The Dr Marcia Matala Foundation hosted its first Annual Community Builder of the Year Awards at the Halala Community Hall in Soshanguve on 14 February 2026, celebrating Valentine’s Day in epic style.
The event aimed to acknowledge, celebrate, and honor community members and leaders who serve their communities tirelessly without expecting anything in return. Their dedication, resilience, and consistency were recognised and rewarded.
In respect of the diverse cultures within the community, representatives from various traditions opened the ceremony with songs, prayers, and “go phatlha.”
The Foundation was supported by different sponsors including Blue Ribbon, Sleep Masters, Bidvest, and Soshanguve FM, etc, who made the event possible.
The Founder and CEO of the Foundation, Dr Marcia Matala, expressed her concern and disappointment regarding possible sponsors who turned them away when they sought assistance. “As the Foundation, we felt a great sense of disappointment when we couldn’t get help from other possible sponsors,” she said.
Award categories included Service Delivery, GBV Advocacy and Social Justice, Safety and Security, Educational Purposes, and Community Veteran, which was awarded posthumously to Sibongile Malewa, with her family receiving the award on her behalf.
Reverend Sakhile highlighted the difficult conditions that Black people live in within their own country. “50 million Black people in South Africa rely and depend on 4.5 million people and this is not good at all. We need to produce what we consume and consume what we produce. Until when are we going to be dependant in our own land?” he said.
The event featured remarkable performances from Godfrey Mahlangu and Paul K singing gospel songs, Kabelo Maepa reciting the clan names of Zakwa Mathenjwa, and the Secretary of the Foundation, Shongile Tsiri, delivering a poem.
The ceremony concluded with Sleep Masters giving away jugs, wine openers, and mashers to attendees. The event was a success, with Dr Marcia noting that it was the first of many more to come.
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