Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina celebrates second Municipal Innovation Recognition Awards, 30 Jun

The Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Nomalungelo Gina, will address the 2nd Municipal Innovation Recognition Awards (MIRA) in Durban on Monday, 30 June, to recognise innovation in South Africa’s municipalities.

The MIRA is an initiative of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA). It follows from the implementation of the Municipal Innovation Maturity Index (MIMI) in 2021, a tool that assesses the capacity of municipalities to innovate towards improved service delivery.

The awards are also a flagship initiative of the Viability and Validation of Innovations for Service Delivery Programme (VVISDP), which supports municipalities in piloting specific technologies or innovations, focusing on aspects like access, availability, acceptability, and adaptability of these solutions in basic service delivery.

Categories include:

• Special Recognition Awards

• Top Innovative Municipality

• Trailblazing Innovations Award for Innovations for Service Delivery

The latter received 51 applications from various sectors, including water, waste management, revenue management, and public participation. This year, a total of 57 municipalities participated in the rollout of MIMI.

Among the winners in 2023 was the uMhlathuze Local Municipality, which successfully utilised drone technology to address water losses and enhance water supply planning. Population increase was found to be a key driver for increased water demand and illegal and unbilled connections were a significant cause of water losses.

The event is hosted by the Vice-Chancellor of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), Professor Nana Poku. SALGA President, Mr Bheke Stofile, eThekwini Municipality Mayor Cyril Xaba, and the Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance, Dr Namane Dickson Masemola, are also expected to attend.

Media are invited as follows:
Date: Monday, 30 June 2025
Time: 14:00 – 19:00
Venue: Southern Sun Elangeni Hotel

Enquiries:
Veronica Mohapeloa
Cell: 083 400 5750

Indu Moodley
Tel: 031 260 7213
Cell: 083 555 9508
E-mail: moodleyi@ukzn.ac.za

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