Issued by: MDDA

Santa came early for MDDA (Media Development and Diversity Agency) staff members as they got spoiled and pampered at the fabulous Misty Hills, north of Johannesburg on Thursday 04 December. The Agency crew went all out to celebrate a well deserved Christmas Party, combined with a wellness afternoon, which ended with an evening of much feasting at Carnivore Restaurant.

MDDA staff members spend most of the year living up to their mandate of working towards creating an enabling environment for media development and diversity which reflects the needs and aspirations of all South Africans. They do this by engaging with underserved communities who want to start up community media projects, in the form of either, newspapers or magazines, community radio stations, community television stations, as well as small commercial media projects.

The Agency also provides ongoing support to the community media projects that are already operational in the form of continuous training, engaging with other stakeholders and mobilising resources for the sector. From its inception to November 2008, the Agency has increased its delivery through supporting just over 210 projects and awarding grants to the value of R68m. The Agency achieves its objectives guided by the Board, as the Accounting Authority as well as the capable executive management, led by Mr Lumko Mtimde, as Chief Executive Officer.

Mr Mtimde played Santa for the evening, in his trademark African garb, handing out well deserved awards to staff members for reaching their targets, living the MDDA values and delivering outstanding work in 2008.

On top of the well-received CEO merit certificates, the Agency's staff members were also showered with gifts in the form of decoders and top of the range mobile handsets, which as the CEO put it, “was all made possible by the contributions from our generous compadres in the media landscape, the sponsors who brought joy and good tidings to the MDDA shining stars, by donating prizes, are Multichoice, Vodacom and MTN.”

Mr Mtimde also conveyed a heartfelt message from the Agency's Accounting Authority:

“The Board of the MDDA and its executive management recognises and appreciates your commitment in working towards ensuring that all citizens can access information in a language of their choice and contributing to the transformation of media access, ownership and control patterns in South Africa, Ukhisimuzi Omuhle!” concluded Mr Mtimde.

Jayshree Pather (Project Director) with Lumko Mtimde (CEO) handing out an award certificate and gift sponsored by Vodacom.	Helet Venter (Finance Disbursement Officer) with Lumko Mtimde (CEO) receiving an overall CEO merit award and a gift sponsored by Vodacom and Multichoice..	Hariet Mhlanga (Executive Secretary to the CEO) receiving an overall CEO merit award and gift sponsored by MTN and Multichoice, from Lumko Mtimde (CEO).
Sediroa Sithole (Project Administrator) with Lumko Mtimde (CEO) handing out a gift sponsored by MTN.	Thabani Khazi (Project Officer) receiving a gift sponsored by Vodacom from Lumko Mtimde (CEO)..	Tamara Sinhonho (Finance Administrator) with Lumko Mtimde (CEO) receiving an award certificate and a gift sponsored by MTN.

This Others who received the CEO merit certificate are Mr Harry Letsebe (Programme Manager: Community Media), he also received the gift from Vodacom. Mr Letsebe is one of the long serving members of staff with Ms Sinhonho.

The Agency extends its words of gratitude to the support for the Agency from all its partners and in particular, Vodacom, MTN and Multichoice for making the end of the year party a success.

[12 Dec 2008 09:38]