People’s Post False Bay E-edition 4 August 2026

PSFA beneficiariesscore vital sporting vouchers

KAYLYNNEBANTOM

The countdowntoone of Cape Town’s biggest charitywalks is underway, with just 11 days to go before thousandsofparticipantslaceupfor the annual Blisters forBread CharityFamily FunWalkinGreen Point.

Thefundraiser, organisedbythe Peninsula School FeedingAssociation(PSFA)inassociationwithLucky Star,takes placeonSunday 16 August at theGreen PointCommonSports Grounds.

Entriestothe walk closed on Sunday 2August

On Tuesdaylastweek,28July, People’s Post visitedtwo long-standingbeneficiaryschools to witnesshow thePSFA’sfeedingprogramme continuestomakea difference in thelives of theirlearners.

Thetwo beneficiaries, Spurwing Primary School andForestHeights PrimarySchool,both in EersterRiver,alsoreceiveda R1 000 Sportsman’sWarehouse gift vouchereach, to buysport equipment.

Spurwing hasbenefitedfromthe programme for33years.Principal Hadley Wentzelsaidthe programmeplays apivotal role.“We cansay with pridethatweappreciate what thePSFA does forthe school.Itisnot just aboutgiving them food,itisabout restoringtheir dignity. So much thoughtgoesintothe menusthatare chosenfor thechildren. Thefeedingschemealso hasa bigimpactonthe children’s academics.”

Grade2 teacherBronwyn Kaysaidmany learners rely on themeals they receiveatschool “The feedingschemehas ahugeimpactonour children.Wedon’t always know theircircumstancessothe food they receiveisimportant.It allows theirbrainstoopenup. When thekids return from thefeedingscheme, they arealways hypedupand happybecause they just hadfood, youcan seethe change in theirpersonality.”

Kitchenstaff member Angeline de Vos, who hasworkedatthe school for15years,saidpreparing mealsfor thelearnersisrewarding

“I love howthe kids’facelight up when they receivetheir food.And when they aredone, they wouldcomplementusfor thenicefood.It makesmyheart happyknowing youare feeding achild whoperhaps hadnothing to eatthe nightbefore.”

THE PSFA’S FEEDING PROGRAMME CONTINUES TO MAKE ADIFFERENCE IN THE LIVESOFLEARNERS

Forest Heightshas also been aPSFAbeneficiaryfor 33 years.

Francine Julius,who hasworkedinthe school’s kitchenfor 16 years, said servingthe learners is more than just ajob

“The children areimportant to me.I feel happy that Ican preparefood forthem. Many of them come from homeswhere there’snothing to eat."

PrincipalChris du Plessissaidthe feeding scheme provides avital safety netfor many families

“Our learners come from diversebackgrounds wheresomeparents arestruggling. Theschool is theonlyplace wheresomeofthemcan receivea warm andnutritiousmeal.”

Participants canalsocollect theirracenumbers at selected Sportsman'sWarehouse stores across thecity.

‘Thingsfallapart’:LearningfromclassicsasSA’scentreslips

My father hasa habitof handingmebookswithan instructionratherthana recommendation. “Readthis,”he says.“Then tell me what you think.”

Theassignmentcameintwo parts: William Butler Yeats’s TheSecondComing andChinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. Nearly acentury separatesthe twoworks Yettheyask thesamequestion: what happenswhenthe ties bindinga community together beginto break?

Yeatsgaveone of themost famous linesinEnglish literature: “Things fall apart; thecentrecannothold.”Hewrote it in 1919,after WorldWar I. Societiesdonot fall only from outsideblows.Theyfall becausethe moralcentreholding them together growsweak. Achebe took that line nearly 40 years laterasthe titleofhis 1958 novel. Hismaincharacter,Okonkwo,is crushedbycolonialism.Yet Things Fall Apart also showsa society alreadycrackingbeforeEuropean rule arrives. Colonialismspeeds up thecollapse. It does notcause everycrack Societiesbecomeweakwhenthey lose theability to adaptand keep

people’s trust. That question feels closetohomenow SouthAfricaisnot afailedstate Yetthe gapbetween what theConstitutionpromisesand what people live throughishardtoignore. Servicedeliveryfailures, broken localgovernmentand fading trust have made people’s faithweaker than theinstitutionsthemselves. Governmentschange. Trustis harder to rebuild.

On Friday 24 July,the Western Cape High CourtgavePresident CyrilRamaphosa acourt order haltingParliament’simpeachment processoverthe PhalaPhala scandal.

On Monday 27 July,Ramaphosa accepted thesuddendeparture of Advocate Andrea Johnsonashead of theInvestigating Directorate againstcorruption(IDAC), theunit setuptochase complexcorruption cases. Johnsonsaidshe facedwhat shecalledunprecedented attacks on heroffice.The Presidentholds up theprocess meanttoholdhim accountable. Theanti-corruption chiefwalks outthe door Meanwhile, 63%ofSouth Africa’s municipalities arein financialtrouble, accordingtoNationalTreasury figures. Police face what experts call asystemincollapse. TheGovernmentofNationalUnity,formed afterthe AfricanNationalCongress (ANC) lost itsmajorityin2024, strainsunder budget fights and public quarrels between theANC

andthe Democratic Alliance (DA) RamaphosawarnedonMonday that government is readytotake over waterservicesfromfailing municipalities.Thata president must threaten action to deliver cleanwater says enough Yeatssaw this coming when he wrote: “The best lack allconviction, whilethe worstare fullofpassionateintensity.” Loud certaintyoften pays betterthancareful truth.

Former presidentJacob Zuma, nowleading theuMkhontoweSizweParty,spent thelastweek of July tightening hisgriponthe party. He scrappedhis presidential task team,took away hissecretary-general’s powers andremoved everyparty official’s access to the party’sbankaccounts Zuma stillowesthe stateabout R29million in legalfees andis fighting to keep histax records hidden.His partymembers in the KwaZulu-Natallegislature face claims of faking medicalreports to getstate-paiddrivers He holdsloyalty throughforce of personalityand anger. He gives certaintywhere care is needed and rage wherethought is needed Achebe understood something today’sleaders forget.Institutions draw theirstrengthnot from laws alonebut from shared habits of trust. Communities last because people believethe rulesare worth following,evenwhenfollowing them is hard.Whenthatbelief

fades, thefallisnot sudden. It showsinlowered hopes, accepted failureand cynicism.Peoplestop seekingaccountability because they no longer believeitpossible. This maybewhatYeats meant by “the ceremony of innocence” Notinnocenceasfoolishness, but thehabitsand values that show asociety stillcares aboutjustice, accountability anddutytoothers. Once thosehabitslosemeaning, building them againisfar harder than keepingthem.

In the firstquarter of this year, 3,9million SouthAfricansbetween 15 and24had no education, work or training.Socialcohesion researchersscoredthe country56 outof100.

When I firstspoke to my father aboutYeats andAchebe, their images felt farawayand their warnings seemed hollow. Time has made them feel less like oldtexts andmorelikemirrors of today. Both writersremindusthat strong leadersorwrittenlaws alonedonot hold societiestogether.Theylastbecause enough people keep believinginstitutions matter, truthmatters andself-restraintisworth defending. ThequestionYeats leaves is not whetherthingscan fall apart. They always can. Themorepressing question is whetherpeoplestill seethe centre whileitslips and whethertheyhavethe will to hold it before historyrepeats itself

Raceworx foryouth

TLocallegend and sand sculptor,LaneleXaba, is famous forhis creativesand sculptures at Fish Hoek Beach. PHOTO:SUPPLIED FROMPAGE1

Smithsaidthe City hadsince ascertainedthat Xaba wastaken into custodybythe South AfricanPoliceonFriday26Juneonanunrelatedmatteraswellasona warrant of arrest Thepolicewould be best placed to speaktothe particularsofthis, he said Fish Hoek resident,Andre Hanekomdescribes Xaba as beingveryfriendlyand acomplete professional andsaysheand hisfamilyare longtime admiresofhis sand sculptures

“He’sa true artist andI’veoften seen his artworks at Fish Hoek andthe otherbeaches We’venever hadany problems with him,”he said Maycomemberfor community services and health Francine Higham clarified that no permit is required to buildsandcastles or create sand artonthe beach, andnopermitisrequiredfor busking.

“While theCity’sbusking guidelines require performers to move to anew location every45 minutes, this is notpractical forsandartists, whoseworkoften takesmuchlongertocomplete,”she said Instead, therecreationand parksdepartment hasaninformalarrangementwithsandartists

They areasked to buildonlymedium-sized sculptures andto flattenthematthe endof each day. This helpsprevent driedsandfrom blowingontowalkways, parkingareas and otherpublicspaces, shesaid.

Help our fluffyfriends find homes

Toshine thespotlight on thousands of pets that areabandoned or in need of newhomes, People’s Post has teamed up with TEARSAnimalRescue to help some of thesefour-legged pets getnew homes. Once amonth we will publishseveral dogs andcatsupfor adoption

TEARSisa pro-life non-profitorganisation (NPO)established in 1999 to rescue,treat, rehabilitate,reunite andre-home lost,abandoned, abused andneglected companionanimals andtoeducate petownersand theyouth living in thefourunder-resourced communities.The NPOremains theonlyfacilityinthe Cape Peninsula’sfar Southavailable sevendays perweek,including an after-hoursmobile clinic servicefrom16:30 to 19:00withlimited veterinarycare. TEARStreatshundredsofanimals forvarious conditions,illnessesand injuries

TEDDY:

Teddy is asweet,affectionateboy whois strugglinginthe kennelsafter beingreturnedto TEARSthrough no faultofhis own. Poisoned by burglars in hisprevioushome, he nowlongs forlove, security andhuman companionship. Acalmforever or long-termfosterhomewill help this gentle soul trulyshine.Could yoube Teddy's second chance?

TODD:

Todd, an Africanis-Lurchermix,has spentalmost seven yearsinthe TEARSkennels,making himtheir longest-stayingdog.Surrendered as apuppy,he’sgrown into agentle, intelligent boywho thriveswithother dogs andneeds apatient, experiencedhome. Once he trusts you, his loyaltyisunwavering. Couldyou give Todd the foreverhomehe’sbeenwaiting for?

SUMMER: Summerisanaffectionate, energetic young

mixed-breed lookingfor an active family to call herown.Raisedina home from puppyhood, she’sgreat with children,loves otherdogs, and thrivesoncompanionship.Still learning,she’ll flourish with continuedtraining, structure, and plenty of adventures.Ifyou’relookingfor a fun-lovingbestfriend, Summerisready to meet you!

NIKITA: Nikita is aloyal,intelligent eight-year-old

lookingfor thesecondchanceshe deserves Returned afterher family moved, shecame back to TEARSunderweight butstill fulloflove. Sheneedsa patienthomewhere shecan build trustather ownpace. Bright,affectionate, and playful,Nikitaisready to blossomintoa devoted lifelong companion.

GRACIE: Gracie is aplayful ginger girl whodiscovered

UE,TREAT,REHABILITATE, E,ANDRE-HOMEPETS

sonality afterraising herkittens anddevoted mama,she’s nowa -lovingadventurerwho turnseverygame.Fullofsass, affection,and rgy, Gracie will keep youlaughing yful antics.Ifyou’relookingfor a gs joyand excitement,Gracieis eet you!

POLKA:

playful,affectionategirlwho’s embraced hersecondchanceafter raisingher kittens.Oncea devotedmama, she’snow full of life—hopping,bouncing, andshowing off her delightfully quirky personality. With hersweet nature,funny antics,and soulful eyes,Polka is guaranteed to keep yousmiling.Ifyou’relookingfor acat whobringsendless joyand laughter, Polkaisready to danceintoyourheart

MAC:

Macisa sweetyoung girl with ahugeheart, waitingfor someonetosee beyond herFIV diagnosis. Affectionate, gentle,and happiestwith humancompanionship,she longsfor aloving home whereshe canfeel safe andcherished FIVdoesnot define her—shecan stilllivea long,happy life with theright care.Mac is ready forher second chance

ZUKO:

Zuko is ahandsomeginger-and-whiteboy with abig personalityand an even bigger heart. Playful,affectionate, andfullofcuriosity.Like anyspiritedyoungster,hecan be alittlefeisty andwillthrivewitha confident,patient adopter whocan providelovingguidanceand clear boundaries.Inreturn, Zuko will reward you with endlesslaughter, loyalty, andlove.