ULULATIONS were the order of the day when the Greater Kokstad Municipality Councillors and ward committees gathered to celebrate winning a provincial award by the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) during the recent Municipal Excellence Awards held in Durban.

The award formed part of five awards won by the Greater Kokstad Municipality in December last year when the same Municipality also scooped an overall award for being the best-run and well-functioning Municipality in the Province.

In the litany of scooped accolades, one was for the Best Functional Ward Committee- which was awarded to Ward 2. To celebrate the achievement, the Municipality invited all Ward Councillors and ward committee members to form part of the celebratory event.

The Greater Kokstad Municipal Manager, Mr Sipho Raymond Zwane and the Council Speaker, Councillor Bheki Nozaza and Assistant Manager for Public Participation, Miss Bongekile Mkulisi were present to honour the moment.

The event was also utilized as a platform to convey words of gratitude and to impart congratulatory remarks to all ward committees who were tirelessly committed to working hard in ensuring that the communities of Kokstad receive the best services they deserve.

The Municipal Manager said he could not put into words how proud he was to wake up every weekday and go to work for the GKM. "I am proud to be the Municipal Manager of the Greater Kokstad Municipality," he said.

He urged the ward committee members to continue working hard in their portfolios and help the municipality in its continued service delivery to the people across the municipal area.

He further stressed that the ward committees should continue serving the people and stop at nothing in maintaining oversight and holding the Council members responsible when they are not meeting the requirements of their positions, which compels them to serve their communities with diligence as encapsulated in section 4 of the Municipal Systems Act.

The Council Speaker Councillor Nozaza commended the good work done by the ward committees as the award they were all celebrating specifically honoured Ward 2, where he is a Councillor.

The Speaker also thanked the other ward committee members from the various wards for making it to the event at a moment's notice. "You are all beautiful people and in return have helped make Kokstad a beautiful place, you'll need to continue and maintain this pace," added the Council Speaker.

The ward committees from Ward 2 also took to the stage to thank the Municipality for ensuring cooperation for the benefit of the communities.