The NGO Mustadafin Foundation has received the Premier’s Special Recognition Award at the Western Cape Government’s 2026 Service Excellence Awards. The award recognised four decades of dedication to communities in need.
For Mustadafin, which celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year, the recognition is especially meaningful.
NGO Mustadafin Foundation receives Premier’s Special Recognition Award
According to the director of Mustadafin Foundation, Ghairunisa Johnstone-Cassiem, Mustadafin was recognised for its ongoing commitment to meeting community needs and going the extra mile in disaster response. She says the organisation was founded in 1986. It began by providing food, shelter and counselling to women and children affected by unrest and violence in Crossroads.
Special Recognition Award for Mustadafin Foundation
Johnstone-Cassiem added that over the past four decades, its work has expanded to include feeding programmes, disaster relief, education, healthcare, home care and community development. She says, despite its growth, the organisation’s purpose has remained unchanged. This is to serve communities with dignity and compassion. The Western Cape Government presented the award to the Mustadafin Foundation on Friday, 16 October 2026, at Nederburg Wine Estate in Paarl.
40 years of service recognised with Premier’s Special Recognition Award
Cassiem shared, “I was totally and completely overwhelmed. I never expected Mustadafin to receive such a prestigious recognition for simply doing the work we love, serving our communities with dignity.” She says the award’s greatest significance lies in recognising the people who make Mustadafin’s work possible.
“For me, it was never about awards. It was, and always will be, about service. So, to have our work seen and honoured by the Premier was humbling. It belongs to every donor, every volunteer, and every beneficiary who trusts us.”
The Western Cape Government’s 2026 Service Excellence Awards
Johnstone-Cassiem says the acknowledgement has given both her and the team a welcome morale boost. It acknowledges that their efforts and hard work are seen and valued. The award reminds people that meaningful change is built through consistent acts of service, often in the most challenging circumstances. For Mustadafin, the work continues, guided by the belief that has shaped its journey for four decades: “If every man helps his neighbour, then who will need help?”
