People's Post False Bay E-edition 18 November 2025

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 HARMSE

Cityswitchesfromposttoelectronicsystem

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

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 ”

HOWTOMAKETHESWITCH:

For emailed bills, simply send an

email or SMS with your account number, contact number and email address

. Email: Revenue Eservices@ capetown.gov.za

. SMS: 31223

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

PurpleprotestcallsGBVFanationaldisaster

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

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

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

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!”

KEANANHARMSE

A13-year-old scout from 1st Muizenberg Sea Scouts is organising a community raffle to help adolescents battling chronic illnesses at Groote Schuur Hospital enjoy their Christmas.

Luke Pomeroy-Ward, who has been scouting since age six, is raising R4 000 towards an R8 000 goal for the Better Together programme ’ s year-end function, supporting young patients who no longer qualify for Red Cross children’s services

The Better Together Programme at Groote Schuur Hospital provides vital support to adolescents (13-24) who are living with chronic health conditions

Many of them have transitioned from paediatric care at Red Cross to adult services

Through a weekly, facilitated peer-led group young people connect in a safe, consistent space to share experiences, build confidence and navigate challenges together, ensuring no-one has to face their journey alone

Earlier this year, Luke assisted the firefighters at Lakeside Fire Station who were battling the Tokai blaze

He described his motivation for the threeweek fundraising campaign: “I wanted to do something for Christmas for others All scouts are encouraged to do service projects during the year, from helping create gardens to cleaning up and collecting for different charities We have a lot of support from our fellow scouts and

ALL SCOUTS ARE EXPECTED TO DO SERVICE PROJECTS DURING THE YEAR.

the adult leaders ”

The idea of having the latest fundraiser at Groote Schuur came from a Pomeroy-Ward family friend

“One of my parents’ friends works at Groote Schuur Hospital, and when I was looking for something to get involved in they told me about Better Together I liked it because it was also about youth my age, but just going through a hard time with their health ”

He hopes to have a raffle draw at the end of this month (November)

“I am trying to raise at least R4 000 towards Better Together’s goal of R8 000 for its endof-year function for the youth I have created a raffle; the tickets are R20 each I have shared this on my mom ’ s social media and on my WhatsApp status I have planned it for about three weeks, and will do the draw at the end of November ”

The Muizenberg community, parents and friends have greatly supported Pomeroy-Ward

He said seeing how many prizes people had donated as well as the number of tickets taken was heartwarming

. For details contact Tracey Pomeroy-Ward on 071 174 3099.

CPFcallsforvigilanceaftera womaniskilledinFishHoek

Fish Hoek police are investigating the murder of a 22-year-old woman whose body was found at her residence in Echo Street, Fish Hoek, on Friday morning 7 November

Police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg confirmed she had sustained serious injuries to her body "The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation and arrests have yet to be made "

Andre Blom, chair of The Fish Hoek Community Policing Forum (CPF), tells People's Post that break-ins and robberies are not the “ norm ” in the area and there should be no cause to panic

"Crime patterns in Fish Hoek have over the past months shown a decline over most categories It is very unfortunate that the alleged murder happened within our police precinct Unfortunately everywhere in our country one has to be vigilant at all times," he said Blom urges residents to keep their windows and doors protected with burglar bars and security gates and to set their alarm and have it tested often "Install

Cookingcontestthrillsorganisers

NAMHLAMONAKALI

The Lions Club of Tokai hosted its annual Potjiekos Competition on Saturday 8 November, drawing a large crowd and raising funds for local community projects The event, the club’s biggest fundraising effort of the year, was hailed as a tremendous success

Eight teams entered the competition, each bringing their culinary skills and creativity to the table The standard of food was exceptionally high, impressing both the judges and the audience

The winning team, Platform 9 and ¾, stole the show with a menu featuring lemon chicken, herb bread, and fluffy dumplings

“The food was outstanding this year, and the creativity on display was fantastic,” said Mark Rossouw, spokesperson for the Lions Club of Tokai “It was wonderful to see the teams put so much effort into their dishes Everyone really gave it their all, and that’s what makes this event so special ”

Beyond the cooking competition, the Lions Club also ran a raffle, selling over 80 tickets

Proceeds from both the team entry fees and the raffle will go towards supporting local initiatives, including community outreach programmes and welfare projects

“We are so grateful to all our teams, the people who donated prizes, and everyone who bought

raffle tickets,” Rossouw added “Your support directly helps the community, and it is heartwarming to see so many people come together for a good cause ”

The club extended its heartfelt thanks to the volunteer judges and to the many club members and volunteers who assisted throughout the day

Rossouw highlighted that without their dedication, the event would not have been possible

“Every single person who played a part in this event, from organising and cooking to judging and selling raffle tickets, contributed to its success, ” he said “It is inspiring to see such commitment and community spirit ”

Attendees also praised the atmosphere of the event, describing it as fun, friendly, and welcoming

Families and friends gathered to enjoy the food, cheer on their favourite teams, and connect with other members of the community

Rossouw concluded: “Events like this remind us why we do what we do It is about bringing people together, sharing joy, and supporting those in need We are already looking forward to next year ’ s competition ”

The Potjiekos competition continues to be a highlight of the Lions Club calendar and demonstrates the power of community engagement and generosity in Tokai

Seal ‘bite’ sparks rabies warning

KEANANHARMSE

The Cape of Good Hope Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) urges the public to be cautious and avoid petting seals

This follows an incident in Kalk Bay when a child was reportedly bitten by one On Saturday afternoon 1 November, at 15:40, the City said it was alerted to a seal reportedly acting aggressively on Kalk Bay Beach

A video of the incident went viral on Facebook with many speculating and commenting on it However, the City of Cape Town could not confirm the attack but cautioned against rabies in some of the seals

Rabies transmission, which is now considered endemic to the Cape, occurs through direct contact, including licking, scratching, nipping and biting, with infections proving fatal once clinical signs appear

The City said it conducted regular surveillance at seal colonies and responded to all reports

EXPERTS CAUTION THAT SEALS SHOULD BE OBSERVED FROM A SAFE DISTANCE.

from the public and stakeholders about seals behaving abnormally with its partners

“Members of the public are reminded to respect marine and coastal wildlife,” Andrews said “Animals, including seals, should be observed from a safe distance, not disturbed or harassed, and dogs should be kept away These precautions apply to all wildlife and are essential for the safety of both people and animals

“If someone is bitten by a seal, they should see a doctor immediately and let them know it was a seal bite Rabies can take a long time to show symptoms, and there are no early warning signs

“Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost

in local seal populations, which has become endemic since first being detected in Cape Fur Seals last year

“Rabies was first detected in our Cape Fur Seal populations in 2024 and is now considered endemic in our colonies,” said SPCA spokesperson Belinda Abrahams

“As the holiday season approaches we are concerned for the many travellers to Cape Town’s shores Given that rabies infections are fatal once clinical signs start showing, and there is no treatment, a precautionary approach is being taken ”

always fatal That’s why getting prompt medical care and receiving rabies treatment right away is so important ” Cape Town authorities have also issued an urgent warning to holiday visitors about rabies

Schoolcommunityunitesbehindcancerpatient

KAYLYNNEBANTOM

You have cancer A phrase that can single-handedly change everything in an instant René de Wet (51), secretary at Camps Bay Primary School, got the unfortunate news that she has HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer in September this year

HER2-positive (HER2+) is a fast-growing breast cancer that may affect people with invasive breast cancer

“I was diagnosed on Friday 26 September I was distraught You never think that it could happen to you, ” explained De Wet

Her treatment had to begin immediately

She started chemotherapy on Wednesday 15 October and will undergo eight rounds, every 21 days, followed by surgery and radiation

But without medical aid, the financial strain is overwhelming, and so is the emotional shock of suddenly becoming a cancer fighter

But De Wet is not facing this battle alone the community is standing firmly behind her

De Wet tells People’s Post that a close friend started a crowdfunding campaign hoping to raise R180000

Within a few days they managed to reach a few thousands

Currently with the help of learners, parents, private donors and the broader public, they have exceeded the target and reached R192000

kids go through a difficult time

“At Camps Bay schools we are like a little village When the kids heard, the crowdfunding campaign just went viral I am still in shock and blown away ”

De Wet says a few years ago she walked this journey supporting her dad when he was diagnosed with cancer

She says knowing she isn’t facing this journey alone gives her the courage to fight

“Last month, the high school learners came to the primary school and I received about 80 cards The outpour of love just touched me Kids wrote about memories they have at primary school It was an incredible heart-wrenching moment ”

She expresses her gratitude to everyone for their support “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so kind and generous and for checking in on me all the time Even if I can’t always respond to the messages, just know that I am genuinely grateful and keep praying ”

She encourages people to continue to donate

“I am not sure the exact amount of the medical bills I am receiving treatment at Groote Schuur Hospital We are beyond the target now Which is fantastic because there’ll be continued expenses There are people that I don’t even know who have contributed, it’s incredible ”

Behaviours exhibited by potentially rabid seals include highly aggressive behaviour towards other seals, inanimate objects, boats or people, unprovoked aggressive behaviour such as charging at or rushing at the public and snapping at imaginary objects, head bashing, twitching, and uncontrollable shaking Report illegal feeding or seal abuse to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA at

Law Enforcement via 021

De Wet explains that she is overwhelmed by the outpour of love and support from everyone “I have been at the school for 11 years When you ’ re a school secretary you do more than just answering phones, you are a safe space when

Laura Perry, De Wet’s close friend, says she started the crowdfunding campaign, emphasising that money should be the last thing on De Wet’s mind She added that they did not expect the overwhelming response “We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who has donated ”

Shelter show restores dignity

KAYLYNNE BANTOM

KAYLYNNE BANTOM@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA

After five months of training and rehearsal, clients from The Haven Night Shelter led audiences on a two-night emotional and metaphorical journey, using ballroom dance as a powerful storytelling tool in their Dignity in Motion show.

Playing at the Star Theatre in District Six on Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 November, the show has helped participants heal, feel empowered, and regain their dignity, using the performing arts to grow and express themselves

Shadrick Valayadum, chief executive officer of the Shelter, said the production was performed with arts director Jaco Maree and choreographed by artist Alvina Menigo “Each scene used ballroom dance as a storytelling tool, reflecting stages of life and emotions such as loneliness, struggle, connection, and trust ”

The Heaven Night Shelter is a Welfare Organisation that provides temporary shelter, physical care, social welfare and family re-unification services to adult homeless persons in the province Valayadum explained that the show was partially funded by the City of Cape Town, the Haven and various other donors “The project was spearheaded by our operations manager We started with 80 people but at the end only 20 clients from shelters in Retreat, Green Point, District Six and Kalk Bay participated ” Valayadum said participants expressed themselves through dance genres like the tango, quick step and the waltz “Ballroom teaches composure and trust Homeless people struggle with trust because of the disappointments and rejections that they had to go through in life ”

DIGNITY IN MOTION - BALLROOM TEACHES COMPOSURE AND TRUST

invisible There is this idea that all homeless people are on drugs, but there are some decent people on the street and we need to give them a second chance ”

He explained that the show gave clients an opportunity to tell their life story through ballroom dancing “We are saying to clients you are not

Valayadum said one of her clients was once an avid ballroom dancer, but life took an unfortunate turn and she ended up on the street She

also suffered five strokes that left her confined to a wheelchair He said when they approached her for the Dignity in Motion show she immediately agreed Juan Barnard, one of the participants based at the Napier shelter in Green Point, he always wanted to do the waltz but never got the opportunity He described the show as a “life-changing experience ” “It was a humbling experience We didn’t do this for anyone but for ourselves Seeing the reaction from the audience brough tears to my eyes I have made a lot of friends I’ve learned that through hard work and determination you can achieve anything ” He also shared a message with the

broader public “Those faces that you see on the street are people with potential They just need opportunities ” Barnard expressed his gratitude to everyone who helped to bring the show to life

Valayadum said watching the clients perform on stage after months of preparation was a heartwarming moment “I was crying They were giving testimonies through dance, and it was a professional production “Some of their families came to watch the show as well and it was so emotional to see how they hugged each other after the show ”

Valayadum explained that due to popular demand they hope to have another show next month but could not provide a date yet

NewbosstakesreignsatPollsmoor

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has entered a new era of leadership with the appointment of Ntomboxolo Kungune, as the Area Commissioner for the Pollsmoor Management Area

National Commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale formally introduced Kungune and presided over her insignia pinning ceremony on Tuesday 4 November

The event, held in the Western Cape, was attended by Regional Commissioner Advocate Chantelle Williams-Paulse, regional heads, and members of the Pollsmoor management team

This appointment fills a long-standing vacancy and to bring renewed stability, focus, and direction to the management area

According to DCS, the appointment also underscores the Department’s ongoing commitment to promoting capable women leaders within its ranks

“Kungune brings over 30 years of experience and a proven record of excellence in correctional leadership She previously served as Area Commissioner for Drakenstein Management Area since 2021 and, before that, as Area Com-

missioner for Allandale from 2014,” reads a DCS statement “Her journey with the Department began in 1995 as a professional nurse in Mthatha Since then, she has held several key positions, including Manager: Health Care at Drakenstein, Area Coordinator: Human Resources, and Director at Pollsmoor Management Area, roles that have shaped her into a seasoned and well-rounded leader

“Kungune’s operational acumen is complemented by an impressive academic background, which includes a BCur degree from the University of Fort Hare, a Diploma in Human Resources, and an honours degree in Public Administration from the University of Stellenbosch

“Her appointment marks a milestone in a career defined by dedication, service, and the pursuit of excellence,” according to DCS