The University of Pretoria (UP) has received an award in the Rekord newspaper’s 2023 Best of Pretoria Reader’s Choice Awards, which have celebrated local excellence within the City of Tshwane for the past decade. UP’s award fell under the Best University category and was based on votes cast by readers.

Every year, Capital Media, the publisher of Rekord newspaper and Get It Pretoria magazine, opens the voting lines to find out who Pretoria residents think the best of the best are. This includes the best in services, business, institutions, restaurants, schools, local hotspots and even local celebrities. The goal is to “give kudos to those establishments which are a cut above the rest” and “together celebrate the unparalleled brilliance that resides within our city’s borders”.

The Best of Pretoria Reader’s Choice Awards are based on votes cast by readers of the Rekord newspaper.

Tshwane is the administrative capital of South Africa, and hosts 134 foreign embassies and high commissions. The iconic semicircular Union Buildings encompass the president’s offices and boast the bronze sculpture of former President Nelson Mandela. Freedom Park is situated on Salvokop and includes a memorial with a list of those killed in the South African Wars, World War I, World War II, as well as during the apartheid era. The National Heritage Monument in Groenkloof Nature Reserve is a group of copper statues representing anti-apartheid activists, Zulu chiefs and missionaries.

“The University is thrilled to have been recognised in these awards which affirm the players that enable Pretoria to maintain its reputation as a world-class city. We are proud to be located in a city that is home to a tapestry of rich history and vibrant community life, not to mention natural beauty, considering its thousands of jacaranda trees,” said Rikus Delport, spokesperson for the  University of Pretoria. “UP was born from a vision to create a space in the city for quality education and new ideas to flourish. Over the years it has transformed into a dynamic community of staff and students who come from a range of backgrounds and cultures, both from within Pretoria itself and beyond local and international borders. It remains committed to academic quality and producing well-rounded, socially responsible citizens – many of whom plough back their skills into making a positive impact here in Pretoria.”

The Best of Pretoria 2023 awards celebrated other establishments in the city. Notable winners include the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens, named the Best Place in Pretoria. The Groenkloof Nature Reserve earned the title of Pretoria's Best-kept Secret. The Voortrekker Monument was crowned the Best Spot to Take Out-of-Towners. Lastly, Pretoria Boys High was recognised as the Best High School (English).