The work done by the Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District (VRCID) was recognised at an international awards ceremony.
The organisation was awarded the prestigious Pinnacle Award for leadership and management at the International Downtown Associations annual conference in Winnipeg, Canada.
The ceremony identifies outstanding achievements by city improvement districts (CIDs) around the world.
The VRCID was selected out of 65 international submissions from 50 cities, as one of only five projects to receive the award, which is known as the industry’s highest honour.
The VRCID was established in 2012 to keep crime and grime out of the commercial artery linking Bellville and Parow.
Derek Bock, its chief operating officer, has been at the helm from the beginning.
“It means a great deal to me and the VRCID team to receive this acknowledgement from the International Downtown Association,” he said.
“We are a small team of only nine staff members, with limited budget and resources at our disposal, yet we have been able to achieve remarkable results. It boosts our confidence as a team and testifies to the fact that public private partnerships work.”
Along the way, the VRCID has formed partnerships with Mould Empower Serve, The Haven and Tygerberg Association of Street People. Mr Bock also thanked VRCID service providers Safe2Park and Securitas; the City of Cape Town and its law enforcement agencies; and SAPS.
VIRCID board chairman, Hardus Zevenster, said he was extremely proud of Mr Bock and the team.
“They work very hard, long hours and sometimes in dangerous situations when confronting the criminal element. What they have achieved in the past five years is phenomenal.”