Scottsdene clinches Unit of the Year award for excellence in disaster management

The Scottsdene volunteer unit of the City’s Disaster Risk Management Centre has been named Unit of the Year at the annual awards ceremony last week.

Unit leader Jacobus Peterson also walked away with the Unit Leader of the Year title, while volunteer Ronald Voster was recognised among the Top 10 Rookies of the Year.

The adjudication process considered each unit’s overall performance over the past year, including volunteer recruitment and training, availability for major incidents and events at short notice, administrative efficiency, and participation in emergency exercises, public awareness initiatives, and disaster relief operations.

The Disaster Risk Management Centre has hosted the awards for the past 13 years to honour the dedication of its volunteers.

Mr Peterson said leading a diverse team of volunteers had come with challenges, but winning the award was encouraging.

“For the Scottsdene unit and its leader, this was a wonderful surprise, especially since we were competing against 14 other units. Our success in 2025 is the result of hard work and strong teamwork,” he said.

Award categories on the night included long service awards, certificates of appreciation, Unit of the Year, Rookies of the Year, and recognition for volunteers who logged the highest number of service hours.

Mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith, expressed gratitude to all volunteers. 

“The safety and security environment can feel like a never-ending lurch from one crisis to the next, so it’s incredibly special to spend a few hours with our dedicated volunteers and celebrate their achievements. Cape Town owes them a debt of gratitude for all they do to make our city safer,” he said.