People’s Post Athlone/Lansdowne E-edition 5 May 2026

Bouldersclaimpodium in travel rankings

KEANANHARMSE

Simon’s Town’s Boulders Beachrecentlyclinched theworld’s topspotas oneofCapeTown’sbestknowncoastal destinations during aglobalbeach ranking, placingthe city firmly on theinternational tourism map.

Accordingto Forbes magazine, long-haultravelspecialistTravelbaghas identified theworld’s most popular, highest-ratedand visually striking beaches, with Boulders Beachranked firstand Cape of Good Hope second

The findings arebased on a combinationofuserreviews,social mediaactivityand online search trends

Travelbaganalysedseveral key metrics, includingthe number of Google reviews, averagereview ratings, monthlyGoogle search volumesand Instagramhashtag activity.These were then scored andcombinedtodetermine an overallranking Boulders Beachiswidelyrecognisedfor itsresidentcolonyof endangered AfricanPenguin,offeringvisitorsanopportunitytoview thebirds up closefromelevated wooden boardwalks.The sheltered coves, framed by largegranite boulders,provide calmer waters compared to many of Cape Town’s more exposedbeaches

135000.

Thebeach remainsa popular destinationfor both tourists and locals

Boulders Beachsecured the number onepositionwithmore than 27 700Googlereviews andan averagemonthly search volume of around 110 000.

TheCapeofGoodHopefollowed in second place, recording12941 reviewsand an even higher monthly search volume of approximately

Whilethe studyfocused on English-language search data –meaningsomedestinationsin non-Englishspeakingcountries maybeunderrepresented– the resultshighlight theglobalappeal of SouthAfrica’scoastline Travelbag’sSouth Africa destination expert,Susan Horton,saidthe countryoffersa diverserange of coastalexperiences “South Africa hasanincredible arrayofpristinebeaches.Fromthe dramatic,penguin-filledshoresof Boulders Beachtothe surf-friendly wavesofJeffreys Bay, SouthAfrica

offersworld-class coastalexperiencesfor everytypeoftraveller,” shesaid.

Sheaddedthatthe best time to visitthe country’ssouthern coastlineisduringthe summer months between December and March, when conditions areideal forswimming,surfing andother beachactivities.

In contrast,the Cape of Good Hope offersa more ruggedand dramatic coastalenvironment Situated within TableMountain National Park,the area is known forits powerful waves, steep cliffs andsweepingocean views.

Beyond theballot: Areyoung voters aware?

dissolves into humour

DEFLECTIONOR DISENGAGEMENT

Politics becomessomething to joke about, avoid, or reducedtopersonalitiesratherthanpolicy.

Hello partner! Take amoment andpause with me today.

Irecentlystumbledupona Facebook memory that took me back sevenyears,toanelectionyear, to ayounger versionofmyself, andto amomentI have notquite letgoof.

Iwas ajournalismstudent then, on theeNCA election bus, andlive on television when Iwas askeda simple question:“Areyou voting?”

Isaidno. Around me,the answer wasalmostunanimously yes. My response landed awkwardly, as I expected it would.

It wasnot becauseI didnot understand theimportanceofvoting.

Idid.Political awarenesswas not foreigninmyhome.

ButI also understood something else:the framingtheory. This is a theory in communication of understanding howmeaning is shaped notonlybywhatissaid, butby howitispresented,interpreted andsociallyreceived.

At itssimplest, framingisthe processofselecting certainaspects of realityand making them more prominentincommunication,so that aparticularinterpretationis encouraged.The same issuecan thereforeproduce entirely different reactionsdepending on theframe attached to it

Conversationsabout politics amongyoung people were,and oftenstill are, uncomfortableterrain Speaktoo earnestlyand you risk beinglabelled“tooserious”. Push toofar andthe conversation

So Ianswereddeliberately. Not to reject democracy, buttodisrupt thescript.

Iwantedtosee if anyone would pauselongenoughtoask why.

Very fewdid

That moment hasstayedwithme, notbecause of theanswerI gave, butbecause of thegapsitrevealed.

Youngpeopleare consistently encouraged to vote,but notalways equipped to understand what that participationdemands

We aretoldour voices matter, but seldom guided on howtointerrogate manifestos,unpackideology, or position ourselveswithina complexpolitical landscape.

Participationispromoted. Politicalliteracy, farlessso.

At thetime, my answer frustrated people closetome. Iwas accused of making myself appear uninformed in apublicspace

Howcould Isay that,onlive television,duringanelection cycle? ButI understood thepower of framing.

Iwas willing to sitwiththatdiscomfortbecause themomentwas neverabout appearingclever.

It wasabout forcinga conversation that toooften remainsavoided,eveninspacesthatare meant to encourageengagement.

In many ways,I wasnot standing as an individual in that moment, butasa reflection of abroader reality, youngSouth Africans navigating politics with adegree of awareness, butwithout consis-

tent spaces that nurture, challenge anddeepen that understanding. Thereiscuriosity,but notalways guidance

Thereisexposure, butnot always explanation.

Politics is notanimage.Itisnot public relations.

It shapes thecostofliving, the safety of ourcommunities,the qualityofeducation andthe opportunities availabletoyoung people

It requires more than following personalitiesorslogans.Itrequires lookingatleaders andparties critically,weighingtheir positions, manifestos andgovernance records, andmakingdecisions grounded in understandingrather than allegiance

Now, sevenyears later, as the countryapproaches anotherlocal government election,I find myself returningtothatsamequestion.

Notwhether youngpeoplewill vote,but whethertheyare being prepared to decide

Becausevoting, on itsown,isnot theendpointofdemocracy

It is only meaningful when it is informed.A ballotcastwithout clarityisparticipation in form,but notalwaysinsubstance

We cannotcontinuetomeasure civicengagementpurelyby turnout, whileignoringthe uneven foundation on whichthatparticipation rests.

Politicalunderstanding remains fragmented.Insomespacesitis actively discouraged, treatedas divisive or unnecessary

In others,itisreduced to slogans,party loyalty, or surface-level debatesthatdolittletobuild critical thinking

Theresultisa generation expect-

ed to participateina system they arenot always fully equippedto navigate

This is notanargumentagainst voting.Itisanargumentagainst shallowengagement.

If we areserious aboutstrengtheningdemocracy,thenpolitical educationcannotbetreated as optional or incidental

It must be intentional, accessible andongoing.Itmustcreateroom forquestioning,for disagreement, foruncertainty

It must allowyoung people to wrestlewithideas,tomake mistakes,and to refine theirunderstandingwithout fear of being dismissedorridiculed

Importantly, theseconversations cannotbeconfinedtoformalspaces alone. They must existinhomes, schools, campuses,communities andmedia platforms. They must be normalised among peers, notavoided

Politicalliteracyshouldnot requirea specialisedinterestor professional background

It should be part of howweunderstand theworld we live in Thechallengeisnot apathy.Itis access, to knowledge, to dialogue, to spaces wherepolitical understanding is developedratherthan discouraged. As localelections draw closer,the question should notonlybehow many youngpeoplewillshowupat thepolls It should be whethertheyare arriving therewithclarity,confidence anda senseofurgency

Whethertheyunderstandnot just whotheyare voting for, butwhy Becauseparticipation without understandingisnot enough

Colourbrightens up localstreets

AVRILFILLIES

AsmillionsaroundSouth Africa celebrated Freedom Day, on Saturday25April,scoresofMananberg residents, youngand old, reclaimedthe streetsofthe neighbourhood, notwith gunfire,a marchorother crimes,but with theColourRun

Thefun-filledevent wasorganised by the ManenbergPoliceStation in collaboration with ManenbergYouth Desk.Itwas supported by variousstakeholders, includingWestern Province Athletics.

It drew alot of interest from residents whoare oftentrappedintheir homesdue to ongoinggang-violence,substance abuseand gender-based violence andother social ills Thegathering also injected newlifeintothe community.Residents ranfromthe police station throughthe neighbourhoodand concluded theirrun back at thestation

“WeasManenberg Police decideditcannot be seen as anotherpublicholiday anddecided to painta colourful pictureofhopefor the community.Withmyteamofcrime fighters thevibrant Colour Runcelebratedthe hope of thefreedom of Manenberg,”saysBrigJayce Naidoo, StationCommander of Manenberg Police

TheColourRun wasthe opportunitytowalk, runand play on thestreetsofthe Manenberg Policing Precinct.The routetook residents throughthe heartofthe precinct

“Childrenand adults ranthrough theirstreets withouta care in theworld,covered in different coloursontheir faces, clothesand theirbodies. Thecommunity wasamazing,enjoyingthe eventwithcolourful images of facesindifferent colours, hairstyles coveredinall thecolours of therainbow andjustenjoyingthe fun-sideof theevent

“All thesedifferentcolours alloverbodies broughthopewhere everyfoot ofcolourwas a step on that road of hope,” says Naidoo “The effectofthe oneday will be felt forweeks to come andasone bystandersaid: if youdid

CHILDRENANDADULTSRAN

notsee it,you will definitely feel it

“Withthe participants in attendance the Colour Runtook ashorter route, it seemed still to be achallenge foreveryonepresent,but it wasawesome to seehow youngand oldwere eagertostart therun.Those whodid notparticipate cheered therunners on as they entered thehomestraight. Together with Shamilavan Schalkwyk, chairofthe District Community Policing Forum, andFaroukMeyer,president of WesternProvinceAthletics,wewelcomed them home.Thatconcluded theday’s eventand together we will change thefaceofManenberg with fun activities,” says Naidoo.

Impactful opportunityawaitsentrants

SISKAMARTIN

Formorethan 40 years, the Matriculantofthe Year competition has been making adifferenceinthe livesofhundredsofyoung people whohavestarted their career path at the Universityofthe Free State (UFS)

This year it will be no different, withthe 45th competition starting this week.

Notonlyisitthe launchofthe 2026competition, butthe UFSis also excited to welcome Novus Media as anew media partner for thecompetition.

NovusMedia, asubsidiaryof NovusHoldings, hasanational footprintof36freecommunity papers;anational paper, Die Papier; and astrong digital and social media presence.

All articles aboutthe competition willbepublishedinthese printed publications, as well as on their websites,inaddition to being available to read forfreeonthe national websitenovanews.co.za

Onceagain, multi-talentedmatriculants from all over the country canenter themselvesfor the competition, whichwas wonlast year by KiaraSubramanian, nowa former learner of the Eunice High School in Bloemfontein.

Kiarasaysshe will always be grateful forwinning the competition.

“Not just becauseofthe title,but becauseofthe peopleitbrought into my life. It allowedmetoconnect withsuchinspiring,kind, and drivenindividuals, manyofwhom Inow gettowalk this journeyof studying medicine with.”

Forher,itbecame farmore

meaningfulthan acompetition –it extends to friendships,support, and ashared understanding that“we were all striving toward something bigger than ourselves”

“Looking back,I think what the competition really taughtmeis

the importanceofconnection and encouragement.

“It showedmehow powerful it is to be surroundedbypeople who uplift and motivate you.”

THISISHOWYOUENTER

Matriculants from across the country whoare leadersand achieversinacademics, cultureand sport, and whoplan to studyatUFS next year,can enterthe competition. Bursaries and prizemoneytotalling about R500 000 areupfor grabs

forthe top25participants,thanks to sponsorsincluding UFSStudent RecruitmentServices,the Kovsie Alumni Trust, Forvis Mazars, Absa and Pick nPay Preller Walk.

Learnersmay enterthemselvesor be nominatedbytheir schools, with formssignedbythe principal and bearing the official school stamp.

Atotal of 25 semifinalistswill be selected,fromwhich 14 finalistswill advancetothe final round from 5to 7October in Bloemfontein.

The winner and finalistsreceive prizemoney, bursaries,and gifts, while semi-finalistsare also awarded prizes and bursaries

Entriesclose on Friday 31 July Scan the QR code above, download the entryform,complete it, and send it back to Linda Greyling at greylinl@ufs.ac.za. Shecan also be contactedfor more information.

Learning to read

EffortstopreserveAfricanpenguins

The City of Cape Town marked World PenguinDay on Saturday 25 April with astark warning: thebeloved Africanpenguin is facing a fightfor survival.

Whilethe global eventcelebratesall 18 penguin species, localauthorities saythe African penguin, theonlyspecies native to SouthAfrica andNamibia,isnow amongthe most at-risk populationsworldwide

Following its2024uplisting to critically endangered on theInternational Unionfor Conservation of Nature RedList, thespecies hasseen adramaticdecline

AccordingtoDeputyMayor andMayco memberfor spatialplanning andthe environment EddieAndrews fewerthan10000 breeding pairsremain. “Without drasticintervention scientists predictthischarismatic speciescould be extinctinthe wild by 2035.”

ASPECIESVITALTOECOLOGYANDTOURISM

TheAfrican penguinisconsidereda keystone species, playinga critical role in maintaining thebalance of marine ecosystems

It is also amajor drawcard fortourism,with colonies at Boulders BeachPenguin Colony and RobbenIslandattracting visitors from around theworld

Theirpresencesupportslocal businesses, tour operatorsand thebroader hospitality sector,reinforcing Cape Town’s reputation as a nature-based tourismdestination

Officialssay thespecies is underpressure from acombination of environmentaland human-relatedchallenges

Climatechangeisdisruptingbreedingand moulting patterns, with extremeweather events causingnestabandonment

Food scarcity,drivenbycommercial fishingof

FOLLOWING ITS2024 LISTING AS CRITICALLY ENDANGERED THE SPECIESHAS SEEN A DRAMATIC DECLINE

sardines andanchovies,isforcing penguins to travel further forfood, leavingchicksvulnerable to predators.

Urbanpressures arealsotakinga toll, particularlyinSimon’s Town,where penguins face threatsfromdomesticanimals,trafficand humandisturbance

RANGERSONTHEFRONTLINE

In response,the City hasinvestedina dedicated PenguinRangerTeaminpartnership with TheSouthernAfrican Foundation forthe Conservation of CoastalBirds (Sanccob) and SouthAfrican NationaParks (SANParks)

Theserangers monitornests,collect data on breedingsuccess andrespond to injuredor distressedbirds.Rescued penguins aretaken to Sanccob, whichhas an 80%rehabilitation andrelease success rate.Their work includes managing thedelicatebalance between humans andwildlifeinurban coastalareas

Despitethe challenges officialssay extinction is notinevitable. “The 2035 extinction predictiondoesnot have to be ourreality,” says Andrews. “Byworking together we canprotect theseiconicbirds andpreserveour coastlinefor futuregenerations.”

As Cape Town marked WorldPenguin Daythe message wasclear:savingthe Africanpenguin will requireurgentactionand collectiveresponsibility

HOWRESIDENTSCANHELP

Residentsand visitors areurged to play an active role in protecting penguins by reporting injuredordistressedbirds to authoritiesrather than interveningdirectly.

TheCityencouragesthe public to send a WhatsApp message with aphoto,description andlocationtothe PenguinRangerTeam.

Helptheseabandonedanimalsgetnewhomes Helpthesea

To shinethe spotlightonthousands of pets that areabandoned or in need of newhomes, People’s Post hasteamedupwithTEARS Animal Rescue to help some of thesefour-legged pets getnew homes. Once amonth we will publishseveral dogs andcatsupfor adoption TEARSisa pro-life non-profitorganisation (NPO)established in 1999 to rescue,treat,rehabilitate,reunite andre-home lost,abandoned, abused andneglected companionanimals and to educatepet owners andthe youthlivingin thefourunder-resourced communities. The NPOremains theonlyfacilityinthe Cape Peninsula’s farSouth availablesevendaysper week, includinganafter-hours mobile clinic service from 16:30to19:00 with limitedveterinary care.TEARS treats hundreds of animalsfor variousconditions, illnessesand injuries

DOGS:

.Nikolai: abig,goofyBoxer-Pitty-Africanis mixwitha resilientheart.Rescued in terrible

condition—starvedand battlingtick-bornedisease—he’stransformed into agentle, easy-going companion. Toy-obsessedand water-loving, he walkswellonleadand hasbasic obedience training.Dog-socialoutside butselective at home,nocats. Afterthree yearswaiting,he needsanexperienced ownertoshowhim lastinglove.

.Demi:a sweet,intelligent Pibblecross balancingcuddlyaffection with high energy Toy-loving andbeach-obsessed, shethrives in an active home andmakes agreat hiking companion. Sheprefers beingthe centre of attentionbut canlivewiththe rightdog.Independentand strong-willed, she’salsogentleat heart—andnow even helpsbuild confidencein otherdogs.

.Britney: ayoung Boerboel–Pitbull mixwith agentlespiritand soulful eyes.Rescued in poor condition, she’sblossoming into aloving, playful companion. Shyat first, shequickly becomes affectionateand cuddly. Toy-loving andgreat

with dogs,she’d thrive with patientowners. Just undera year old, Britneyisready to grow into adevoted,joyful best friend

.Bruno: astriking, sweet-natured dogwho’s shyat firstbut deeply affectionateoncehe knowsyou.After 200+ weekswaiting,he’s readyfor ahome. Strong,energetic andadventure-loving, he needsanexperienced ownerfor guidance andexercise. Dog-selectiveand devoted,Bruno wouldthriveasyourone-and-only, loyalcompanion with endlesslovetogive.

CATS:

.Gracie:a playful ginger catwho’s traded her calm mama days fora life of funand mischief Energeticand cheeky, sheturns everything into agameand keepsyou entertainedwithher bold personality. Beneaththe chaosisa loving companion.Graciewould thrive in ahomeready for laughter,play, anda littleadventure

.Lexy:a shybut striking calico with beautiful markings anda gentle,curious nature.Found

in Muizenberg,she’s lookingfor apatient home that understandsher need forquiet,cosyhiding spots. Beneathher timidexteriorisa playful soul readytobonddeeply.Withtimeand love, Lexy will grow into aloyal,affectionatecompanion

.Merlot:a striking black-and-whitetuxedo catwitha rich,affectionatepersonality.A true people’s cat, sheloves attentionand thriveson laptimeand closecompanionship.While she toleratesother cats,she prefersbeing thecentre of attention. Loyaland devoted, Merlot is ready to become aconstant, cuddlypresenceina home that’s allhers.

.Paprika: asassy calico with aplayful,mysteriouspersonality.Initially reserved,she needs time andpatiencetobuild trust, butonceshe does,she becomesaffectionate, playful,and full of charm. This “calicoqueen”enjoysinteraction on herterms andrewards patience with cuddles andfun.Paprika is lookingfor acalm, understanding home to help hershine