People’s Post Claremont/Rondebosch E-edition 21 April 2026

CLAREMONT |RONDEBOSCH

The MowbrayCemeteryBoard has opened membership to thewider Muslim communityfollowing a courtrulingwhile aseparate legaldispute over land between thecemeteryand thenearbyTanabaruTrust continues.

ngoing ga disputes since 2021, affectingits operations.

Addressing alivebroadcast boardmeetingonWednesday 15 April, Faizal Sayed andAdv ShamimaDolly outlined changesto board-membership rules, ongoingcourt proceedings andinfrastructureupgrades, andthey respondedtocriticism andallegationsmade on social media, includingclaimsof financial misconduct

MEMBERSHIPRULESCHANGEDAFTERCOURTORDER

Thepairsaida recent courtorder removed restrictions that hadpreviouslylimited membershiptodirectlinealdescendants of original subscribersdatingbacktothe 1800s Accordingtothe duo, therulingnow allows

ye d, bing ga jo change in governance andaccess.

They said membership formswould be available online andatthe cemetery office Aspecial generalmeetingwillbeheldonce registrationsare complete,and memberswillbe able to vote on governance matters

NEWCOURTAPPLICATIONINVOLVINGLAND

Sayedconfirmed anew courtapplicationhad been filedinvolving land linked to both the boardand theTanabaruTrust

He andDolly said theapplication relatedto land they believed formed part of thecemetery andwider community property,and confirmed

SHAKESPEARE LIVESONATBAXTER

Learners from acrossthe WesternCape will bring Shakespearetolifeduring the16th season of theShakespeare SchoolsFestivalSouthAfricaatthe Baxter TheatrefromTuesday6to Friday 23 May. Atotal of 42 schoolsare participating in this year’s Cape Town leg, each presenting bold,reimagined 30 to 45-minuteadaptations of the Bard’sclassic works. Formanylearners, this marks their first time performing on aprofessional stage, offering an opportunitytoshowcasetheir creativity, confidence and storytelling skills before aliveaudience. Picturedare Herschel GirlsHigh in’ AMidsummer Night’s Dream’ at theShakespeare SchoolsFestivalSouthAfricalast year.

PHOTO:LIAM HAMER-NEL

ya galp pa in theapplicationhavenot been independently verified from courtdocuments

An inquirywas sent to theTanabaruTrust, butnoresponsehad been received at thetime of publication.

ALLEGATIONSREJECTED

Sayedsaidthe claims were falseand damaging, andthe cemetery boardhad facedongoinglegal disputes since2021, whichaffected operations No supportingevidencewas presentedduring theaddress.

TOPAGE5

Nominated againforWTA

Table Mountain hasonceagain been nominatedasAfrica’sLeading TouristAttraction at theprestigious WorldTravelAwards, andvotershave untilFriday17Julytocasttheir votes andhelpthe iconic landmark secure anothertitle.

Oftendescribed as thetravelindustry’s versionofthe Oscars,the WorldTravelAwards recogniseexcellenceacrossthe global travel, tourismand hospitalitysectors andhavedone so forthe past 33 years.

TheiconicCapeTownlandmarkhas already claimedthe title five timesin2014, 2019,2020, 2021 and2022and is nowhopingtoadd another wintoits record this year

Wahida Parker,ManagingDirectorofTable Mountain Aerial Cableway,saidthisnomination is aproud moment forCapeTownand SouthAfrica.

“Table Mountain is more than alandmark. It is asymbolofour naturalheritageand aworldclassattractionthatcontinues to inspirevisitors from across theglobe.Every vote is an opportunity to show theworld what this destination meanstous.”

.To vote visit www.worldtravelawards.com/ vote.Selectthe Africaregion and choose Table Mountain as Africa’sLeading Tourist Attraction.

Lifeguardstakingawell-deservedbreather

TheCityofCapeTownhas endedits seasonal lifeguarddeployment, reportinga drop in drowning fatalities during the2025-’26summerseason.

TheCityhas confirmed that seasonal lifeguard contractsended on Tuesday7 April, with beach andpool safety operations nowshiftinginto winter readinessand maintenance.

Community swimming poolshaveclosedfor thewinterseason. However, indoor facilities at Retreat, Blue Downs, Long Street,Strand, and theSea Pointswimming pool remain open yearroundfor public use.

TheCitysaidthe past summerrecordedthe lowest number of fataldrownings in seven years.

Therewerenofatal or non-fataldrownings at municipalswimming poolsduringthe season

Alongdesignatedbathing areasalong the coast, therewerenofatal drownings, while38 non-fatalincidents were recorded

TheCitysaidthese outcomes were significantly reduceddue to swiftinterventions by lifeguards,bystanders, andrescuepartners.

However, nine fataldrownings were recorded alongCapeTown’scoastline

Allweremale, with twoteenagersamong the victimsand theremainder youths andadults over theage of 18

“CapeTownexperienced yetanother bumper

There’ssomething quietly confrontingabout realising we’renearly five months into theyear.

Time hasa wayofslippingpast whilewe’re busy managing theeveryday challenges like stayingupto date with emails,jugglingresponsibilities,and thoseunexpected setbacks

Andsomewhere in between, thosegoals we setwithclarity and intentionatthe startofthe year begintofadeintothe background

I’ve neverbeen afan of New Year’s resolutions. They oftenfeel toorigid,too performative.But

summer, with hundreds of thousandsofvisitors to ourbeaches andswimming pools,”saidMayco member forcommunity services andhealth, Francine Higham

“Wewould like to extend oursincerest gratitude to thelifeguardswho worked tirelesslyto keep everyone safe,inspite of thechallenges that come with watersafety,”she said

TheCitysaidfocus nowshiftstomaintenance andupgradesoffacilitiesahead of thenext

goals? That’s different. Goalsare personal.They’re deliberate.They come from aplace of wantingmore growth,morediscipline, more meaning.

Andassomeone whothrives on structure, I’ve always found comfortinlists.There’s aunique satisfaction in writingsomething down,working toward it,and eventually tickingitoff.It’sa small butpowerful acknowledgment of progress.

Buthere’sthe uncomfortable question:are we actually making time forthose goals?

It’s easy to convince ourselves that we’llget to them “whenthings calm down”. Afterthisbusyweek Afterthisstressful project. After life feelsa bitmoremanageable. Theproblem is that life rarely slowsdownonits own. Therewill

summerseason. It is midway througha fiveyear programme to improve37publicswimming pools, with further upgrades planned.

AproposedR20 million investment forthe 2026-’27 financialyearhas also been tabled to ensure facilities remain safe,accessible, and readyfor peak season.The City’s recreation and parksdepartmenturged thepublictoremain vigilant at beaches, obey warningsignage,and understand waterrisks when swimming

always be anotherdemand, another distraction, anotherreasonto postpone what matters to us Dailychallenges arepersistent. They don’tpolitelystepaside to make room forour ambitions. If anything,theyexpandto fill everyavailable gap. So,ifwedon’t intentionally carveout time forour goals, they simply don’thappen. Andthat’swhere many of us,me included,get stucknot because we lack motivation,but because we underestimatehow easily our priorities getreshuffled

We startthe year focused, but withoutconsistentaction, even themostmeaningful goalslose momentum

This isn’tabout guilt. It’s about awareness. If anything,thispoint in theyear is an opportunity. Amomentto

pausenot to criticiseourselves, buttoreassess. What stillmatters? What have we neglected? And more importantly, what arewe willing to do differentlymoving forward?

Becausethe truthis, tickingoff a goal doesn’tcomefromwaiting for theperfect moment.Itcomes from choosing, repeatedly,toshowup foritevenwhenit’sinconvenient. Even when theday feelstoo full. Thelists we make aren’t just collections of tasks. They’rereflectionsofwhatwevalue.And if somethingistruly importanttous, it deserves more than leftover time So maybethe question isn’t whetherwe’ve been toobusy. Maybeit’swhether we’vebeen intentionalenough. There’sstill time.Eight months to be exact. But only if we decide to useit.

Deadtre

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The City of Cape Town hasbegun removing dead Englishoak trees across Ward 59 to reduce safety risksahead of winter

Ward 59 councillorMikhail Manuel said the removals were prioritisedfollowing asharp increase in tree deaths linked to shot hole borer bettleinfestation andprolonged climatestress. Theteams focusedonMainRoadinRondebosch, whereseveral trees have alreadybeen removed.

Manuel said thereiscurrently no structured treatmentprogramme forborer infestations affecting thesetrees

“Atthe moment thereisnostructuredtreatment forborer infestations.The only approach is to remove theaffectedtree, whicheffectively kills it,” he said

He said theremovalsare focusedonageing Englishoaks, many estimatedtobebetween 60 and70years old.

“A combinationofthe 2018 droughtand very hotsummers weakened thesetrees.Theywere infected butstill alivelastsummer. This summer, many of them died,” he said Englishoak trees,known scientifically as Quercusrobur,are widely plantedacrossCape Town’s oldersuburbs fortheir largecanopies andshade

Originally native to Europe,theycan live for severalhundred yearsunder optimalconditions, butare vulnerable to environmental stress andpests when plantedoutside their naturalclimate

Accordingtourban forestry sources, shot hole borerbettles attack weakened trees,often going unnoticeduntil internal damage is severe

Once heavilyinfested, trees canbecomestructurally unstable,increasingthe risk of branch or tree failure.

“Trees were dyingevery threetofourdaysin arow.Thatiswhenitbecameapparent that

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Groot Constantia hasreleaseda short film, Rooted.Preserved.Shared.,which focuseson thepeopleand dailypractices behind South Africa’s oldest wine-producing estate

The film wasscreened on Thursday 9April andreflects on theestate’shistory andongoing role in thecountry’s wine industry

Jean Naudé, ChiefExecutive Officerofthe establishment, said theproductionisintended to show theestateasmorethana historic site

“The screeningmarkedmorethanthe release of ashort film;itwas amomentofreflection,” said Naudé. “Asthe oldest wine-producing farm in SouthAfrica, Groot Constantia stands as a symbol of endurance, authenticity andprovenance.”Hesaidthe estate’s work is shaped by what he describedas“humanterroir”, referring to theskills andknowledge developedand passeddownthrough vineyard andcellarwork.

The film,directedand produced by Rory Appleton andRubertFitchet of SledgehammerStudio, highlights dailyoperationsonthe estate,including work in thevineyards,cellars andconservationareas.Appleton said the intentionwas to show therelationshipbetween staff andthe estate.“Groot Constantia functions like ahugefamily,”hesaid. “Asmuchasthe placeisa part of thepeopleworking there, the people area crucialpartofthe place.”

Theestatesaysits wine production is guided by long-termfarming practices, with an emphasisonsoilhealth, wateruse andbiodiversity. It is also recognised as aWorld Wildlife Fund (WWF)ConservationChampion. TheWWF is aglobalconservationorganisationdedicated to protecting wildlife,preservingecosystems, and promotingsustainable developmentworldwide Fitchetsaidthe film aimedtoreflectthatapproach.“Groot Constantia is abeautiful estate andpartofSouth Africa’s story,”hesaid. “This film wasour wayofshowing thecarethatgoes into maintainingit.”

Running marathontofundkids

UPGRADESANDADMINISTRATION

Sayedalsooutlineda rangeofupgradesatthe cemetery,describingimprovementsmadeover recent years. Theseincludedupgradedsecurity measures such as increasedsurveillanceand on-sitepersonnel as well as repairsand improvements to office infrastructure,which they said wasina deteriorated condition.

Accordingtothe pair,digital systemshad been introduced,including thescanning of burial recordsand geotagging of graves to help families locate burial sitesmoreeasily.

Cemetery records, they said,had been digitisedand integrated into abroader administrative system.Other improvements listed include landscapingwork, pathwayrepairs,planting of cypressesand environmentalmaintenance, includingmanaginginvasiveplant species. They also referredtocompliance-related upgrades such as building approvals, staff

administration processes, insurance, andrecord-keepingsystems Heritage recognitionwas also highlighted; Sayedand Dolly said severalsites hadbeen declared heritage sites, more possiblytofollow. On financialmatters they said historic municipalarrearsamounting to over R13million hadbeenwrittenoff andaccounts hadbeen consolidated.Theyalsosaidexternalauditors hadreviewed financialrecords covering the period 2019-’24,with findings expected to be presentedatthe upcoming meeting.

CALLFORPARTICIPATION

Theboard urgedthe community to register as membersand take part in theupcomingspecial generalmeeting, saying broaderparticipation wouldstrengthengovernance. They said thechanges followthe courtruling andare intended to make theinstitution more open andinclusive,despite ongoinglegal disputes

NEW cashback

Learnersunite forBreadline

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RustenburgGirls’HighSchool

broughthighschool learners from differentschools together at the V&AWaterfrontonSaturday11April for a12-hour Cyclathoninsupport of Breadline Africa

Theannual eventsaw severalschoolstakepart in arelay-style fundraiser in supportofBreadline Africa,a non-profitorganisation(NPO) that provides safe andsustainable educational spaces forchildrenacrossSouth Africa

BreadlineAfricaprojectsinclude classrooms, librariesand sanitation facilities aimedatimprovinglearningenvironments.

Rustenburg Girls’ High School hadpreviously supported theorganisationand hascommitted to making it itsongoing beneficiary, strengtheninga long-termpartnership focusedon educationalupliftment.

Learners took turnscycling on stationary bicycles whileraising funds in thelead-up to the event. Thepublicjoinedbydonatingand taking part on theday

Donationscould also be made online via givengain.com.

ParticipatingschoolsincludedWynberg Girls’ High School,SpringfieldConvent School, Herschel GirlsSchool,WesterfordHighSchool, Rondebosch Boys’HighSchool, BishopsDiocesanCollege,South AfricanCollege Schoolsand WynbergBoys’ High School

Visitors experienceda lively atmosphere,with live school band performances,community engagement anda shared senseofpurpose Jamie-LeeSteenkamp,a naturalscience teacheratRustenburgand spokesperson for

RUSTENBURGGIRLS’HIGH COMMITTED TO ONGOING SUPPORTFOR THE CHARITY

theevent,saidthe Cyclathonreflecteda shared commitmenttosupport vulnerable children

“Weare incredibly proudtosupport Breadline Africa againthisyear.

“Itisabout more than just cycling. It is about showingthatwecan standtogetherand make arealdifference in thelives of otherchildren,” shesaid.

Kelly Burke, publicistfor Rustenburg,added that theevent demonstrated thepower of young people drivingchange.

TheCyclathon highlightedhow youngpeople areturning energy andeffortintomeaningful support forlearnersinneed,reinforcing aculture of community-driven impact

“Seeing learners,schoolsand thepubliccome together like this showsthe real impact of collectiveaction,”saidBurke

“Itmeans so much to us that Rustenburg has chosen BreadlineAfricaastheir beneficiaryand announcedtheir commitmenttosupporting us on an ongoing, annual basis. Theconcept of children helpingchildrenisbothsimpleand powerful,and it is inspiringtosee youngpeople stepping up to make arealdifference in the livesofothers.”– Mette Kirsten, Head of Brand andCommunications.

An inquiryregarding theamountraisedwas sent,but wasnot availablebythe time of publication

Tablecricketistakingoffwell

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More than 80 learners from specialneeds schoolsacrossCapeTowntook part in theTable CricketFestivalatNewlandsCricket Stadium on Thursday 16 April, when theadapted format received renewedbacking from CricketSouth Africa

Theseventh editionofthe Lord’s Taverners SouthAfricaand Spirit Foundation-funded eventwas deliveredbySportingChanceand formed part of theTable CricketChampions League

Schoolsincluding Astra, St Joseph’s Marist,St Joseph’s,Montana,Eros, VistaNova, JanKriel, Filiaand reigning championsThembelethu competed in theone-day festival,bringing together learners aged nine to 16 CricketSouth Africa’s supportofthe programme marksa step towardsexpanding Table Cricketbeyondthe WesternCapeaspartof efforts to make thesport more accessibleand inclusive.

confidence, skills anda senseofbelonging throughsport.”

TableCricket is an adaptedversion of the game played on atable-tennistable,allowing children with physical andcognitive disabilities to participateinstructuredcompetition

Theformatwas developedinthe United Kingdom(UK)byDougWilliamsonofNottingham TrentUniversityand introduced locally through Lord’s TavernersSouth Africa

Over time it hasgrown into astructured developmentprogramme used in specialneeds schools.

Organisers saythe initiative supportsmore than physical activity.Italsohelps learners improvehand-eyecoordination,numeracy, communication skills andteamwork. TheChampions League format,introduced last year,has addeda competitiveelement to theprogramme.Returning teamsshowedimproved skills andgreater confidenceduringthis year’s matches.

Sporting Chance generalmanager Natalie Pollock said theprogramme continuedtocreate opportunitiesfor learners whomay nototherwise have access to organisedsport “Table Cricketgives everychild achanceto take part,compete andfeel included in ateam environment,”she said.“It is aboutbuilding

Teachers describeda lively atmosphere at Newlands,withlearnersshowing enthusiasm andpride as they competed throughout theday CricketSouth Africa’s involvementisexpected to strengthen theprogramme’s reachand create more opportunitiesfor participationacrossthe country.

TheCityofCape Town’sLet’sACT at Home exhibit, an interactivepop-upfocusedonenergy-saving and climate-smartliving, is nowondisplay at Kenilworth Centre from today(21 April) until Monday 27 April. Theexhibit forms part of theCapeTown Future Energy Festival and aims to showthe public practical ways to reduce household energy useand cut monthlycosts.PreviouslyhostedatCanal Walk and LibertyPromenadeMallinMitchells Plain, theinstallation offers hands-on demonstrations and information to help Capetonians adopt more sustainablepractices at home.Open to the public at thecentre’sG1entrance, oppositeStudio88, the pop-up invites visitors to engagewith energy-efficient solutions and learn howsmallchanges can makeameasurabledifferencetobothexpenses and environmental impact PHOTO:SUPPLIED

JUNIORVIOLETS GRABSHONOURS

Abduragmaan Bassier of Violets RFCcuts throughanattempted tackle by Marcelino Cloete (right) of ManenbergRangers during aWPRUjunior u-9leaguegame played in Primrose Park on Saturday18April. Violets wonby3tries to 2.