A salute to our Local Heroes

The Daily Dispatch Local Heroes Awards celebrated a decade of community excellence on Thursday evening, as more than 300 guests applauded this year’s 12 winners at a glamorous gala dinner at the East London International Convention Centre hosted by media personality Leanne Manas, with special guest Miss World SA 2024 first runner-up Nande Mabala. 

Manas said: “The Eastern Cape has many issues where we see initiatives, whether they be soup kitchens or saving abandoned children — whatever the case may be — you are making such a difference.”

With headline sponsor Johnson’s — a brand of Kenvue — this year’s heroes were selected from the nomination pool of about 40 stories, each published in the Daily Dispatch.

After a rigorous judging process, winners were selected and announced on the night, each receiving a cash prize and a professional video of their projects. 

Finalist Owen King and four of his Fantastic Dance Crew members performed a spirited freestyle. 

Fantastic Dance Crew are young children and teens from Mdantsane who spend their afternoons learning pantsula, kwassa kwassa and contemporary dance at the Mdantsane Arts Centre. 

King, 32, has mentored many adolescents helping them to find their paths, stay away from substance abuse and express their creativity.

“I would like to thank my family, God and the family of Fantastic Dance Crew, Ben Rexana from CyfaDance,” he said.

Ngwekazi Makaba, 34, a finalist from Amalinda, from the Nam Foundation, a nonprofit that organises sanitary pack drives and educational programmes for schoolchildren, said: To be a Local Hero means leadership, it means that people believe in what you do, or what our organisation does, it’s not just about me, but also about our beneficiaries. It’s bigger than me alone.” 

Daily Dispatch editor Cheri James said: “Over 10 years, the Dispatch has featured hundreds of stories of ordinary people who work for the betterment of their communities.

“Many do so without financial support, knowing that without their help, an elderly person could go to bed hungry, a schoolgirl could miss school because she does not have sanitary towels or a desperate young man could find himself on the wrong side of the tracks.

“This year we awarded our first-ever posthumous award to Sandra-Lee Hensberg, whose legacy of helping others inspired many East London women to register as organ donors.

“We salute all our finalists and all those nominated over the years for embodying the principles of ubuntu.”

Kenvue site lead Deane Lo Ning said: “We’re thrilled to be supporting the Local Heroes Awards again.

“It’s an incredible event that shines a light on the unsung heroes in our community..

“The awards have cultivated a culture of recognition, inspiring community involvement and social responsibility.”

Daily Dispatch general manager Ryan Megaw said:  “Thank you to the team at Kenvue for walking this journey with us for the past decade. We couldn’t have wished for better partners ...

“They have a real desire to help make our region better and stronger and their commitment to Local Heroes has amplified the work that our Local Heroes do and have affected this area for the better.”

Eastern Cape social development MEC Bukiwe Fanta said: “Social leaders have a profound impact on their communities ...

“By celebrating and supporting these leaders, we can cultivate a culture of active citizenship and collective responsibility that benefits everyone.”

Bongani Siqoko, Arena Holdings Group content officer, who was editor of the Dispatch when the awards were founded, said: “The idea came from conversations with a number of colleagues, including but not limited to current general manager Ryan Megaw, who was heading up our circulation team at the time, Suren Packery, who was the marketing manager, and Dominic Peel, who had started looking at managing and commercialising strategic editorial partnerships from his sports desk.

“I challenged the news desk, led by the current editor, Cheri-Ann James, to find stories of hope, impact and stories of people going the extra mile to change things in their communities.

“I felt that our editions were full of articles about crime and politics, but very little about the efforts many people were making out there to lessen the burden on their neighbours.

“I have always believed that not all heroes wear capes and I wanted stories that showed they can be ordinary people like you and me.

“When these stories eventually landed, they were more than I expected.

“I felt that we needed to brand them because if we didn’t, there was a chance that they’d be lost in the pages and not have the impact I wanted.

“We decided to brand the series Local Heroes.

“A few months later, they were doing so well, and I wanted ideas of how to grow the concept.

“And the idea was to start the Local Heroes Awards.

“Suren was so excited at the idea and in no time came back with Johnson & Johnson as the sponsor.

“I am so excited to see tonight that they are still a part of the project. 

“What these awards have shown, is that the world is not about to end.

“While we may be going through a difficult time as a country, there are pockets of excellence.”

Siqoko said he was proud of the dedication to the legacy of the awards by James. 

“Cheri-Ann, as editor, has kept this project going.

“I am a strong believer that journalism, if done right, can be an agent for change.

“Through this project, the Dispatch is contributing ... to changing the circumstances of our people.”

Stephen Eichstadt of Vodacom4U in Pearce Street, Berea, said: “Local Heroes is a platform provided to recognise local ordinary people and the extraordinary impact they are having in the community.

“They often see the need that others don’t and with perseverance heroically take up the challenge.”

Luthando Bara, from the Ntabozuko November Foundation, said: “These awards serve not only as a recognition of their efforts but as an inspiration for others to contribute in their own ways to the development and wellbeing of the Eastern Cape community.”

KFC Baobab principal operator Grant Wheatley said: “As a brand that values the communities we serve, KFC is honoured to be part of this event.

“We believe in recognising and supporting individuals who make a real difference.” 

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