People’s Post Athlone/Lansdowne E-edition 9 June 2026

Entriesopen forbusiness competition

Learnersfromacross Southern Africa are invitedtoenter the10th birthday editionofthe annual AllanGrayEntrepreneurship Challenge(AGEC)– the region’s most celebrated business competitionfor young people.

This milestoneyearbringsa bigger, bolder experience:morefun, more relevanceand more of the action-packedactivitiesthathas shaped adecadeofinspiring and sparking entrepreneurialspirit across theregion.

“Asthe Challengecelebratesits 10th year this year,it’samazing to seehow this competitioncontinuestospark interest andignitea passion forentrepreneurshipinso many youngpeoplefromall over Southern Africa,” says Charleen Duncan,HeadofPublicAffairs andCommunicationsatthe Allan Gray OrbisFoundation. “We’re proudofthe cultural movement theAllanGrayEntrepreneurship Challengehas spearheadedover thepastdecadeand theway it is reshapingthe entrepreneurialaspirations within Southern Africanyouth.Thiscompetition’s mission is to getmoreyoung peopleinterestedinstartingontheir entrepreneurialjourneysasearly as possibleinlife, becauseentrepreneurshipistransformativefor youngpeople, theircommunities, andtheir economies.”

Topstudentsget theopportunity to pitchtheir business ideas live at theAGECSummittoturn business plansintorealventures.

“Through fun,relevantand accessiblemeans,AGECexposes the foundational concepts of entrepreneurship,shiftingperceptions and creating aculture that excitesand inspires futureentrepreneurs,” says Duncan

HOWTHECOMPETITIONWORKS

AGEC startedasanonlinegame to getstudentsexcited about

GETYOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEYS

business, andsince inception, has grownintoa full-on entrepreneurialmovement.

Thegameisopentostudents from SouthAfrica, Namibia, Botswana andEswatini.

Thecompetition features ahigh school game basedona deep, scenario-based simulation that puts learners in thedriver’sseatof real-world business decisions.

Participants canpickfrom five differentshoptypes to starttheir “retailempire”.The game is free to play butrequires14MBofdata to play,onlineordownloaded forofflineplay. Thegamecan be played year-round,althoughprizes canonlybeearnedinthe competition timeframe. No priorbusiness, accounting or financeknowledge is required.The fast,smart and mobile-friendlyAGECdigital platform is designed to feel relevant,excitingand easy to use. The competitionalsoincludeshandson toolsfor teachers,physicalcard gameslikeStartup Shuffleand in real life (IRL)pitchingevents.

Participants standa chance to winexcitingprizes, includingcash andAllan Gray Unit Trusts

The finalBusinessPitch Challengewillrewardthe topthree students with incredible prizes, whilethe AllanGrayHighSchool Game features agenerousoverall prizepool.Schools canalsowin a specialprize forenteringthe most participants

More than 21 000 learners from four countries, andmorethan800 teachers,who participatethrough partnerships with teacherunions participate.

.Formoreinformation about the competition,visittheentrepreneurshipchallenge.com.

ELUSIVEJELLYFISHATTHEAQUARIUM

Visitorstothe TwoOceans Aquarium at the V&A Watefronthavearareopportunitytosee one of SouthAfrica’smostelusive jellyfishspecies up close.A thriving pink meanie jelly (Drymonema sp.) is currentlyonexhibit in theAquarium’s Jelly Gallery,captivating visitorswith its striking appearanceand impressive size PHOTO:SUPPLIED

Thenames Kelly-Amber Koopman(12), Zahnia Woodward (6 months), Uthmaan Taliep (2), Alnika Mitchell (14),Qadir Boer (4)and Machiano Geswind(4) andmanyothersshouldnever be forgotten.

They were children with dreams, laughter andfutures aheadof them

Instead, theirlives were cutshort by violence on theCapeFlats

As thecurtain comesdownon National ChildProtectionWeek, commemoratedfromFriday 29 MaytoFriday5 June under thetheme “Working together in ending violence againstchildren”, communities areremindedthat protecting children is everyone’s responsibility

Statistics released by theWestern Cape Department of Social Developmentpaint aheartbreakingpicture.Morethan43000 children arecurrently in foster care, whilea further 2800 children are beingcared forinNPO-run child andyouth care centres.

Thedepartmentalsorevealed that between Octoberlastyearand Marchthisyear, nearly 2000 reportsofchild abusewerereceived, highlighting theurgentneed for stronger protection measures and community involvement.

Gone arethe days when communities helped raisethe children; today, many families face the challenges of parentinginisolation,makingitmoreimportant than ever forneighbours, schools, organisationsand community leaderstoworktogethertoprotect andsupport youngpeople. Children deservesafehomes, safe streetsand safe schools. They deservetoplaywithout fear,to

grow withouttraumaand to dream withoutviolenceinterruptingtheir futures

Parentsand caregivers,please speakopenlytoyourchildren, know wheretheyare,check their phones andsocialmedia platforms, listen to theirfears and create spaces wheretheyfeel safe andprotected

To ourgovernments,createmore jobs so that children don’thaveto standonstreet cornersbegging for food

To ourjustice system,implement stricter laws andensure swiftjustice forthose perpetrating childmurders,abuse andviolence againstchildren. As acommunity we cannolonger turn ourbackand look theother way, report abuse, neglectand violence,and let’sstand together in protecting themostvulnerable.

To thechildren: your voice matters.Ifsomething feelswrong or unsafe,speak to atrusted adult,

teacher, family member,social worker or community leader

Youare notalone,and thereare people whocareabout your safety andwell-being.

LetusberemindedthatinMatthew 18:10the Biblesays: “See that youdonot despiseone of these littleones. ForI tell youthattheir angels in heaven always seethe face of my Father in heaven.” This scripturereminds us that children arepreciousinthe eyes of Godand worthy of ourprotection, care andrespect.Wehavea mandate to care forchildren, to safeguardtheir well-being, to speak outagainst abuseand neglect, and to ensure that everychild hasthe opportunitytogrowupina safe andnurturing environment. Childprotectionisnot only aconversationfor oneweek in theyear. It is adaily responsibility.Every childmatters,every childdeserves love andevery childdeservesthe chance to simply be achild

Newfacility

AVRILFILLIES

The AlcardoAndrews Foundation in HanoverParkishelping to nurturea generation of youngpeoplewho may oneday transformtheir communities, theirworld andthe countrybyproviding education, care andopportunityduring theirformative stages of development.

This is howAvril Andrews, founderofthe Foundation,describes herinvestmentinthe children at theirEducare Centre in Hanover Park

As SouthAfricacommemoratesYouth Month andreflects on thepower,resilienceand potential of itsyoung people,Andrews believes that meaningful investment in youthbeginslong before high school or university -startinginthe earliest yearsofa child’slife.

TheEducare Centre provides qualityearly childhood educationtochildrenfromlow-income families

Supported by thephilanthropic organisation, theKym Rapier Foundation,the Educaresubsidisesthe educationofmanylearners, ensuring that access to qualityearly learning is notdeterminedbya family’s financialcircumstances

“The Educareismorethana pre-school.Itisa long-terminvestmentinSouth Africa’s future. During YouthMonth,weoften celebratethe achievements andpotential of youngpeople, butwebelieve that investinginyouth starts even before achild enters formal schooling. Thesechildrenare thefutureleaders,teachers, doctorsentrepreneurs andchangemakersof ourcountry.Bysupportingthemnow,weare helpingtoshape abetterfuturefor families, communities andSouth Africa as awhole,” she says Andrewsexplainsthatthe Educareenables theFoundationtoworkwithfamiliesina holistic way.

Shesayssomeofthe mothershavecomeon boardasvolunteerswithinthe Foundation.This createsanopportunitytoimpactfutures and

ECDscontinueto

withonerousco

TheCentrefor EarlyChildhood Development (CECD) in Claremont, thenon-profitorganisation (NPO)ofthe Advocacy andSocialJustice Unit in Cape Town,has launched theLearning Briefwhich affects 58000 children in Cape Town withaninitiativechangingthe compliance trap ECDs arecaughtin.

Theinitiativewas launched on Thursday 14 Mayand thebrief captures keyinsights, shares critical lessons andstrategies, andoffersreflectionsonand recommendations forthe ongoing journeytobuild amorejustand inclusiveECD landscapeinSouth Africa

In December 2022,their targeted initiative beganwitha pilotinthe City of Cape Town –to challengeand transformthe localregulatory environmentinwhich ECDcentres run, so that it is more enabling,equitable andresponsiveto realitiesofECD centresonthe ground

Thereality of ECDCentres in SA is that aprincipalopens an ECDcentreinher home because children in hercommunity need care.She has 66 children,six staff members, andyears of servicebehindher.Thenshe receives anotice, comply within twomonths, or face a fine of R800 000, imprisonment of up to 20 yearsor both.Her crimeisthatshe hasnot gottenland useapproval from themunicipality– aprocess so complicated, expensiveand lengthythat thevastmajorityofCapeTown’sECD centres haven’tbeen able to complete it

This is part of thesystemthatYusrahEhrenreichand herteamhavespent yearsworking to change.The system keepsECD centresunable to meet municipalcompliance, unable to fully register,and unable to receivethe government ECDsubsidy:a compliance trap

“Right nowwehavea department of basic educationthathas funds,but thefunds arenot flowingtothe children.And that is an indictment on children’s rights.Wecannothave fundsavailable,thatthendonot go to provide children with nutrition, that do notgotoour ECDworkers’salaries, becausethe systemsare putinplace that preventthe funds from flowing –the very systemsthatadultscreate. Andwe areheretosay that we create systems, andso we change systems,”saysEhrenreich.

Millionlearners reportabuse

Morethanone million SouthAfrican learners experiencedviolenceat school in 2024,exposinga disturbingreality behind classroom doorsand highlighting theurgentneedtobetter protectchildren.

As ChildProtectionWeek concludedonFriday 5June, newlyreleasedGeneral Household Survey (GHS)datareleasedbyStatisticsSA paints astark pictureofthe abuse, neglectand violence many children continue to face Thesurvey, whichtrackstrendsbetween 2009 and2024, showsthatwhile corporal punishment hasdeclinedsignificantly,violenceagainst children remainswidespreadinschools.

Accordingtothe data,the proportion of learnersaged five yearsand olderwho experienced corporal punishment declined by 10 %overthe 14-yearperiod.

Whilethe decrease wasgradual in theearlier years, thesharpestdecline occurredbetween 2015 and2024.

This downward trendisconsistentwithSouth Africa’s legislativestanceagainst corporal punishment

Thepracticewas outlawed in schoolsunder Section10ofthe SouthAfrican SchoolsAct whichcriminalisesits usebyteachers.

Data for2024shows notabledifferencesin thesources of physical violence experiencedby learners aged five yearsand older. Incidentsinvolving teachers (156 229)are farhigherthanthose involvingfellowlearners (87059).

In total, 1156 009 learners said they experiencedsomeformofviolenceatschool

About14% reported physical violence from teachers,comparedwithroughly 8% from other learners

Learners aged five to eightreporthigherlevels of violence,withpeaks at ageseven (20,6%) andagain at age13(19,5%),highlightingpartic-

PEER–PERPETRATED VIOLENCE IS MOST PROMINENT AMONG SEVEN YEAR OLDS

ularly vulnerable stages in earlyschooling and earlyadolescence

In contrast,peer–perpetrated violence is most prominentamong sevenyearolds(16,3%),suggestingthataggressive peer interactions tend to emerge earlyand areconcentratedinthe first yearsofformaleducation

This divergence in age–specificpeaks indicatesthatdifferentdynamicsmay be at play dependingonthe source of theviolence: while peer–related aggression surfaces earlier, teacher relatedorother formsofviolenceappearto persistintolater developmentalstages.

Aclear distinctionemerges between teacher–andpeer–perpetrated incidents. Verbal abuseis more frequently reported from fellowlearners, with 21%identifying peersasthe source,comparedto12% whoreportsimilar experiences involvingteachers.

AGEPATTERNSREINFORCETHISTREND

Thehighest incidenceofverbalabuse occurs amongseven year olds,where nearly onethird (30,1%)reportexposure.

Elevated levels arealsoevident amongpre–teens, suggesting that verbal abusenot only begins earlybut canpersist,and potentially intensifyintolater developmentalstages. Amonglearnersaged five andolder who experiencedviolenceinschoolsin2024, reports of verbal violence were almost evenly splitby gender,witha slight majority of femalesaffected (51,2%).

Acloserlook, however, revealsclear gender differencesacrosstypes of violence.Females make up asignificant shareofthose subjected to teacher–perpetratedabuse,accounting for roughly63% of reported verbal incidentsand about58% of physical violence casesinvolving teachers

Thepattern extends, though less sharply, to peer interactions.Incases of peer–relatedverbalviolence, femalesrepresent 56,2%ofaffectedlearners, indicating that girls areconsistentlymorelikelytoreport experiencesofabuse across both teacher– and peer–drivencontexts.

Endingviolenceagainstkids

As thecurtain came down on National Child Protection Week,the office of theWestern Cape Commissioner forChildrenannounced it’s rampingupefforts to ensure that thevoicesand livedexperiences of children shapeprovincial safety interventions.

Theweek is observed annually from thelast week of Mayuntil the firstweekofJunetoshine aspotlight on children’s rights andthe urgent need to protectevery childfromabuse,neglect andexploitation, as enshrinedinSouth Africa’s Constitution andthe Children’s Act. This year’s themewas “Working together in ending violence againstchildren”

With thousandsofchildrenacrossthe province facing threatswhich includeviolence, abuse, neglect, bullyingand gang activity,commissioner SarahRoberts is calling forstronger collaboration between government,communities andcivil societytocreatesafer environmentswhere everychild canthrive.

Robertssaidprotectingchildrenisa shared responsibility,and thevoicesofchildrenmust remain centralinall “decisions andinterventions” that affecttheir lives.

“Recentstatisticspresented to the Western Cape Provincial Parliament in Septemberlast year on childmurders andchildreninthe child protection system painta sobering picture. Thesenumbers areoverwhelming, particularly when we remember that each statisticrepresentsa younglife.”

Sheaddsthatemotional abuseand neglectare thekey reasonschildren find themselves in the childprotectionsystem.

“Inour eagernesstoprotect children,wemust

remember to includetheir voices in theconversation.Instead of designingprotectionservices solely forchildren, we should engage with them directly andask what makesthemfeel safe

“Ultimately, before children canexperience safety,theymust firstfeel it.”

Robertssaidthrough ongoingoversight visits, community dialogues, research initiatives, and childparticipation platforms, heroffice continuestomonitor theextenttowhich children’s constitutional rights arebeing realised and protectedacrossthe province

AccordingtoRoberts, heroffice is part of the Provincial JointPriorityCommitteeonSchool Safety,which identifies high-riskschools,particularlyingang-affectedareas,tohelpprotect vulnerable children

Informationgatheredthrough theseinitiatives is used to guidethe WesternCapeCommissioner forChildren’sCommunity ChildRights Workshopsacrossthe province

Robertssaidshe continuesthe unannounced visits to Level2 Childand YouthCareCentres, whichwereinitiated in December last year in theMetro-North,followedbyvisitstothe Eden KarooMunicipalityinFebruary. ThroughvisitstoChild andYouth Care Centres, Robertsgains insightintothe living conditions andchallenges facedbychildren, caregivers andfacilitymanagersinbothurban andrural areas.

Thevisitshaverevealedsimilar operational challenges across centres, promptingongoing engagement with theDepartmentofSocial Developmenttoaddressissues andimprove care,service qualityand accountability

NPOplantsseedsto givechildrenlifeline childrenlifeline

Thereare no grandstandsatManenberg.No corporatehospitality suites.Notelevision camerascapturing everyscrum andlineout forarmchairanalyststodissect.But make no mistake, what happens on thesepatchy fields carries more weight than anyderby match couldeverhold.

TheRugby Factory, aNovaNewsschoolsrugby podcast, ventured into theheart of Manenberg to witnesssomething farmoresignificant than silverware andschool rankings

TheManenberg SchoolsDay,organised by Just Planting Seeds, showcaseda non-profit organisation (NPO)thatisn’t just teaching children howtopassa rugbyball, it’s offeringthem alifelineout of gang-affectedstreetswhere futures arestolenbeforethey’ve barely begun. This is grassrootsrugby at itsrawestand most powerful.Thisiswhere thegametruly matters “Yoursituation does notdefine you, even if nobody believes in you, youhavetobelieve in yourself.You have to putinthe work,nobody will do it foryou.You have to work hard,sport is your ticket outofManenberg,” Sovianka, oneofthe girlswho played on theday,and has made it into theWestern Province (WP) structures, deliveredthose wordswiththe conviction of someonewho understandsthe stakes

Forher ,rugby isn’tabout prestige or school pride, it’s aboutsurvival. About findinga differentplace to be when thestreetsoffer nothing butdangerand dead ends

Thegirls’section of Just Planting Seedshas become athrivingforce,withvarious players making it allthe waytonationaldevelopment camps. Theseachievementshappenfar from thebrightlightsofthe King PriceDerby series, butthatdoesn’t make them anylessserious.If anything,theymattermore.

BUILDINGCHARACTERTHROUGHCONTACT

JasonPoleman foundedJustPlantingSeeds with asimplephilosophy, usethe discipline inherent in rugbytotransform livesbeyondthe pitch.

Thegamebecomes thevehicle forsomething greater. “Weteach them to applythingslike respectand discipline on the fieldand that they should putthe same energy into thesethings off the field, whichwillbenefitthem,”Poleman explained. “Whenwestarted off we worked with tenorelevenschools.Sofar we have introduced thedisciplineofrugby to over 2400 kids in thecommunity.Wehaveabout 97 kids directly underus, so far23kids, boys andgirls,thisyear have been exposedtoprovincialrugby.Weare notpushing forthe provincial accolades, butif they happen,thatisgreat.”

Thenumbers tell only part of thestory.Behind each statisticisa childwho choserugby over thestreets. Ateenager whodiscovered self-worth throughteamwork. Ayoung person wholearned that respectand discipline aren’t just words, they’resurvivaltoolsthatwork anywhere

COMMUNITYINACTION

TheManenberg SchoolsDay itself demonstratedthe powerofcollectiveeffort. Preparing the fieldrequiredcommunity mobilisation “A guyfromanother school arrivedtocut the grass, whilst kids pitchedinto fill holesinthe ground,” Polemanexplained.Inanareawhere resourcesare scarce andchallenges overwhelming,rugby became thecatalystfor people pulling together

“Wetry throughour programme to caterto allofthem, it is aboutcreatinga safe spacefor thekids,”Poleman said,acknowledging that children join Just Planting Seedsfor different reasons. Some just want to be part of theteam. Others want to make thestartinglineup. Some dreamofchampionships Allofthemneed somewheresafetobe. Rugby provides that sanctuary.

HEARTOVERHARDWARE

Chad Peters,one of theJustPlantingSeeds players, captured theessenceofwhatmakes the programme work “It’sabout theheart,it’sabout theteam. You canhaveall thethings, butare thekidsgoing to come.JustPlantingSeedsstarted with very little, butwepushedthrough that is whyweare themostimprovedprogramme in Manenberg.” Thereitis. Heartoverhardware. Commitment over conditions.Inelite school rugby, debates rage over facilities,coachingexpertise and fixture lists. In Manenberg, they’re filling holesin theground. Yetthe passion burnsjustas fiercely,perhaps more so becausethe stakes extend beyond Saturday afternoon bragging rights

THEBIGGERPICTURE

Andy Daniel,hostof TheRugby Factory podcast,found himselfhumbled by theexperience. “There is so much talent here,I feel more people should getinvolved. Schoolsrugby isn’t always theglitz andglamour,” Daniel observed Whilst thetop-tierschool competitions rightly receiveattentionand resources, programmes like Just Planting Seedsoperate in theshadows, transforming communities onechild at atime. Thesekidsaren’tdreamingofCravenWeek gloryoruniversitybursaries.They’re usingrugby to escape environments wheregangviolence is normalised andopportunitiesare non-existent.WhenSoviankatalks aboutsport beingher “ticketout of Manenberg,”she’s notspeaking metaphorically

RUGBY’SRESPONSIBILITY

TheManenberg SchoolsDay serves as a reminder that rugby’svalue extendsfar beyond triesscoredand trophies lifted.Incommunities like this,the game becomesa tool forsocial intervention,a mechanismfor instilling values that canchangelifetrajectories.

Just Planting Seedshas introduced 2400 children to rugby. That’s 2400 youngpeoplewho foundanalternative to thestreets. Wholearned that discipline,respect andteamworkaren’tjust rugbyconcepts, they’relifeskills.Who discovered that theirsituation doesn’tdefine them Twenty-three kids exposedtoprovincial rugbythisyear. Ninety-seven directly under theprogramme’s care.Girls reaching national developmentcamps.These aren’t just statistics, they’revictories over circumstancesthatcrush most before they’vehad achanceto fight.

The fieldinManenberg won’thostany televisedmatches.The scoreboard won’t flash across social media. Butwhathappens there carries more significancethanany school derby couldeverclaim

BecauseinManenberg,rugby doesn’tjust buildcharacter.Itsaves lives.

TheRugbyFactory is aweekly schoolsrugby PodcastbyNovaNews.

13 economic innovators awarded

Tprises Tracey Chambers,co-founderofTakingCare of Business (TCB)and Grow ECD, said having your work recognised is a“specialmoment”

“TCB is able to do this work becauseofthe generous spirit of themanybusinessesthat donate theirexcessstock to ourvarious programmes(Resell, Repair,Remake).Todate more than 24 million itemshavebeen diverted from landfill andthathas been used to start 8600 smallbusinessesthatchangethe trajectory of families.”

Otherwinners included TheBluebirdGroup SA,which provides door-to-door workforce

transport. AndResearchand Development companyFluorobiotech,which produces recombinantproteins, themostexpensive ingredients in medicinesand vaccine production

TheSixty60,which hascreated over 18000 jobs,and theV&A Waterfront’s newR230 million superyacht marina development, were amongthe big-name winners

Addressing thegathering,Hill-Lewisreaffirmed theCity’scommitmenttocreatinga business-friendly environmentwhile congratulatingthe Cape Chamberfor recognising businessesthatcontributetoeconomicgrowth andjob creation

‘Enc

TAudienceatprevious festival

SondheimatTheatreontheBay

Cape Town audiencescan look forwardtoan enchanting mixofromance,wit andemotional dramawhenCapeTownOpera (CTO)stages StephenSondheim’sacclaimedmusical ALittle NightMusic at Theatreonthe Baylater this month.

From Tuesday30JunetoSunday12July, the Fred Abrahamse-directed production will feature adistinguished cast of musicaltheatre performers, bringing to life astory of love,longing, jealousy andsecondchances setagainst oneof Broadway’s most celebrated musicalscores.

ThecastincludesMarcelMeyer as thecharismaticCount Carl-MagnusMalcolm,Kate Normington as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Liné Jordaan as Anne Egerman, William Young as Henrik Egerman, Mia-CeciliaKriel as Fredrika Armfeldt andCTO HouseSoloist Brittany SmithasPetra Smith, whowon aFleur du CapTheatre Awardin2024for herportrayal of Mariain TheSound of Music,isexpectedtobring her acclaimedvocal anddramatictalents to the production

MusicaldirectorJoséDiaswillconduct from thepiano,while costumes have been designed by Marcel Meyer. Lighting design is by Nicolaas de Jonghand sounddesignbyDavid Classen. Abrahamsesaidthe enduring appeal of the musicalliesinits emotionaldepth “Itissophisticated andfunny,but beneath

theglitterthere is enormous tenderness and vulnerability. Sondheim’s writingisunmatched in itsintelligenceand emotionaltruth,” he said Firstperformed on Broadway in 1973, ALittle NightMusic wonsix Tony Awards,including Best Musical, andremains oneofSondheim’s most celebrated works. Theproductionfeatures theiconicsong“Send in theClowns”,alongside ascore renowned forits lush waltzes, sharp lyrics andemotional complexity . Ticketsthrough Webticketsand Theatreonthe Baybox office on 021 4383300.Advancebooking is recommended.Uptacon est ipsunt reproint

Seaforest on global stage

An enchanting underwater photograph capturinga colourful kelp forest takennearSimon’s Town hasplacedthe GreatAfrican Seaforeston theglobalstage aftergracing thecover of the latest editionof TIME magazine.The image, captured by Cape Town-based freediver and underwater photographer HelenWalne,showcasesthe vast biodiversity of theGreat African Seaforest, avastkelpecosystem stretching alongthe Cape coastline.

Walnetookthe now-famous photograph at a site calledA-Frame,which is closetoBoulders Beachoutside Simon’sTown.

TheGreat AfricanSeaforest is theonlycontinuousforestofgiant bamboo kelp (Ecklonia maxima)onthe planet.Fringingthe shores of Cape Town andstretchingover1000kmnorth into Namibia, this thriving marine ecosystem is home to unique biodiversity,including thousandsofspecies foundnowhere else.The photo appeared in TIME magazine’s feature– “The PowerHidinginUnderwaterForests”– which puts aglobalspotlight on oneofSouth Africa’s most extraordinarynatural wonders.

Walnetold Time OutCapeTown magazine that shehas been visiting thesitefor the past eightyears andwas drawntoa striking pink-purplesea anemonefeaturedinthe photograph. “Thatparticularsitebecamealmost like family,ora friend,” shesaid, describing it as oneofseveral speciallocations sheregularly returnstowithinthe seaforest.

TheGreat AfricanSeaforest is recognised as theworld’s only giantsea bamboo forest and supportsanextraordinary rangeofmarinelife, includingsharks, seals, octopus, abalone, rock lobsterand countlesssmallerspecies

Accordingto TIME,which drew heavilyonthe work of Cape Town-based SeaChangeProject, Save OurSeasFoundation, andthe 1001 SeaforestSpecies project.

Theecosystem gained internationalrecognition throughthe Oscar-winningdocumen-

tary My OctopusTeacher, filmed in thekelp forestsaroundthe Cape Peninsula. TIME’s featureexploresthe importance of kelp forests in supportingmarinebiodiversity, protecting coastlines andhelping absorb carbon in a warmingworld

Whilemanykelpforests globally face threats from climatechangeand pollution,research suggeststhe GreatAfrican Seaforesthas shown encouragingresilience.

ForSimon’s Town,the internationalrecognition is areminderthatone of theworld’s most remarkable naturalwonders lies just offshore, hiddenbeneath thewaves

ThePiratesofPenzancesailsintotheArtscapethisJuly

Pirates, policemen, romanceand comicchaos come to Artscape this winter as G&Spresentsa vibrantnew production of Gilbertand Sullivan’smuch-lovedcomic opera, ThePirates of Penzance,fromSaturday4 to Sunday 12 July PerformedinEnglish, filledwithhumour, andshorter than many traditionaloperas, The PiratesofPenzance offersanaccessibleand entertaining introduction to operafor families,younger audience membersand first-time opera-goers– whilestill delivering allthe wit, wordplay andmusical sparklethatGilbert and Sullivanaudiences know andlove.

Directed by DarrylJ Spijkers,withmusical directionbyAlastairCockburn, this bold new stagingbringsrenewed theatrical energy to one of themostenduringworks in comicopera, whileremaining firmly rooted in itsVictori-

an-era setting andcharm

ENTERTAINING

Theproductionfeaturesa cast of more than 60 performers anddancers,withliveaccompaniment provided by thenewly formed Cape Town Sinfonietta,a 26-piece orchestra. At atimewhenlarge live orchestras are increasingly rare in musicaltheatre andcomic operaproductions,audiences will have the opportunitytoexperienceSullivan’ssparkling scoreperformed in full.

Firstperformed in 1879, ThePirates of Penzance remainsone of Gilbertand Sullivan’s most popularand entertaining works. Filledwithrazor-sharp humour,fast-paced storytelling,swashbuckling adventureand memorablemelodies, theproductionincludes

favourites such as “I Am theVeryModel of a Modern Major-General”,alongside romantic duets, comicensembles andenergetic finales. With itscolourful characters,livelystaging, dancers, fullorchestra andlarge cast,this production promises laughter,spectacle and musicalbrilliance in equalmeasure

It will runfor eightperformances, including threeafternoon matinees,between Saturday 4 andSunday12July.

. Tickets rangefromR225toR350.Book at Webtickets or the Artscape BoxOffice on 021 421 7695.

Colourful characters,livelystaging, dancers, orchestraand largecast,Pirates promises laughter, spectacleand musicalbrilliance. PHOTO:TIFFANY SCHULTZ