People’s Post Claremont/Rondebosch E-edition 2 June 2026

Squatters evictednow

The informal settlementinPalmyra Road,Claremont hasbeencleared following acourt-ordered eviction, with theCityofCapeTownsayingthe site hadsince been cleanedupand was settoberepurposed.

AccordingtoWard59councillorMikhail Manuel theevictionwas carried outbythe Sheriff of theCourt on Thursday 21 May, after theCityhad successfully obtained acourt order. He said approximately90peoplehad been occupyingthe public land sincethe Covid-19 lockdown period,the settlementhavinggradually expanded over theyears

“The situationhad become increasingly difficult to manage,” Manuel said,citingconcerns raised by surroundingresidents,businessesand religiousinstitutions.

He said 11 evictedindividuals accepted safespaceaccommodation,while most occupants relocatedtoother areasinCapeTown. He said theCity, together with partners,provided access to alternativeaccommodation at The HavenShelter,which he notedhad been expanded by an additional 120bedstoassist with increaseddemand.

Manuel said theencampmenthad resulted in ongoingchallenges forthe area,including sanitation concerns,heightened fire risk and generalsafetyissues.Headdedthe site hadalso placed astrainonsurrounding infrastructure, includinghigh-voltageelectricity linesand

Thecourt-ordered eviction is most welcome.Our area is saferbecauseofit.

public-transport routes,and that localbusinesseshad been required to increase private security measures duetorepeatedincidents anddisruptions

AccordingtoManuel, thenearbymosquehad experiencedsomeofthe most severe impacts, with congregantsand management reportedly raisingconsistentdisturbanceslinkedtothe encampment “The court-orderedevictionismostwelcome Ourareaissafer becauseofit.”

Whilethe eviction andsubsequentclean-up hadbeenwelcomedbyparts of thecommunity Manuel acknowledged that displacement remainsanongoing concern, saying some individualsremoved from thesitehad since movedtoother public spaces in thebroader area.“I, together with ourcommunity partners, will relentlessly work at improvingour area to reduce as many nooksand crannies as possible. Public spaceshouldbeavailable andenjoyable forall to use. ”

TheCityconfirmed thecleared site hadbeen fully cleanedand wasset to be repurposed as apublicparking area servingAlJamia Masjid andGoldenArrowBus Services.Fencing along PalmyraRoadisalsosaidtobeplannedto preventreoccupation of theland.

Choose schoolby15June

Thousands of Western Cape parentswho appliedfor GradeR,1 and 8placementsfor next year have untilMonday15Juneto confirm aschool

TheWestern Cape Department of Education(WCED)releasedthe outcomes of theon-time admissionsapplications on Thursday 28 May. Thedepartmenturged families nottopanic if they do not receiveanimmediate offer

DavidMaynier,Ministerfor Educationinthe WesternCape, said schoolsdetermine theoutcome of admissionsbased on theiradmissionspolicies.

“Atthe pointwhenoutcomesare firstreleased, asubstantial number of learners will have received multiple offers. Forexample,last year more than 40 000 learners hadmultiplesuccessful outcomes at variousschoolsand were ‘double parked’onthe system.”

Mayniersaidwiththousands of learners holdingmultipleoffersat once theadmissionsprocess was expected to shiftsignificantly in theweeksahead as spaces beginto open up across schools.

“Itisimportant to note that more than 46 000 learners received two or more offers, andastheir parents confirm theirchoiceofschool more than 64 000 places will stillopen up to be offered to otherparents.”

WHATTHISMEANSFORPARENTS

LEARNERSWILL BE PLACEDASPLACES BECOME AVAILABLE

Maynierstressedthatthe admissionsprocess continues well beyond theinitial releaseof results, with significant movement in placements expected in thedays andweeks that follow.

He said many learners whoare notplacedimmediatelywillbe accommodatedlater as spaces become available, with schools contacting parentsdirectlywhen newopeningsoccur.

ACTIONSFORPARENTS

Parentswho received multiple offers areurged to accept oneschool immediately. This helpsfree-up places forother learners

Parentswhose children have notyet been placed areadvised to constantly engage with theschools they appliedtoand ensure their contactdetails arecorrect

Accordingtothe department,the admission processisstill active, many placements will stillbe finalised. Maynierurged parentsto remain patient, saying thedepartment closelymonitored placements andremainedcommittedtoensuringevery learnerisaccommodated.

He said further communication andsupport wouldbeprovidedto families throughthe remainderof theadmissionsprocess.

Abahambeorabahlale?AfricaDayexposesus

AJOURNO’SVOICE

On social mediatimelines andinstreetconversations,a phrase hasbecomeshorthand forSouth Africa’s current tension:“Abahambe?Abahlale?”

Should they leave, or should they stay?Itisa question that has gained momentum alongsidethe “March andMarch”protestsin recent weeksinGauteng andnow in Cape Town thepastweekend, wheredemonstrators have called forstricterimmigrationenforcement,tighter border controland, in some cases, theremoval of undocumented migrants.Atthe same time,itsitsuncomfortably against Africa Day, marked on 25 May, whichwas meanttoaffirm unity, solidarity andsharedbelonging across thecontinent.The contradictionisdifficult to ignore

Translated from Zulu “Abahambe?” means“Should they leave?” and“Abahlale?” means“Should they stay?” On thesurface,itisa binary question.Inreality,itreflects amorelayered struggleover belonging, legality,economicpressure andidentityina countrystill shaped by inequality andhistorical displacement

This year’s Africa Daytheme, focusedonwater security and sustainablesanitationunder the AfricanUnion’s Agenda 2063, speaks to along-term vision of shared infrastructure andcollective survival across borders. Howeveronlineand offline, the dominant mood is oftenshaped less by continentalunity andmore by scarcity,frustration andfear.

The“Marchand March” protests have been framed by organisers andsupportersasa response to unemployment,strainedpublic services andcompetition forlimit-

ed opportunities. In communities wherejobsare scarce andservice delivery inconsistent,frustration hasfound avisible target.Migrants,particularlythose without documentation, areoften placed at thecentreofthatanger.Yet even within that anger, distinctions are frequently lost Concerns aboutimmigration policy arenot automatically the same as hostilitytowardforeign nationals. Butinthe speed and heat of public discourse, those linesblureasily. That is where “Abahambeorabahlale” becomes more than aphrase. It becomesa filter throughwhich people sort others into categories of belonging or exclusion.

SouthAfrica’sunemployment crisis,inequalityand uneven access to housingand healthcare arereal pressures. They shapehow people interpretevery additional strain on public systems. However, Idonot thinkmigration is theroot cause of thesestructuralproblems. It is onevisible expression of awider regional realityshapedbydisparity, conflictand uneven development across thecontinent.A recent conversation with my father on Africa Daybrought this into sharper focus. He wished me a“Happy Africa Day, ntombam,”beforeunpackingits meaning. He reminded me that this dayemerged from the liberation era, when Africanstates supported oneanother in struggles againstcolonialism andapartheid That historyisnot symbolic alone; it shaped theideathatAfrican futures areinterconnected,not isolated Former presidentThabo Mbeki hasrepeatedlywarnedthatpoverty across thecontinent remainsdeeply entrenched,a reminder that the promiseofAfrican unitystill exists alongsidepersistenteconomic hardship.His reflection echoes the gapbetween Africa Day’sideals andthe livedrealities that continue

to define much of thecontinent That conversation made clearthat present-dayrealities nowsit alongside that legacy in uncomfortable ways In SouthAfrica, thegovernment is oftenexperienced notas astabilising forcebut as asource of frustration. Servicedelivery protests,risinglivingcosts and persistent unemployment shape howcommunities respondto anything perceivedasadditional pressure.Migration becomesone of thosepressure points becauseit is visible, immediateand politicallycharged.The question,then, is notonlywho belongs, butwhat belongingmeans in asociety where many alreadyfeel excluded from economic participation. If my observationsserve me right“Abahambeorabahlale” captures that tensionina wayofficial language oftencannot. It is raw, direct and emotionally loaded.But it is also reductive. It flattens acomplex mix of documented migrants,undocumented migrants,refugees,longterm residentsand citizens into a single forced choice

It also raises adeeper question aboutgovernancewhether enforcement alonecan addresswhatis fundamentally an economic and structural challenge. Border controlmay respondto legality,but it does notcreatejobs. Deportationmay signal political action,but it does notresolve failingservicesoreconomicstagnation.Atthe same time,dismissing public frustrationwould miss the point. Theseconcernsare rooted in livedexperience. Theriskliesnot in recognisingthatfrustration,but in howeasilyitcan be redirected into exclusionary narrativesthat harden over time

Thereisanother layertothisconversationthatlives almost entirely online.Morethanjustcreating content, as aMillennial Igoonto social mediatoengage. That is a

worldonits own; aworld fullof voices,opinions, threads, clips, counterarguments andoutrage cycles that move faster than my reflections.

In that space, youare constantly pulledintopositions.You areexpected to declarewhere youstand, to pick asideand respondquickly andvisibly.But if youdonot know whoyou are, andifyou do not standyourground, youcan easily getlostinthe discourseitself. It is notjustabout beinginformed. It is aboutbeing anchored.Without that grounding, everytrend becomespersuasive, everyargument feelsurgentand everycomment sectionstartstofeel like truthrather than noise. Thedangerisnot only misinformation,but fragmentation,the loss of personal clarity in asea of competingcertainty That dynamicmatters here because“Abahambe or abahlale” is notonlya street-level question It is also adigital one. It circulates, sharpens andpolarises in real time.Socialmedia does notmerely reflectpublicopinion;itintensifies it,often stripping away nuance in theprocess.

Africa Day, in contrast,asksfor somethingslower. It asks formemory, contextand an awarenessof shared historiesthatare notalways visibleina scrolling feed SouthAfricanow sits between thesetwo worlds:the immediate pressure of economic hardship andthe longer arcofcontinental connection. Theprotestsrepresent urgency. Africa Dayrepresents intention. Social mediaamplifies both,often withoutdistinction Andinthe middlesitsthe question Abahambe or abahlale?There are no simple answers. Butthere is awarning embedded in howthe question is asked. When societyreduces complexrealities into binaries,itmay feel like clarity.But it oftencomes at thecostof understanding.

Warofw Kirstenbo

NAMHLAMONAKALI

Along-timeKirstenboschNational BotanicalGardens volunteer said he waswitnessing “neglect,decay anddeath”whenhewalkedthrough the nursery. However, theSouth African National Biodiversity Institute(Sanbi) hasrejectedhis claims.Itsaidthe matter hadalready been raised privatelyand was“largelyresolved.”

JamesDeacon, anaturalistwithalmost twodecades of involvementinthe gardens, launched apublicsocial-mediacampaignon Sunday 17 Maycalling on supporterstoput pressure on theMinisterofForestry, Fisheries andthe Environment, WillieAucamp.

‘SLOWLYDYING’

Deacon describedthe stateofthe garden in starkterms in hispost.

“WhenI walk throughthe nurserynow,I see neglect, decayand death. Theamazing plant collections that have takendecades andmoreto establishsit neglected, slowly dying.

“The protea collectionislessthana thirdof what it was, andonlya fraction of theericas remain.One planthas gone from extinctinthe wild to completely extinctpurelydue to lack of efforttokeep it going. Places once fullofplants sitempty and, in some cases, fullofweedsbecauseproductionofplantsissodiminished.”

Deacon claimed financialmismanagement hadcompoundedthe problem.

“Poor financialmanagementhas resulted in theorganisationhavingtouse funds donated foreducational purposes to paystaff salaries Kirstenbosch no longer hasa protea or an erica

Maintenanceto affectsupplyof waterlocally

Residentsinparts of Claremont, Wynberg andKenilworthare beingurged to preparefor plannedwater supplydisruptions as theCityof Cape Town undertakes maintenanceworkonits waterinfrastructurethisweek

Accordingtothe City’s Waterand Sanitation Directorate, watersupplieswillbetemporarily shut off today(2June) andagain on Thursday 4 June from 09:00to20:00.

Theshutdownwillallow maintenanceteams to connect twopressure reducing valves (PRVs) to thewater supplymainserving the affectedzone. Theworkwillaffectareas below therailway line in Claremont, Wynbergand Kenilworth

Whilea largeportion of residentsmay experience lower-than-normalwater pressure, some areascould be left withoutwater forthe duration of themaintenance work

Accordingtothe City,the upgrades form part of themunicipality’songoing programmeto maintain andimprove watersupplyinfrastructure andensurea reliable servicefor residents. Residentsare encouraged to storeenough waterinclean,sealedcontainersahead of the plannedshutdowns as aprecaution.

They arealso advisedtokeep taps closed during theinterruptiontoprevent waterloss or possibledamagewhenthe watersupplyis restored

TheCitynoted that maintenanceworkcan sometimestakelongerthanexpectedifunforeseen challenges arise.

Once thewater supplyhas been restored, residentsmay notice discolouredormilky-lookingwater fora shortperiod. This is caused by trappedair in thepipes andshouldclear after standing fora fewminutes

TheCityapologisedfor anyinconvenience caused andencouragedresidents to follow its alerts platform forupdates on themaintenance work

Fire victims demand electricity

NAMHLAMONAKALI

Residents of ImizamoYethu marched throughHoutBay on Monday 25 May, demandingthe restorationof electricitymorethanthree months after adevastating fire displacedhundredsof people.

Themarch movedfromthe informal settlement to theHoutBay Librarybeforeresidents gathered at theHoutBay Sports andRecreation Facility fora public meetingwithCityofCape Town officials. Community activist andWongatoursowner WongaLucas ledthe march, saying residentscould no longer endure living without electricityaswinterconditionsworsened. Theresidents have been in thedarksince Tuesday24Februaryafter an infernodestroyed 175householdsand left nearly 1000 people homeless. "Asa community leader anda business owner, Icould notstand asidewhile my community suffered," Lucassaid. "I wouldnot have it anyother way, even if it costsmebusiness."Residents claimedthe prolongedoutage hadforcedfamiliestorelyoncharcoaltoheat waterand keep warm inside poorly ventilated structures,increasingfears of another fire or possiblehealthrisks "Homes liecoldtothe core," Lucassaid.

Icouldnot standaside whilemycommunity suffered

-WongaLucaso

"Atnight,individuals lightcharcoalinbadly ventilated homes, triggering fire alarms.Inthe mornings,childrenneed to bathe, butwater canonlybeheatedvia charcoal andthattakes time." AccordingtoLucas,schoolsinthe area hadreportedincreased late arrivals because many families struggled to preparewithout electricity. He also narrated thestory of an elderlyresidentcaringfor hiswife, whois living with tuberculosis."Hout Bayresidents, this is your fightalso. Humanrightsare being violated," Lucastoldprotesters. "Excuseafter excuse,and this is noton."Lucas calledon thewider Hout Baycommunity to support fire victimsand hold theCityaccountable. "I asked allmembers of thepublictojoinustohear what plansare in placetoelectrify acommunity of 175households: mothers, children,domestic workers, gardeners, dogwalkers andpeople that work in your homes,"hesaid. "Aninjury to oneisaninjurytoall, andImizamo Yethu

Residents of ImizamoYethu marched through Hout BayonMonday25May,demanding therestoration of electricity morethan three months after adevastating firedisplaced hundreds of people

PHOTO:SUPPLIED

fire victimshave, since24February, been living in injury." Ward 74 councillorRob Quintas said severaladministrativeand operational challenges haddelayed therestoration process. AccordingtoQuintas,the City firstneeded to conductdisastermanagementverification processes, includingconfirmingwhether affected residentswereregisteredCitycustomers and checking thelegalityofelectricity meters "Thatprocess takestime,"hesaid. Quintassaiddelayswereworsenedbytwo severe cold fronts that caused widespread

electricityoutages across Cape Town,impacting theavailabilityofcontractors."Acontractor hasnow been appointedand work should begin once resolutionsare reachedwithcommunity leadership structures," he said.Headdedthat disagreements regardinglocal labour allocationsalsoslowedprogress. "Whenworking with communities,weengagewithcommunity structures anddevelopment forums,but no groupcan dictatewho gets work or howmany people areemployed. Labour processesmust be fair andcompliant," Quintassaid. He also criticised what he describedasdisruptions and interference facedbyCityofficialsand contractors attempting to access thesite.

"Weneed to be able to come to site without prevention andinterferencebypeoplewho claimtohelpthe community buthavenointerestinensuringthe work is done correctly," he said.Quintas acknowledged residents' frustrationsbut denied that theCityhad abandoned thecommunity."No onehas forgottenabout them.Weneed to followthe necessary administrativeprocessesand ensure fiscal responsibility when public moneyisspent," he explained.

Quintasfurther notedthatmarches and protests should followthe required legalprocedures, includingproviding notice andobtaining permitswhere trafficdisruptions areexpected.

Mickey-on-iceatGrandWest

Disney On Icereturns to South Africa this winter school holidaywith Mickey’s Search Party,bringing world-classskating,acrobaticsand Disney magictoCapeTown, Pretoria andDurban. Join Mickey,Minnieand friends on aspectacular adventurethrough belovedDisneystories,fromFrozen to Moana, Coco andmore.

TheshowskatesintoGrandWest on Friday 10 untilSunday19July, before moving to Durban’s International Convention Centre ArenafromFriday 24 to Sunday 26 July

Disney On Ice’s Mickey’s Search Party features world-classskating, acrobatics andstunts, poweredby amassive touringproductionof15 trucks anda 35 mby18m icerink.

Thereare around 173costumes

Families cannow exploreone of SouthAfrica’smostpowerful historical landmarksfor less, as Robben Island Museum launches itsnew NextGenHeritageFreePass. Theinitiative, whichwillallow SouthAfrican children underthe ageof15tovisit themuseumfree of charge when accompaniedbya paying adult, will rununtil Friday 30 October.

ASouth Africanadult ticket costs R400, whilethe free entryappliesto onechild perpayingadult.Additional children will paythe standard child rate of R210 each Themuseumsaidthe campaign is aimedatmakingheritageexploration more accessibletofamilieswhile encouragingyoung SouthAfricansto

used during theshow, with costume changesoflessthan30seconds required in some instances.

Tony Feldman, Director of Showtime Management,saidthe largest prop weighs 450kgand theset’s highestpoint towers 11 mupinthe air. Feldmansaidthatthe lighting design uses 221 fixtures,185 of them moveable,and 12 powerful projectors create immersive, magicalworlds. Sound-wise,100 groups of speakers delivera massive 200000 watts of power.

Patronsare askedtonotethatowing to safety regulationseachperson, irrespective of age(includingbabies in arms andchildrenunder 2years old) must have aboughtticket. . Fans areencouraged to book only through ticketmaster.co.za.

engage with thecountry’s historyand democratic journey.

Visitors to theislandcan take part in immersiveguidedtours ledbyformerpolitical prisoners, offering firsthand insightintoone of thecountry’s most significant heritage sites. Accordingtothe museum,the initiativeforms part of itsbroader objective to educatechildrenand promote intergenerationalengagementwith SouthAfrica’slivingheritage. TheNextGen Heritage Free Pass is validfor dailytourslots at 09:00, 11:00 and13:00.

Bookings canbemadethrough RobbenIslandMuseum’sofficial website or directly at theNelsonMandela GatewaytoRobbenIslandatthe V&A Waterfront

Cape si aims fo

Atotalof13talentedbasketball playerswho representedWestern Province (WP) andSouth African (SA) in variousBasketballcompetitions in thepastwillbeinactionasSAElite from Friday 12 to Sunday 14 June at the Soweto Uprising Basketball Tournament in Gauteng.

Lead by thededicated coachShafiek Allie, who hasmorethan30years experience in basketball, theteamislookingforward to show the otherteams what Capetoniansare made of Thegroup previously represented WP in 2023 in u-15 andin2024inu-17atthe same venuein Gauteng, andatthe SA Championship in Cape Town last year

Alliewitnessed first-hand theprofoundimpact basketball canhaveonyoung livesand he establishedthe SA EliteBasketballTeamatthe American InternationalSchool in Constantia He spentmorethana decade coaching kids andiscurrently theheadcoach of theWPu-17 team

TheSAElite team is oneoftwo teamsfrom Cape Town,the otherteambeing HotShots Basketball team.“Basketball hasbeena lifelong passion forme. Growingup, Ifaced my own challenges,but thegameprovidedmewith opportunitiesI neverthought possible. It taught me discipline,teamworkand resilience,values Istrivetoinstilinmyplayers everyday.This personal journeyfuelledmydesiretocreatea positive spacefor youngathletes, leadingtothe founding of SA Elite,”hesays.

At SA Elitetheir mission is clearand heartfelt. Keep kids off thestreetsand engagedinsports, providingthemwitha constructive outlet.They support theeducation of theathletes, ensuring they achievethe grades necessaryfor university admission.Theyalso mold thebasketball playersintoremarkableyoung menwho can