Zohra receives Minara award for helping poor

Zohra Noor, wife of local businessman Solly Noor, received the coveted Minara Chamber of Commerce award last week for her contribution to uplifting the poor and building a better South Africa.

The awards were handed over during a stylish dinner function held in Durban. Other recipients of awards included the Protea cricket player, Hashim Amla (Young Achiever Award), Prof Adam Habib (Leadership Award) and Dr Iqbal Surve (Business Person of the Year).

Zohra Noor was introduced to the guests by Farrana Kader, CEO of FK Global Events. “The Solly and Zohra Noor Foundation has distributed millions of rands to phenomenal causes in South Africa and
elsewhere in the world directly and through the World Memon Organisation,” she said. “She (Zohra) could sit back and enjoy the trappings of luxury, but (she) has devoted herself to helping the less fortunate. She identifies projects and good causes and ensures that the foundation and her husband fund these causes.”

Ms Kader told the guests that Zohra had been an inspiration to all of them. “We know that she does not want to be recognised for all the work that she has undertaken behind the scenes, but we want to acknowledge and recognise her … Zohra Noor is an unassuming icon who represents all those women who are the power behind the throne and are never acknowledged,” she said.

The function was attended by several dignitaries, which included the Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin Gordan as keynote speaker. In his address he said, among other things, that far too many people in the country were concerned about making quick deals and were not worried about how it affected other people. He said South Africans had forgotten what it meant to have empathy.

The Minara Recognition Awards is an annual event and seeks to recognize and acknowledge the exceptional achievements and talents of the nominees in their respective categories as a tribute to them. This year’s recipients are:

1. Lifetime Achievement Award: The late Mr Walter Sisulu

2. Leadership Award: Professor Adam Habib

3. Businessperson of the year: Dr Iqbal Surve

4. Young Achiever Award : Hashim Amla

5. Community Builder Award: Mrs Z Noor

6. Professional Achiever Award: Judge Zak Yacoob

Date:29 November 2013

By: Anton van Zyl

Anton van Zyl has been with the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror since 1990. He graduated from the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg) and obtained a BA Communications degree. He is a founder member of the Association of Independent Publishers.

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