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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
“Our learners now have the opportunity to explore different worlds, meet wonderful characters, and experience the true magic that books bring to our lives This wonderful initiative has been made possible through the generous support of The Principals Academy, the driving force behind the Classroom Library Project, who also sourced the funding for all our books,” she said
She says the school is eternally grateful to Janet Venter from The Principals Academy, who worked closely with their staff in developing these libraries for our children
Zandvlei Athletics Club (ZAC) is hoping to attract more racers and members to join its 15 km race, taking runners on a scenic route featuring ocean and mountain views on Sunday
30 November
This year the Boyes Drive Classic takes place at 06:00 starting from False Bay College in Westlake
There will be medals up for grabs for all the runners who complete the race
The club operates in Steenberg, Lavender Hill and Vrygrond and is described as more than just a running club – it’s become a “community lifeline” by its chair Waleed Allie
“Running above the False Bay coast gives fantastic vistas, the ocean on one side, mountains on the other It’s more than just a run, it’s an experience It’s also beginner friendly, although 15km is still a decent distance,” he said
The route features primarily road running, but there are climbs so training should include elaboration or hill work, he added
Portions of Boyes Drive and connecting roads will be closed or controlled between 06:00 and 08:45 on race day
Residents and motorists are asked to use alternative routes Runners can compete in the following races:
“With the enthusiasm of both teachers and learners, we are confident that this initiative will have a lasting and positive impact on our learners’ progress and development,” Engel said The school celebrated the launch with a vibrant showcase of the children’s talents
“The marching band impressed everyone with their rhythm and coordination, while the choir delighted the audience with a lively song about World Book Day We were moved by the grace of our spiritual dancers, and our Grade 3 learners entertained everyone with a spirited performance of Roald Dahl’s poem ‘TV’,” Engel said Engel thanked the school’s teachers who worked tirelessly in preparing the learners for their performances
“We extend heartfelt thanks to Bruce Probyn and Janet Venter for their dedication and collaboration with the Perivale Primary School team in bringing this project to life,” said Engel
The minimum age for the 15km is 15 years and the cut-off time for the 15km race is 2 hours and 45 minutes Refreshments will be available along the route
Race costs are as follows: licensed (including juniors) are at R150 and unlicensed is at R235
Runners are encouraged to register early as entries are limited . For more information email: awa1805@gmail com or call 082 493 2266
Christel House South Africa (CHSA) held a special assembly honouring their top learners featuring inspirational success stories from their alumni at their school hall on Wednesday 12 November.
The school celebrated its milestone achievements for the year while looking forward to the future and highlighting plans to expand the reach of their school and incorporate the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a constructive tool for their learners
Christel House South Africa is a no-fee, non-profit school based in Ottery and supports learners from disadvantaged communities, starting from Grade RR until age 18 and five years post matric
Chief academic officer at the school Dr Ronald Fortune had the honours of highlighting and handing out the awards to the learners and staff who excelled during the year
Teacher and coach Roscoe Hendricks won the teacher award; he coached a team of junior school teachers
“For the first time in 24 years, he led through his leadership and outstanding commitment to coaching of our junior school athletics team; he coached them to first place,” said junior school principal Carol Kriel
The winner of the Christel award was Katlego Dunjana for setting examples in kindness, commitment and leadership
Darren van Wyk was crowned the winner of the Lord Anthony Singen award
“This award honours a young athlete who embodies resilience, patience and a steadfast commitment to go all the way and complete the race, one hour, 49 minutes for 21 kilometres,” said school principal Nasar Harris
On the day learners also entertained their guests with thrilling choir performances and a Hip Hop act
“Our slogan, ‘From Classrooms to Life’, was
beautifully woven throughout the event, capturing exactly what Christel House stands for Every lesson, every performance, every story shared reflected our goal to prepare (learners) not just for exams, but for life, confident, capable, and ready to make a difference
“We’re filled with gratitude for our donors, sponsors, and supporters To our incredible staff for your passion and dedication, our (learners) for shining so brightly, and our service providers and partners for your support, thank you for helping us create a truly extraordinary day,” read the school’s Instagram page
