People's Post False Bay E-edition 28 October 2025

NGOsdemandMSGforpoor

NAMHLAMONAKALI

Acoalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and researchers is urging the South African government to approve a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) to help poor pregnant women, as child poverty and malnutrition continue to rise

The MSG advocacy coalition says the grant would cost R2 billion annually, just 0,1% of government spending but could save about R13,8 billion by preventing low-birth-weight births and stunting, according to new policy proposals by Hold My Hand, Change Ideas and Grow Great (DG Murray Trust)

“This grant is a realisable opportunity to support pregnant women with a financial lifeline and economic agency when they need it most,” says Julie Mentor, Project Lead at Embrace

The grant would support roughly 800 000 women for nine months, starting in the second trimester and continuing three months after birth

It would provide a bridge to the Child Support Grant (CSG), ensuring infants receive nutrition during their first months, a critical period for healthy growth and brain development

“Income support during pregnancy improves maternal and child nutrition, lowers maternal

NEARLY70%OFCHILDREN LIVEINPOVERTY,40% HOUSEHOLDSUNABLETOMEET BASICNUTRITIONALNEEDS

stress and reduces the incidence of low-birthweight babies, a key predictor of stunting,” says Liezel Engelbrecht, Nutrition Lead at DG Murray Trust

Nearly 70% of children in South Africa live in poverty, with almost 40% in households unable to meet basic nutritional needs (“NGOs urge South African government to approve maternal support grant” People’s Post, 4 February 2025) Chronic malnutrition begins in the womb and can lead to stunting, which affects learning, cognitive development and future economic productivity

“Children who do not receive proper nutrition in the womb and early months are more likely to face stunting, poor cognitive development and lower educational outcomes,” warns Nicola Eley, deputy director of Grow great

The coalition says the MSG is not charity but justice It would reach women in informal work who are excluded from maternity benefits, helping to reduce inequality and break intergenera-

tional cycles of poverty

Advocates highlight that nearly half of eligible infants do not access the CSG in their first year, leaving a gap in crucial early nutrition Introducing the MSG would ensure financial support reaches families during this critical period, improving health and long-term educational outcomes

The coalition is calling on the Department of Social Development to table the MSG policy before Cabinet without delay, ensuring pregnant women and their unborn children receive the support they need

NHWnominationscloseinafewdaystime

Entries for this year ’ s Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Awards will close on Friday 31 October

The annual awards celebrate outstanding achievements in community safety and neighbourhood support

Organisers are urging the public to submit their nominations urgently

The nominations can be done across a number of categories, for individual NHW members or teams/organisations

Nomination forms are available in English, IsiXhosa and Afrikaans – each nomination must be accompanied by supporting evidence, like social media or news clippings, affidavits and photographs among others

JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, said: “Our Neighbourhood Watches provide a visible presence and offer a sense

of security and peace of mind to many of our residents The awards shine a light on their commitment and hard work They amplify the reach of the safety and security directorate, and this is an opportunity to show our appreciation and gratitude ” Smith said that people could nominate the same person or neighbourhood watch group for more than one category, but that a separate form should be submitted for each nomination

The awards ceremony will take place at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Saturday 22 November

THECATEGORIESFORINDIVIDUAL

MEMBERSINCLUDE:

. Neighbourhood Watch Member of the Year – outstanding achievement in safeguarding members and property

. Organisational Excellence –

exceptional Neighbourhood Watch management

. Mobiliser of the Year – extraordinary efforts to unite and mobilise the community

. Inspiration of the Year – a leader who inspires across multiple Watches

. Crime Fighter of the Year –selfless commitment in the fight against crime

. Courage in Action – sustained service under challenging safety conditions

FORNEIGHBOURHOODWATCHES

. Neighbourhood Watch of the Year – exceptional service in community protection

. Situational Crime Prevention Award – efforts to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe environment

. Social Responsibility Award –commitment to healing social ills and strengthening unity

. Courage in Action Award

– continued operations despite serious community safety risks . Disaster Relief Contributor of the Year – outstanding contribution during the City’s Disaster Management Donation Drive . Best Utilisation of Technology Award – innovative and effective use of technology to enhance safety Nominees must be accredited with the Provincial Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety or have formal accreditation applications pending Entries for the newly added categories, Disaster Relief Contributor of the Year and Best Utilisation of Technology Award, can be submitted via email: nwawards@ capetown org za, together with the required body of evidence . For details email can be sent to: nw awards@capetown gov za

Whattheworldisreallymadeofthesedays

2025

Learning to embrace the speed of modern life

“I remembered reading that they were making sausages out of fish, and fish, no doubt, out of something different It gave me the feeling that I’d bitten into the modern world and discovered what it was really made of That’s the way we ’ re going nowadays Everything slick and streamlined, everything made out of something else ”

This passage from George Orwell’s novel Coming up for air has become a haunting metaphor to describe this glittery age we find ourselves racing to embrace and understand

First published in 1939 just before World War 2 and the birth of the atomic bomb, two terrifying phenomena that would alter life and our idea of safety and security

forever

And yet I find the novel still captures the unease and paranoia that technological and industrial innovation presents our society in

A few years ago, we survived and emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, where we witnessed hybrid work environments, government distrust, the rise of podcasts and dying theatres and record stores closing down

During this time the political world became more divided, with content creators sharing their ideologies towards their fanbases on social media and deepening the divide between liberals and conservatives to boost their followers

We saw YouTube become the new television and now we are bombarded with unskippable ads and more spam calls than ever before Cooped up in our homes while being forced to quarantine and social distance, these videos or “content” we consumed became an escape from a gloomy reality we were struggling to accept

You often hear people say they weren’t the same person that entered the pandemic

All the while our cellphones, our apps, kept updating and improving

Now these devices are operating at unprecedented speeds, effortlessly processing oceans of

data and completing tasks more efficiently

We are basking in the golden age of technology and witnessing the breakneck speed of information and ever increasing popularity of social media

Particularly, Instagram and the obsession of appearing cool and having an “aesthetic” and style that sets you apart from the rest and pretending to live as a celebrity

Now a photograph that would organically capture a moment has become exploited, filtered or polished to satisfy some personal idea

In the past, reporters and the radio were the main source of information for the public who had to verify facts before they were published Now we are seeing accidents, traumatic videos of violence being shared at the push of a button and spreading like wildfire online

These videos are being shared and seen seemingly without consequence or any care to fact-check if this news truly occurred on this day nor if the contents are disturbing for viewers

God forbid the graphic material enters the TikTok feed of a young person, reshaping their algorithm

to ensure they’ll see similar content because they haven’t skipped the video in five seconds

It’s as if social media has become a colourful zoo where visitors are gasping at graphic and upsetting material whilst being unable to peel their eyes from the screen like numb and overstimulated zombies

Now reporters must adapt to a world where research and patience are becoming relics of the past and they’re competing with endless videos being posted without being checked or edited for credibility

Like the word “fast food” means a quick, cheap and tasty meal, people can become irritated and impatient when this convenience doesn’t fulfil its promise and they waited 20 minutes for their hamburger

And yet after they’ve exhausted their lungs, once they’ve received their meal they’ll bite into the meat like some rabid hyaena, with little care to consider if the meat they’re chewing is truly the “100% pure bred beef’’ they paid for I think this is an apt way to describe why we should remember the importance of staying vigilant and distinguish between the truth and the lies being sold and packaged to us with colourful gift wrapping

Longbeach gets into festive spirit

KEANANHARMSE

More than 20 visitors and their families enjoyed a weekend of getting into the festive spirit and crafting Christmas decorations from recycled materials.

Earlier this month, a workshop was held at Longbeach Mall in Noordhoek, where guests took part in a creative community project Designers created two items per person, one to take home and the other for the mall’s Christmas tree, with the creator’s name attached

The workshop, which fostered the idea of transforming recycled items into works of art, was organised by Irene Oxley, president of the South African Society of Artists

Visitors of all ages participated with guided instruction, in a collaborative enterprise that enabled them to walk

at 082 303 6798.

The Cape Town International Kite Festival brought bursts of colour to the skies above Youngsfield Military Base in Wynberg this past weekend In this, its 31st year, it paid tribute to the qualities of creativity, courage and mental-health awareness Earlier in the week, on Tuesday 21 October, kites were flown at Dolphin Beach, Bloubergstrand PHOTO: NAMHLA MONAKAL

Mentalhealth‘ajourney’

NAMHLAMONAKALI

The skies above Youngsfield Military Base came alive with bursts of colour over the weekend as the Cape Town International Kite Festival returned for its full two-day format, celebrating creativity, courage and mental health awareness

Organised by Cape Mental Health since 1994, the festival was held on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 October

The event featured international kites, family-friendly entertainment, kite-making workshops and food stalls

This year ' s theme, #CourageToFly, highlighted the bravery it takes to face life's challenges and encouraged open conversations about mental health

Ingrid Daniel, chief executive officer (CEO) of Cape Mental Health, said the festival carries a deeper message

“Five and a half years ago was the last festival that we had, and since then we have seen unprecedented challenges in everyone ’ s neighbourhood,” she said “More than 1 billion people globally live with a mental-health condition, and we are seeing an exponential increase in prevalence, particularly among young people ” Daniel added that the kite symbolised resil-

ience and hope “The kite spreads its wings and dances in the sky It encourages us to fly and reminds us that when life feels overwhelming, there is hope and assistance for people facing challenges Cape Mental Health provides free services so no one is left behind ”

Deputy CEO Santie Terreblanche said mental health is about coping with daily life while protecting your well-being “Mental health, for me, is to be able to show up and do what’s expected of me, and to deal with what comes my way in a way that does not cause undue anxiety or pressure It’s also knowing that today I will give my best ”

Among the visitors, Zimkhita Citi, a resident, shared her wish for increased support “I'd like institutions to be introduced in the township to provide more support and raise awareness about mental health,” she said Cape Mental Health said the festival is not only a celebration of imagination but also a fundraiser for mental health services across the province The public attended to fly kites, support the cause and stand in solidarity with people living with mental health conditions

As the kites soared into the sky, organisers said the event served as a reminder that mental health is a journey, not a destination and that everyone deserves access to care and support

Special school zoning issues

KEANANHARMSE

An eight-year-old school in Ottery that has battled to remain operational is facing imminent closure after being handed a letter to "cease operations" from the City of Cape Town.

In terms of the letter, Otters Creek Junior School (OCJS), situated on 11 Serissa Street, is in contravention of the City's Planning By-Law

According to the letter, the property is zoned as "SR1 Single Residential Zone 1", therefore cannot be used as a school

The letter, dated September 9, warned the school to stop operating from its current premises on Tuesday 11 November

The school has three campuses in the Ottery area: a Baby Centre focusing on infants under two years old, a pre-primary school for ages two to six and a junior school for Grades 1-7

They support kids with learning disabilities and provide individual attention and teach in small classes

The imminent closure has left parents, staff and learners in distress as the institution searched for alternative premises

People's Post spoke with founder and managing director Yomna Allie to uncover how the school is managing this crisis

"Since the very start of the school we applied for compliance There have been numerous challenges, and every time we tried to mitigate them we just faced more and more So our school is operating without compliance, but not because we haven't made every effort to meet the required criteria for compliance "

EVENOURAPPEALFAILED

Allie said she bought the property in 2017 and tried to apply for consent use before opening the school

"I discovered the City of Cape Town actually had no building plans for that property on record," she said

"I was then forced to draw as-built plans which delayed my initial application We restarted the rezoning process in 2021 after an attempt to apply for consent use failed between 2018 and 2020

"The rezoning application process was managed by a professional town planner and the process concluded only this year Even our appeal failed "

The school was asked to do a noise assessment and a traffic assessment, Allie claimed

The letter the school was served to " cease activities" has been upsetting for parents and staff, she said

"This instruction from the City of Cape Town has caused enormous distress for the parents, children and staff who earn their living at the school We decided to look for alternative premises, which we are still currently doing, premises that can fit into our budget and that are easily accessible for parents and suitable for the children "

When People's Post enquired from the City how it was engaging with the school the municipality said it remained committed to ensuring development across the City took place in a lawful, safe and responsible manner

"Where challenges arise, particularly in cases involving schools and community institutions, the City seeks to apply the law with fairness," said Mayco member for spatial planning and the environment Eddie Andrews, "while advis-

OTTERS CREEK SAYS ALL EFFORTS OVER TIME TO HONOUR COMPLIANCE THE CITY HAS REBUFFED OR REJECTED

ing affected parties on areas of non-compliance and the steps required to rectify or regularise their applications in line with planning requirements and the municipal planning bylaw (MPBL) "

The City said it had empathy for the parents, learners and broader Ferness Estate community regarding the recent notice of closure of the school

"Unfortunately, the school has since 2019 been operating illegally from a property that is zoned as single residential," Andrews pointed out, "which does not permit a place of instruction as a primary land-use right As part of our commitment to transparent and supportive planning processes officials from the local planning district will be available to engage with the applicant during the pre-application phase, in line with the provisions of the MPBL "

The land-use application will have to comply with the provisions of the MPBL and will be assessed on its merits, he added

"A public-participation process will also be required to allow surrounding neighbours and property owners to comment on the application before any decision is made "

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) noted that the school is having issues with their municipal zoning

"Ours is an independent school, and the WCED is not closing it," said school spokesperson Kerry Mauchline "Queries would need to be directed to the independent school " Andrews said the City remains sensitive to the impact such matters have on families and communities

"Our approach is to guide and support applicants through the proper legal channels so community-serving facilities can continue their work in a way that is lawful, safe and beneficial to all residents," he said

The school is still engaging with the City to submit a new application of consent use so they have another chance to apply, "Hopefully they can assist us to overcome the technical challenges we faced with our first application," she said

Concerned parent, Nazreen Sonday said her 10-year old son is one of the speical needs learners at the school

"He has been attending OCJS since Grade R We struggled to find a suitable school for him and were fortunate Allie opened her doors for us Our boy has been thriving at the school and they have been increidbly accomodating of his needs," she said

Fellow parent, Waybah Phillips said her children are neurodiverse and require small classes with individual attention

"Currently the governement special needs schools do not cater enough for higher functioning special needs My kids have been on the or government special needs schools waiting list for the last five years Where do we take our kids if Otters closes? We are appealing to the City Help us keep the school open "

Club showcases flowers

A look at one of last year’s winners

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Club Secretary at 083 499 0888

ScribantewinsSpeedClassicCapeTown‘25

Franco Scribante claimed the King of the Mountain title at the inaugural Speed Classic Cape Town on Sunday 26 October, driving his 2018 Nissan GTR R35 to victory on the closed-off

Philip Kgosana Drive in the city

Scribante set a time of 35,260 seconds on the 1,8km track, finishing 0 599 seconds ahead of Reghard Roets, who drove a 2014 Nissan GTR R35 to second place with a time of 35,859 seconds Dawie Joubert completed the podium with a time of 37,407 seconds in his Lotus

Exige

Pieter Zeelie, who had regularly topped the timing charts and was in contention for the crown throughout the day on Sunday, suffered a faulty start in his final run during the King of the Mountain shootout, putting him out of contention

FROMFERRARISTO1000HPMONSTERS

Close to 80 supercars and hillclimb monsters competed under the shadow of Table Mountain, with cars reaching top speeds of nearly 240km/h

Sunday’s field included everything from modern Ferraris, McLarens and Lamborghinis to modified single seaters and saloon cars with over 1000hp, while Saturday featured a range of nearly 70 classic cars – from single seaters steeped in racing history, to modified classic road cars

“It was a really great day for us We were absolutely nowhere when we got to the Class Finals, so I knew we would have to dig deep But I didn’t know if it would be enough, so it was a miracle that it all came together for the final run and I cannot wait to be back again next year, ” said Scribante, who had settled for second place on Classic Car Saturday

BATTLEOFTHECLASSICS

It was Charles Arton that claimed the Classic Champion title on Saturday by setting a winning time of 40,143 in his 1979 March 79A Scribante in his Chevron B19, set a time of 40,362 in the Classic Champion finale Scribante had broken the 40 second mark in his Class Finals run, which set the grid for the Classic Champion shootout However, Arton was able to come out ahead of Scribante in the day’s final run

The podium was rounded out by James Tem-

ple, who clocked 43,245 in his Shelby Daytona Coupe Temple bettered his time of 44,614 in the Class Finals run, but it did not prove to be enough to unseat either Arton or Scribante

RACINGBENEATHICONICMOUNTAINBACKDROP

Speed Classic Cape Town Race Director Enzo Kuun described the course as one of the “most scenic tracks in the world ”

“To race with Table Mountain to my right, the Atlantic Ocean to my left and Lion’s Head behind me was an absolute privilege and epic experience,” Kuun said

The event attracted close to 15 000 spectators through the gates, with close to 180 000 joining the livestreams across Saturday and Sunday

Speed Classic Cape Town event director Garth Mackintosh said the event is poised to establish itself as a premier hillclimb event following the successful first weekend

“To see our vision come to fruition has been extremely satisfying I think you can only get bigger and better from here and we are ready to invest and create a future event that can only go from strength-to-strength,” Mackintosh said

The results for both days can be accessed on the Speed Classic Cape Town website