South African President Jacob Zuma proudly received the award during the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) meeting.
South Africa has recently won recognition for achieving the Malaria Millennium Development Goal Target, at the African UnionSummit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The country has been able to decrease malaria cases by 82 per cent and deaths resulting from the vector borne disease by 71 per cent.
South African President Jacob Zuma proudly received the award during the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) meeting for Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
Mr Zuma said, "Whilst we are delighted at our successes, we will not be complacent in tackling the disease. In this regard we have committed to eliminate the disease from within our borders. We are also working with our neighbouring countries to also fight the disease."
The country has been able to achieve a sharp decrease in malaria cases sue to a sound malaria vector control programme, which uses dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) odourless insecticide for indoor residual spraying, coupled with other World Health Organisation recommended interventions.