In a mad dash to the deadline of midnight 19 March 96 deserving nominations, across all categories in the JDA Halala Joburg Awards, met the cut-off time. The quality and standard of nominations surpasses previous years, as does the final tally. The inner city has been a busy place in the past 12 months with many new developments, projects and programmes coming on-line and opening the door for a variety of first time nominations to enter into the Halala Joburg Awards this year.
Living Joburg “Not houses, but homes” leads the way with 22 nominations, followed by those who offer support to the citizens of the city in the “Caring Joburg” category which received 19 nominations.
A significant increase in the number of “Relaxing and Playing Joburg” entries, 17 up from 9 in 2009, has seen the inclusion of the many new eateries, hotels and cultural hot spots that are currently making the inner city the Recreation destination.
Working and Buying Joburg “Creating a Business Destination” has increased to 13 nominations, ranging from the largest office development in the city in a decade to affordable niche spaces for first time entrepreneurs to provide goods or services into the inner city.
Sustaining Joburg and Conserving Joburg have both made a good showing with nominations that recognise the excellent work that has been done in both utilising green principles and preserving the architectural heritage of Joburg, multiple nominations have been entered for 6 and 7 identified projects in these categories respectively.
As always the organisers are playing their cards close to their chests when it comes to the “Believing in Joburg” Stan Nkosi Achievement s Award nominations.
The number of nominations in this category has increased over the past two years, but in keeping with tradition this remains a surprise until the award is made on 12 May 2010 at the Halala Joburg Inner City Regeneration Seminar at which time all winners will be announced.