By Levy Masiteng
Joburg has secured six African regional honours at the 2026 World Urban Parks Awards, recognising five of the city’s parks and nature reserves, as well as the leadership of Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ).
The awards, presented at the World Urban Parks Symposium in Istanbul, Türkiye, this month, recognise excellence in the management, conservation and development of urban green spaces.
JCPZ managing director Thanduxolo Mendrew received the Distinguished Individual Award, while Kloofendal Nature Reserve and the Zoo Lake Precinct were recognised in the Large Urban Parks category.
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The Wilds Nature Reserve received an award in the New Park Project category, while Beaulieu Bird Sanctuary and Little Falls Nature Reserve and Resort were recognised in the Neighbourhood Parks category.
The honours follow Johannesburg’s success at the 2025 awards.
Last year, JCPZ received the Leading Parks Organisation Award, Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve won the Large Urban Park Award, and JCPZ senior manager Bishop Ngobeli received the Distinguished Individual Award for his work in biodiversity conservation and tree planting.
Mendrew credited JCPZ employees, volunteers and conservation groups for their contribution to maintaining the city’s parks and nature reserves.
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“I am deeply honoured by this prestigious recognition. This award is shared with the many unsung heroes in green, who pitch up, show up and work tirelessly to reclaim the integrity of our green spaces,” he said.
“At a time when these spaces are undoubtedly under threat across the globe, their commitment reminds us that protecting nature is a collective responsibility.”
According to World Urban Parks, the 2026 awards attracted 55 nominations from Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and North America.
Regional and international panels assessed submissions across six categories, ultimately selecting 28 winners for their contributions to park development, conservation, environmental management and public participation.
Johannesburg MMC for Community Development Thapelo Amad welcomed the awards and acknowledged the contribution of community volunteers and conservation advocates involved in restoring and maintaining the city’s green spaces.
Among those recognised were James Delaney, Dr Steven and Karien Spottiswoode, Fran Haslam, Heloise van Beerschoten-Roschlau and Kristin Kallesen.
“Their efforts demonstrate the enduring value of public participation and partnerships in caring for Johannesburg’s natural heritage. A city’s green lungs sustain more than nature, they sustain the dignity, health and hope of its people. These honours belong to everyone who cares for Johannesburg,” Amad said.
The awards also acknowledged the work of the African regional adjudication panel, which included landscape architects Graham Young and Pawel Gradowski, as well as Nokulunga Khumalo from the Johannesburg Development Agency.
