South Africa honours 27 outstanding citizens: Including The Sole of Africa Ambassador Oscar Pistorius
September 28, 2006 Edition 1
Sholain Govender
Citizens whose efforts and achievements best served the country, here and abroad, received honours at the Union Buildings yesterday.
President Thabo Mbeki presented the highest orders to twenty seven citizens from all walks of life who were deemed deserving of awards for bravery and achievement.
Among those were Olympic gold medallist Ryk Neethling, disabled athletics world champion Oscar Pistorius and Marcel Christian van Rossum, a real-life hero who saved two drowning children five years ago while on honeymoon in St Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal.
The youngest awardee was Pistorius (20), a double-amputee, who is the world record holder in the 100m, 200m and 400m events for athletics. He said he was very humbled by the award.
"It means so much to me and I can't believe that I'm getting an award alongside all the other people here who have done so much for the country," said Pistorius, who is currently a first-year University of Pretoria business management student.
He said he would continue his humanitarian work as an ambassador for Soul of Africa, a Mozambique-based project, and try his best to be a good role model to fellow South Africans.
THE ORDER OF IKHAMANGA IN BRONZE
Oscar Pistorius - awarded for inspiring achievements in the field of athletics and contributing to the well-being of disabled people in Africa.
Comments
Congratulations Oscar!
You are truely an inspiration to so many people around the world.
Thank you for being you!
Posted by: Lavena Griggs | October 5, 2006 10:27 AM
Hi Oscar
My name is Caron and I live in the UK.
I congratulate you on receiving that honour.
You are very modest about it.
You have earned it.
Good luck with your training and studies.
Happy Birthday for next month.
You are an inspiration and role model for people everywhere. Remember there is no such word as can't. My family thought like that too. Whereas my husbands family hadn't a positive bone in their bodies.
Good night Oscar
regards
Caron Gilbert
Posted by: Caron Gilbert | October 5, 2006 8:59 PM