The Gauteng provincial government’s response during the peak of the deadly Covid-19 pandemic received recognition at the National Batho-Pele Excellence Awards held recently.
The awards, conducted under the theme: Combating the Covid-19 pandemic through a Batho-Pele focus, Putting People First, shone the light on the strength of public servants to fight the global pandemic.
The provincial government won a silver award as the Best Responsive Government Institution of the Year, with Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital walking away with a gold medal in the same category on Thursday last week.
The provincial government said in a statement that South Africa’s financial hub had been the epicentre during the outbreak of the Covid-19 in 2020, putting the health system under extreme pressure.
It said: “The provincial government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has a six-pillar strategy that includes a comprehensive health response, food security response, enforcement and compliance, economic response and social mobilisation, and social solidarity.
“This was not only a health crisis as it affected people’s livelihoods and the economy. The awards were in recognition of the two institutions’ efforts, and standing the test of time during the Covid-19 pandemic while continuously serving Gauteng residents positively.”
It continued: “Gauteng’s Covid-19 response was supported by a robust, open, and transparent communication strategy, providing up-to-date information on the behaviour of the pandemic in Gauteng, hotspot areas, and general information on the pandemic and recommended non-pharmaceutical interventions.”
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