People's Post Athlone / Lansdowne E-edition 18 November 2025

She is not only a model, motivational speaker and content creator, but also the director of the non-profit organisation (NPO) Moving Forward “As an ambassador for several organisations,

“My

Cityswitchesfromposttoelectronicsystem MEETINGOURREADERS

From Thursday 1 January next year the City of Cape Town will no longer post municipal bills All the statements will be issued electronically via email

Clients are encouraged to send their account numbers, contact details, including cellphone numbers, and email addresses to the City by email or SMS

Residents who do not have an email address, can contact the

A JOURNO’S VOICE

The colour purple is bright, powerful and demands to be seen.

In the past few weeks, it has become an ever-increasing sight on social media with many individuals changing their profile pictures to resemble the now iconic colour and echo the sentiment of solidarity with our sisters facing gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF)

This call to action highlights Women for Change’s unprecedented demonstration of solidarity for women through a national shutdown on Friday 21 November, just before the start of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg

The campaign aims to force the government to declare GBVF a national disaster

Sadly, it’s become increasingly clear that the threat of violence and abuse remains a constant threat in the daily lives of our women, many of whom suffer in silence, out of fear that they or their children could be killed or that they would be unable to feed themselves

So many women had and still have to endure pain, hardship

City’s Call Centre on 0860 103 089 for assistance

Siseko Mbandezi, Mayco member for finance, said about 517 000 Capetonians have already switched to emailed accounts and that 200000 must still make the switch

“The City is sending direct communication to those who we still need to assist to make the switch

We’re urging all customers to register as soon as possible, as the City

will stop sending accounts by post after Wednesday 31 December ” He urged residents to adhere to the deadline “It’s a quick and easy process that ensures your account is delivered straight to your inbox

For those without email addresses, assistance is available Please contact the City’s Call Centre ”

The People’s Post team went out on Tuesday 11 November, to hand out the latest edition of the newspapers and interact with the readers and advertisers at the corner of Kromboom Road and Jan Smuts Drive. The initiative forms part of the team’s campaign to obtain firsthand information from residents and advertisers about a range of issues affecting our business and to seek ways to improve our operations in line with our loyal supporters . Staff, including sales representatives and reporters engaged with the community, answering questions and sharing stories PHOTO KEANAN

. Email: Revenue Eservices@ capetown.gov.za . SMS: 31223

and death for the benefit of their children and families, developing trauma from staying in toxic relationships rewiring their neural network and the way they process pain and love

Despite the monumental progress of the feminist movement and the women who had to fight for the right to vote and work twice as hard to earn their place in the workplace, ironically, it appears the more things change the more they stay the same

Back in 1956, history was made by the brave women who marched to Parliament and Pretoria protesting against the pass laws, despite the threats of police brutality, tear gas or incarceration

The women also contributed to the Freedom Charter with a document called “What Women Demand”, addressing needs such as: child care provisions, housing, education, equal pay, and equal rights with men in regard to property, marriage and guardianship of children

This is one of many historic examples where women had to defend and fight for their rights to be treated equally

And yet, in 2025 the nation’s crime statistics still paint a grim picture of the violence, abuse and harassment plaguing our women

HOWTOMAKETHESWITCH: For emailed bills, simply send an email or SMS with your account number, contact number and email address

According to the South African Police Service’s quarterly data for 2024-’25, between July and September last year, 957 women were murdered, 1 567 survived attempted murders, and 14 366 experienced assaults resulting in grievous bodily harm During the same period, 10 191 sexual assault cases were reported to the police

SA’s femicide rate is approximately five times higher than the global average and one in three South African women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence in their lifetime, said a study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)

As a man, I could only imagine the terror our women face when going for a walk at night or climbing into an Uber, hoping and praying that they are safe

We’ve become numb as a society to hearing about the news of all the young women and recent graduates who have died at the hands of their partners

As men, we should and ought to do much better at calling individuals out who perpetrate these crimes, belittle women ’ s rights as jokes and we must hold ourselves to a better standard and be the gentlemen our mothers raised us to be It has to start at home with

. Customers without email accounts are requested to contact the City’s Call centre: 0860 103 089 or visit their nearest Customer Interaction Centre

changing the narrative and the way we speak to our friends and understanding that sexism should never be minimised and no-one should be mocking the rights of women

As men, we have to cultivate a culture of listening, protecting and upholding the rights and safety of not just the women in our daily lives but our fellow sisters

The novel The Colour Purple by Alice Walker also tells the eerily relevant story of traumatised women suffering in silence, lacking basic education, crippled from living their truth and chasing the dreams they wish to pursue

However, as the book nears its conclusion we see our main protagonist, Nettie, find empowerment and improve her education and complete her character arc in the best version of herself

There is hope and there is a brighter future awaiting all our sisters and society despite this dark cloud of violence and abuse we ’ re navigating, but we and the government need to call the senseless violence out and stand together with our women, our mothers, our sisters

As the late great artist and civil rights activist Nina Simone so eloquently put it: “You know what freedom means to me? No fear No fear!”

Residents applaud local officers

AVRILFILLIES

Two officers from Manenberg Police Station were honoured by the community for ‘‘service with a smile’’ through a random act of kindness in two separate incidents

In the first, Const Abdurazak Julius was called to Phoenix High School to deal with a violent and unruly learner The teacher was at his wits end and close to a fit of rage, ready to suspend the learner after giving up all hope

When Julius arrived at the school he went to the classroom, listened to the story and decided to take the learner to a private area and have a chat

The teacher stood in awe as Julius addressed the matter with the utmost professionalism without emotional attachment

“In the most difficult times, and through the most adverse conditions faced by our police officers, we still manage to smile and make a complete stranger feel safe in their presence, ” said

Capt Ian Bennett, spokesperson for Manenberg police “We are all familiar with the saying that a kind word defuses a volatile situation and that is exactly what Julius did ” Julius calmed a situation without prejudice

“It was highly appreciated,” Bennett said, “ as he brought both calm and an inspiring moment of spiritual upliftment and made the (teacher) look at the situation from a different view, which in turn would determine how he would address it Julius shows so much respect and professionalism He brings new meaning to an officer of the law with integrity ”

In the second incident, a resident walked into the Police Community Service Centre to report a case of gender-based violence (GBV) and his faith in the police was restored

Capt William Steven, an esteemed police officer with 30 years of dedicated service, was on duty and helped the resident open a case “Police officers may not have all the answers

FROMPAGE1

Keegan’s “Apple Socks” is a project where she mobilises the elderly to knit socks and caps for children in need She also hosted a girls’ camp, supported Red Cross Children’s Hospital and hosted a sleepover for children who were in need of beds on behalf of Sash Afrosapien Entertainment

“As a seven-year-old, she worked with Dan Plato, former Cape Town mayor and ministers of departments of safety and security and social development, as a public speaker She featured in TV commercials as well as international magazines, was part of the Eoan Group Drama School as a ballerina for seven years and had the privilege to pose in the newspapers with Miss SA’s Tamaryn Green, Rolene Strauss and Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi,” says Croy With her extensive experience in public speaking, having addressed various youth events and worked with government officials Keegan is a powerful voice for change

She has won several titles but prefers to be known for her community work She won the following titles:

Miss Queen of the Cape 2018, Miss Petite South Africa 2nd Princess 2016, Miss Pre Teen South Africa 1st princess 2017, Miss Pre Teen South Africa 2018 and Miss Universe 2018 Overall Winner Best of the Best, Miss Western Province Model Champion 2017, Miss Western Province 2019, Miss Goddess 2019, Miss City of Cape Town 2019, Miss Empire South Africa overal winner 2020, Miss Teen Glitz and Glam 2020 , Miss Pre Teen Tourism South Africa 2020, Miss Teen Schools 2023, Miss Rolemodel International 2024, Miss Western Province Model Championship 2019 & 2021, Miss City of Cape Town 2025 among others

LISTENING AND COMPASSION CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN HOW POLICE ARE VIEWED.

in assisting the community but a listening ear has proven to be a powerful tool we have,” pointed out Brig Jayce Naidoo, station commander “After listening to the resident his compassionate approach was so comforting he provided much-needed guidance GBV should

be addressed with the compassion Steven had for that family who suffered at the hands of a family member His compassion is what all officers should have in dealing with domestic violence The resident penned a letter of gratitude to the officer in restoring hope, faith and trust in the police force ” Naidoo commended the officers for their integrity with high level of professionalism

“The two members bring pride to the community of Manenberg and the nation This is what the management of Manenberg police strive for, service with a smile through a random act of kindness ”

Policedeterminedtorootoutcrime

AVRILFILLIES

With 16 days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children commemorated from Tuesday 25 November until Wednesday 10 December, Capt Ian Bennett, spokesperson for Manenberg police is certain that the collaboration between the police and the mothers supporting mothers is the foundation to change the face of Manenberg.

Bennett, with 39 years of service in the police service, says he has seen it all and calls for the community to unite to turn the tide against the scourge in Manenberg and Heideveld “It is a privilege to be a police officer, as we have a front-row seat to the forever struggling communities of vibrant youth in Manenberg and Heideveld We serve Manenberg community as a nation at its different levels and time, from spiritual and social to physical and beyond the grave Some of us are in the lives of our communities from birth to death and in many cases I saw toddlers grow up to adults and to me they are my “other family” It is heartbreaking to see how they later turn on each other and become murderous,” says Bennett Through the years he and other officers are literally at the birth of the young people, see them grow up to later stand over their dead bodies as they become involved in gangs, wrong choices and die at the hands of youth born in this very community

“I ask myself the question what makes our

youth turn on each other and become murderous What can we as adults and the community do to change this pattern of the unnecessary loss of lives My take on this is that the foundation of building a good, strong and resilient community should be built on mothers supporting mothers in the most trying times Mothers are the perfection of God’s creation, they give birth to the very men that destroy the community’s integrity, or the men become the greatest men they ought to be,” he says

Women become mothers and mothers are nurturers of communities

“We are all familiar with the saying ‘when you strike a woman you strike a rock’, when we get the purpose of God’s design wrong, we suffer the consequences This is what is currently happening as we forge ahead in trying to make sense of what is wrong in society We are once again starting the 16 days of activism and every year incidents of violence become more prevalent The question we should ask ourselves is: what are we doing wrong? We must step back and relook at what is happening,” Bennett says His advice is to stop blaming others and start taking responsibility

“Adults must take responsibility and children need to become obedient Simple things grow into huge success stories but it must be planted first Who takes responsibility when a threeyear-old picks up a gun and fires a single shot that kills the mother? Do we blame and no one takes responsibility? We have a system that doesn’t care about the survival of children or their safety, for that matter Religious structures

are so silent on child safety that it is deafening

“The education department has prioritised installing unisex toilets at schools and have not studied the impact it would have on a nation of males and females There are several hundreds of churches within the Manenberg Policing Precinct The question I ask is who is the church and what is the church? If the church is just to follow the rules and do the small things in addressing moral issues, regeneration of our youth will have a conscience and they will make a morally sound choice,” he says According to Bennett, police officers seem to be the only government employees standing on the frontline and will always seem to fail because they are out of their depth in addressing communities holistically

“We as police officers stand in the face of gangs, we see lawless, violent child behaviour, are aware of underage teenage pregnancies, find abandoned babies, see truancy at our schools, are familiar with tender corruption fraud, see the lack of service delivery and the poverty in our communities The poverty is not only seen physically, but also poverty of the mind when wrong choices are made, spiritual poverty due to no religion being practised at schools, high rate of unemployment, a lack of sports programmes and extra-mural activities like arts classes and school sports programmes These are all issues we have to deal with on a daily basis

“Despite the many stumbling blocks we pledge to continue our work in the face of these challenges, but our efforts will always seem to

THE QUESTION WE SHOULD ASK OURSELVES IS: WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG?

fail unless we are joined by a committed, active citizenry, our communities Safety starts in the family and is reinforced by the conscience of the community We at Manenberg police will continue to strive to serve our community and with the collaboration between the mothers and us, we can change the face of Manenberg,” Bennett says

UpgradestopipesinRylandsandAthloneprogressingwell

Residents of Rylands are benefitting from the R239,5 million set aside by the City of Cape Town’s Water and Sanitation Directorate to replace approximately 50 km of water pipes across Cape Town

Work started in September through a contractor, appointed to employ trenchless pipe-cracking technology to replace the existing fibre cement pipes with stronger and impact-resistant high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes

Residents are advised that while work progresses on site, every effort is being made to minimise water disruptions until the project is concluded around mid-December

On Friday 7 November the Mayco member for water and sanitation, Zahid Badroodien, visited the site to meet the project team and review the latest developments

“HDPE is durable, corrosion-resistant and flexible, making it ideal to withstand ground movement It enables a longer service life with lower maintenance requirements This

approach was selected based on the pipe’s operating pressure and limited working space in Rylands,” Badroodien says “Upgrading infrastructure is key to sustaining safe, reliable distribution of water supply across Cape Town Projects like these also create much-needed local job opportunities In this case, five residents were employed through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP), gaining valuable experience and skills ”

The water mains in Mabel and Middel Roads were prioritised for replacement due to recurring pipe bursts over the past 20 years, which led to frequent supply disruptions and higher maintenance costs

The project which runs along Mabel Road was undertaken in two sections: between College and Duine Road, and between Duine and Forbes roads Along Middel Road, one section is being replaced between Duine and Forbes roads, and another between College and Duine roads

and Uthman Hamit, observing a new valve installation on water pipes in

SoccerfevergripsHeideveld

AVRILFILLIES

The communities of Heideveld and Hanover Park were cheering on the two teams, Woodlands Primary and Athwood Primary, on Saturday 8 November at Woodlands Primary in Heideveld The two schools represented their communities at the inaugural five-a-side soccer tournament in Heideveld and for the day it was all about soccer and fun

The event was held by Uthando South Africa and the next step is to build more soccer pitches at schools in the Western Cape to launch a Cape Flats interschools five-a-side competition

The soccer pitch at Woodlands Primary was built by repurposing old tyres and building rubble and is an example of what can be done with limited resources

“Yesterday (7 November) construction of Athwood Primary’s own soccer pitch started, to host the rematch with Woodlands Primary Athwood was victorious on Saturday and the rematch will take place on Sunday 25 January next year The soccer pitch at Woodlands Primary was built by members of the Heideveld community, some of whom previously faced serious challenges with crime Through their training with the Natural Building Collective, these individuals have been able to rebuild their lives, gain new skills, earn a living, and in some cases, secure permanent employment opportunities,” says Roshana Naidoo, spokesperson for Uthando South Africa

The match coincided with Craig Gar-

rod-Smith’s Memorial, a close friend and supporter of the social development sector in Cape Town, who sadly passed away in September this year His family were kind enough to sponsor the soccer kits, cleats and soccer balls for both schools, which was used in the match on the day and they were thanked for the sponsorship

“On Sunday 25 January 2026, Race2Adventure will be bringing 110 visitors from North America to witness the rematch, and we encourage everyone to stay connected to this event by following @uthandosouthafrica on social media, as further details about this rematch will be provided there

“The rematch has brought excitement and anticipation not only to Athwood and Woodlands Primary Schools, but also for the broader Cape Flats community As mentioned, there is a plan to build soccer pitches at schools across the Cape Flats, with a league format put in place, to be facilitated by the Cape Flats Sports Academy, ” she says The league format will build bridges between communities, generating atmospheres of peace, love, kindness and joy, setting the precedent for future generations, and over time, tensions between communities can dissolve Togetherness can become the new way of life

“In addition to the above, this league format will create safe spaces for our youth, providing them with new experiences, and providing opportunities to be seen by the people who can take them to the very top!” she says