-team-honoured-with-national-excellence-award\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"News","item":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Media and Communication team honoured with national excellence award"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#website","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/","name":"Kouga Express","description":"To Inform, Engage and Empower Local Communities","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-ZA"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#organization","name":"Kouga Express","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/kouga-express-site-icon-1.png","width":512,"height":512,"caption":"Kouga Express"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/PEExpress1\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/express_newspapers\/"],"description":"Kouga Express has been the eyes, ears, and voice of the Kouga area since 2004. Established with the goal of keeping the Kouga and Koukamma communities informed, we have grown into one of the most trusted local news sources in the region, with 20,000 free copies delivered mostly door to door every week. Kouga Express\u2019 distribution area includes Jeffreys Bay, Humansdorp, St. Francis Bay, Cape St. Francis, Aston Bay, Patensie, Hankey, Storms River, Tsitsikamma, Misgund, Joubertina, Krakeelrivier, Louterwater, Kareedouw, and Uniondale.","email":"kougaexpress@novusmedia.co.za","telephone":"042-992 5650","legalName":"Novus Media (Pty) Ltd","foundingDate":"2025-01-01","vatID":"4100318916","taxID":"2000\/018234\/07","numberOfEmployees":{"@type":"QuantitativeValue","minValue":"51","maxValue":"200"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/#\/schema\/person\/d1ca9a7485fc5ec64ff4daf5b9e211aa","name":"Kouga Express","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-ZA","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f47e9234fbd437508ffebc42bafee4a1f7b8b5fc5b5e58a3881ac4edc0688cdd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kouga Express"},"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/author\/kougaexpress\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/SALGA_2March_26-5_19507-1-e1772704951676.jpg","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":268131,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/kouga-municipality-wins-best-performing-municipality-in-the-eastern-cape\/","url_meta":{"origin":296189,"position":0},"title":"Kouga Municipality wins best performing municipality in the Eastern Cape","author":"Kouga Express","date":"8 October 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Kouga Local Municipality clinches 2025 Municipal Performance Award, rising above the rest as South Africa's best in Eastern Cape.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Two Kouga Municipality employees holding up an award certificate.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Kouga-Municipality.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Kouga-Municipality.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Kouga-Municipality.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Kouga-Municipality.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51091,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/economy-recovery-strategy-for-kouga-region-20210331-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":296189,"position":1},"title":"Economy recovery strategy for Kouga region","author":"Kouga Express","date":"1 April 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"KOUGA Local Municipality, in collaboration with Kouga Business Forum (KBF), is set to review and incorporate a new Local Economic Development (LED) post\u2013COVID\u201319 economy recovery strategy for the region.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":55973,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/humansdorp-toyota-earns-top-spot-20190320-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":296189,"position":2},"title":"Humansdorp Toyota earns top spot","author":"Kouga Express","date":"21 March 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"TOYOTA Humansdorp is setting the pace in excellent customer experience in South Africa.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/4a8e4a9dc53049f087416233a660098c.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/4a8e4a9dc53049f087416233a660098c.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/4a8e4a9dc53049f087416233a660098c.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/4a8e4a9dc53049f087416233a660098c.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":265052,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/municipality-shines-nationally-for-innovation-excellence\/","url_meta":{"origin":296189,"position":3},"title":"Municipality shines nationally for innovation excellence","author":"Kouga Express","date":"10 July 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Kouga Municipality continues leading digital transformation and service excellence, earning high praise at the MIRA awards.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Three people standing alongside each other with Maalia Rossouw holding a certificate and Mbuysile Goduka holding a glass ball.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KougaLocalMunicipali_30413.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KougaLocalMunicipali_30413.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KougaLocalMunicipali_30413.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KougaLocalMunicipali_30413.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/KougaLocalMunicipali_30413.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65908,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/municipality-strengthens-community-safety-through-interactive-forum\/","url_meta":{"origin":296189,"position":4},"title":"Municipality strengthens community safety through interactive forum","author":"Kouga Express","date":"3 April 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Learn about crime prevention initiatives discussed at the Community Safety Forum, empowering community engagement and safety.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"teamwork","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/team.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/team.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/team.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/team.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/team.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46383,"url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/municipality-shines-at-national-arbor-city-awards-20230913\/","url_meta":{"origin":296189,"position":5},"title":"Municipality shines at National Arbor City awards","author":"Kouga Express","date":"15 September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Kouga Municipality recently obtained third spot in the highly coveted National Arbor City Awards, for 2023.","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7f9c506d29234e1e81ac6b65da26f344.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7f9c506d29234e1e81ac6b65da26f344.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7f9c506d29234e1e81ac6b65da26f344.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7f9c506d29234e1e81ac6b65da26f344.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7f9c506d29234e1e81ac6b65da26f344.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/7f9c506d29234e1e81ac6b65da26f344.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Kouga Express","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296189","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=296189"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/296189\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/296248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=296189"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=296189"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=296189"},{"taxonomy":"newspack_spnsrs_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newspack_spnsrs_tax?post=296189"},{"taxonomy":"publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/publication?post=296189"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}