DRDAR scoops two prestigious award
The department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) scooped two prestigious Batho Pele Service Excellence Awards from the Office of the Premier for its contribution in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 virus by producing sanitisers and cloth masks.
The department’s institutes, Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute (TARDI) in Tsolo and Dhone Agriculture and Rural Development Research Institute based in Stutterheim flied the department’s flag high by scooping gold awards during the provincial awards.
The institutes were awarded the outstanding contribution during the Covid-19 national lockdown for Best New Comer of the Year 2020/2021 with TARDI producing cloth masks and Dohne making sanitizers in programme where it partnered with the Rhodes University.
According to the institute’s principal and initiator of the programme Dr Toyota Ndudane, TARDI won the prize by “thinking out of the box by producing cloth masks before it was made mandatory to wear masks”
“This shows the importance of not being scared to present the idea and I am happy that it was well accepted by the department and that has motivated us.
As the team we are very excited, feel honoured and appreciated. What one is doing in a little corner can make an impact,” said Dr Ndudane.
Dr Ndudane said she approached her sister who donated the initiate investment of R10 000 to kick-start the programme that was supported by the department with R45 000 and it is still continuing to produce the masks that are distributed across the province.
Dr Thembakazi Silwana a recipient of an award for Donhe told of a story about how “I came back empty handed when I went to buy a sanitizer. The following morning I met with specialists in our lab to see if we can start doing sanitisers because we had resources.
“Thanks to the support of acting HoD Bongi Dayimani because when he heard about this initiative he gave us all the necessary resources and today we have a dedicated lab that produce them .
We are very excited and feel motivated as the team to be recognized by the whole province.
Donhe is producing a mixture of 80% alcohol-based sanitiser from ethanol, glycerol and hydrogen peroxide in line with the World Health Organisation regulations.