Ten Mitchells Plain community workers were awarded for their service.

“The kind of service that often happens quietly, without applause,” said Subcouncil 12 chair Solomon Philander at the ceremony on Thursday 25 June.

They were honoured as part of the subcouncil’s annual Civic Awards.

The honourees were nominated by community members or the councillors.

The recipients included:

• Naziebooniza Simpson from Simpsons’ Reaching Out;
• Rafiq Larnie, who runs several upliftment programmes;
• Ilhaam Herbst, who runs Ummati Community Upliftment Foundation;
• Ursula Peters from Broken Crayons Still Colour;
• community workers Roshan Larnie, Tarryn de Reuck, Lydia Theron, Glenda Theunissen and Carol Mentor;
• as well as the Mustadafin Foundation.

Ward councillors handed over the prizes to the recipients from their respective wards.

Ward 82

Ward 82 councillor Washiela Harris was effusive with enthusiasm as she described why the five recipients in her ward had won.

She said all the recipients go “above and beyond” what is asked of them and are the real mayors and councillors in the wards as residents go to them first to seek help.

She joked that when she saw Simpson’s name on the list she asked: “Who is Naziebooniza? Everyone knows her as Aunty Shanaaz.”

Harris said Simpson was selfless in her work in the community.

“When she receives donations, she always shares with other organisations and with everybody. She would always see that all other NGOs also received what she has been given,” Harris said. “And she would say, ‘Councillor, I’ve got a pack here for you as well’.”

Of Rafiq Larnie, Harris said: “He is literally teaching youth how to fish.”

Harris was referring to a fishing programme, one of his many community projects.

Herbst was described as a dynamic community force, always on the go.

“Haar voete is haar Uber,” Harris joked.

When describing Peters’ work, Harris recounted a story about a teen who attended one of Broken Crayons Still Colour’s camps. “You had a 16-year-old that was pregnant, eight months, and she didn’t know who the father was. That camp encouraged her to go back to school after she had given birth,” Harris recalled.

Harris also lauded Roshan Larnie for being an “ystervrou”.

“She remains in the background but does everything. She sees that everything gets done behind the scenes.”

ALSO READ: Councillors honour community heroes with civic awards

Ward 92

Councillor Norman Adonis honoured four people from his ward.

Of De Reuck, a forensic officer by day and community worker by night, Adonis said: “She spends countless hours distributing food to those in need, often going out of her way.”

He said De Reuck was being awarded for her involvement in several community organisations, including a soup kitchen, senior club and youth programmes.

The award for Glenda Theunissen, which she won posthumously, was accepted by her husband Les.

Adonis said: “Two weeks before she was admitted, she was still doing her work.”

Theunissen was awarded for her tireless work in the Mitchells Plain Police Station Victim Support programme.

Ward 116

Carol Mentor was the last recipient to receive an award.

Philander said the “over 70-year-old” was a “pillar of strength in Beacon Valley”.

“Safety is her priority after she lost a grandchild 20 years ago,” Philander said. “She used that pain to help others. Beacon Valley was never the same again.”