Yolande Nel - Prominent business personalities and enterprises were commended for their contributions to the economy of the city during the prestigious annual awards ceremony of the Polokwane Chamber of Business last Thursday evening. As Polokwane’s business community gathered for a banquet where newsmakers and entrepreneurs alike were honoured for their achievements, Provincial Police Commissioner Calvin Sengani was first to receive a President’s Award of the Year 2009 from Polokwane Business Chamber past President Mokone du Preez. Sengani was also finalist in the category for Newsmaker of the Year. Similar President’s awards were bestowed on Mr Schalk van der Merwe, a partner in Prism Architects which was tasked with the design of the Peter Mokaba Sports Complex, and Ms Morne Thessner, Manager of the Polokwane Business Chamber. The Entrepreneur of the Year Award went to Mr Johan le Roux of Ghiordes and that of Corporate Manager of the Year to Mr Andrew Cocks of Enterprise Foods. The other Entrepreneur of the Year finalists were Ms Sylvia Kennedy of Limpopo Tyres, Messrs Paul Altenroxel of The Farmyard Trading Post, Tom Boya of TS Marketing and Johan van der Walt, BMW Dealer Principal of Modern Autohaus. Those nominated in the Corporate Manager of the Year category were Ms Matlakala Bopape of Unisa and Messrs Francois Hartlief of Nedbank, Sundoor Dookey of Builders Warehouse, Kevin Du Toit of Nashua Limpopo, Marcus Viljoen of Nashua Mobile, Nelson Marais of BMW Dealer: Modern Autohaus and Gary Carlisle of Volkswagen Polokwane. The Local Business of the Year Award was shared by Xerox Datamaster and Kentucky Fried Chicken. In this category Polokwane Observer was also nominated with Protea Hotel The Ranch, Nashua Limpopo, Nashua Mobile, NTY Steel Works, Commrisk and Audio Corporation. Dr Hercules Malan, who recently opened an oncology facility for the treatment of cancer patients in the city, was Newsmaker of the Year. Mr Dawie Botes of Bolivia Lodge, the venue for the event, emerged Business Personality of the Year. The other finalists in the category were BB Group’s Mr Arnold du Plessis and wife Maria of Fusion Boutique Hotel, Mr Stanley Mufamadi of Vuwa Management Consulting and Mr Paul Mohlaka of P&P Communications and Distributors T/A Paul’s Building Contractors.