The Best of Mbombela Readers’ Choice Awards took place on Wednesday at Emnotweni Arena.
At the prestigious event, the best in Mbombela were awarded for their excellent work. The public chose their favourite eating place, shopping centre, schools and all manner of things.

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Every year thousands of voters choose their favourite businesses which are crowned the best of Mbombela.

It was a remarkable moment when Tracy Todd Heine was awarded with the Personality Award. She broke her neck in a car accident in 1998. She is a motivational speaker. She could not attend the event, but shared a message with the audience via video.

An emotional Tracy said, “I feel so honoured to be nominated for an award like that by this amazing community. I wouldn’t be where I am or who I was if it was not this community.”

She continued by saying that she wished that she could be at the awards’ ceremony but that unfortunately she was in Bloemfontein doing a talk for the Martie du Plessis School for the Disabled. “I am so honoured and blessed. Thank you making me who I am today. God bless

you all.”

Marnus Broodryk, a self-made millionaire, entrepreneur and founder and CEO of The Beancounter, was the guest speaker.

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Broodryk was a millionaire by the age of 24. He is originally from Harrismith in the Free State.
He had to cut grass to pay his own school fees since his parents could not afford it. He then decided to go to Johannesburg to look for better opportunities.

“When I went to Johannesburg I had R30 000 in my bank account. I also had three dreams, I wanted an apartment in Sandton, I wanted my own business and I wanted to earn R30 000 per month. I thought if I could earn that much I will have financial freedom,” he said.

He has built one of the most valued and successful accounting firms in South Africa. He was the youngest investor ever to be on the international television show, Shark Tank.

He also published a book called 90 Rules for Entrepreneurs (The Codex of Hustle) which was listed as one of the top-five books of the year.

“We all define success differently. For some people it is a bank balance and a lot of money, for some it is family and for some it is being the healthiest person alive.

When we start to analyse successful people or those you consider to be, they do not have anything in common.

That one thing that we can find that they have in common is passion.”

All the categories were announced and all the winners got to celebrate their memorable moment.

Lowvelder thanked Stabilis, AVS Hire, MO’s Studio, Emnotweni Arena, Montana Garden Pavilion and DGB for their support in making the event a huge success.