People’s Post Woodstock/Maitland/City E-edition 21 July 2026

Aandsandwichestopeoplel go Cape Town’s streets.

Today, that single actofcompassion has grownintoSouperTroopers’ Humanity Hubin Woodstock, wherepeopleexperiencinghomelessnessreceive holistic support to help rebuild theirlives Hoffman, founderand executivedirectorof Souper Troopers, said theorganisation’sjourneybegan with asimplepromise

“I realised that daythatI didn’t want to make promises that Icouldn’tkeep,soI gave adate

that Iwould show up againthe next month. For me,thatwas apowerful dayofconnection. it felt like acalling forme.”

Supported by hermother, Hoffmancontinued hostingmonthly social events formorethan five years, drawingbetween 400and 700peopleat each gathering.

Theevents, initially held in theCompany’s Garden before moving to theService DiningRoominDistrictSix andlater theHope Exchange in RoelandStreet, were runwiththe

dign y, love andrespect,I swould be a superworld,” said Hoffman.

As relationshipswiththose living on the streetsdeepened,Hoffmanrealisedemergency relief alonewas notenough.

That vision ledtothe establishmentofthe Humanity Hubatthe endof2020, before the organisation relocatedtoits current premises in NewMarketStreet,Woodstock, in 2022.

TheHumanityHub provides holistic support by meetingbasic needssuchasfood,clothingand toiletries whileofferingpersonalised services includinghealthcareand addiction

ebelieve ereisnoone-s e- ts-a approach when it comestohomelessness, but when youconnect with an individual andlisten to theirneeds, thereismorethanlikelya way forwardthatcan transformtheir lives. We want them to become independentmembers of society.”

Theorganisationnow employsformerclients throughits Souper Squadprogramme Many have transitioned off thestreetsand are living in shelters,safespacesorhavereunited with theirfamilies.

Walkthetalkforchildren

KAYLYNNEBANTOM

Whena 10-year-old

Robert Knutsen first took part in Blisters forBread in 1969, he tackled theroute in hisschool shoes and finished with theblisters to proveit.

More than five decadeslater, Knutsen(67)willreturntothe eventthathas grownfroma small school initiative into oneofthe WesternCape’sbiggest fundraisersinthe fightagainst childhood hunger

Organisedannually by thePeninsula School FeedingAssociation (PSFA),the Blisters forBread in associationwithLucky Star will take placeonSunday16August in GreenPoint.The eventaims to raisemuch-needed funds and awarenesstohelpfeed vulnerable children across theprovince.

Thecharity walk beganin1968 when staff andlearnersofSavio College in Lansdownelaunchedthe initiative to support school feeding programmes Lookingbackonhis firstBlisters forBread walk from Simon’sTown to Lansdowne, Knutsentold People’sPost theevent left himwith lastingmemories.

“WhenI firstparticipated, Iwas a learneratthe school.Backthen, we were youngand hada lotofenergy, so we raninstead of walking. Iremember my firstrun becauseI did it whilewearing school shoesbecausewedidn’thavefancy shoes. I hadrealblistersafter that run. ”

He recalled howlearnerspersonally raised funds forthe walk by visiting homesintheir communities andaskingresidents to support thecause

“Backinthose days,itwas safe to walk thestreetsatnight and knockonpeople’sdoorsaskingfor sponsorships.”

BLISTERSFOR BREAD IS ON SUNDAY 16 AUGUST

Commentingonthe upcoming event, Knutsensaidhewas determinedtohelpafter readinga People’sPost articleearlier this year warningthatthisyear’sBlistersfor Breadcould be cancelleddue to financialconstraints

“I took aphotographofthe articleand posted it on ourfriends’ WhatsApp groupand askedhow we canrescuethe initiative.I thoughtitwould be sadifthisinitiativewould come to an end.”

He explainedthatone of his friendsisJonathanProcter,group ChiefExecutive OfficerofPrimedia, whodecided to come on board as aradio partner.

ProctersaidBlistersfor Bread holds“deep personal andcorpo-

rate significance” as he attended SavioCollege.HesaidKfm 94.5’s partnershipwiththe charityaligns with Primedia’s commitmentto community upliftment

Procterhighlighted therecord-breaking2022radiothon, whichraisedR20 million forthe PSFA

He addedthatthrough Primedia Caresand Kfm’scommunity initiatives, theorganisationcontinues to support education, disaster relief andyouth developmentacross SouthAfrica, with afocus on creatinglasting hope andopportunity.

“SupportingBlistersfor Bread is thereforenot only an honour rooted in my personal history, but also astrategic andethical imperativefor Primedia.Itexemplifies thespiritofUbuntu, ourshared humanity,which compelsusto take action againstinequalityand hunger

Participationinsuchinitiatives invigoratescommunities,nourish-

es children,and strengthensthe social fabric that bindsusall.” KnutsenbelievesBlistersfor Breadisa lastingreminderofthe values that definedSavio College andits commitmenttoserving the community Aftermorethan five decades, Knutsenispreparing to lace up hisshoes once againfor this year’s event.

“I am lookingforward to take part butI am lookingmostforward to notgetting blisters,” he said jokingly Participants canchoosebetween a10kmwalkstartingat07:30 and a5km walk starting at 08:00. Entrycosts R125 perperson, whichcan provide23childrenwith anutritiousbreakfast andlunch forone day.

Entriesare limitedto10000 participants,and registrations closeatmidnightonSunday2 August.Onlyonlineentries will be accepted

We arefacingmorethan ahousingcrisis

housing, toolittletoqualify fora bond on amarket-priced home

My work dayusually starts hoursearlier.The alarmgoes off before dawn

Everymorning teachers,nurses,policeofficers andthousands of othermiddle-income workers make thesamejourney.Theydo nottravelbecause they enjoyit. They travel becauselivingcloser to wheretheyworkhas become financially outofreach

That is whya recent housing market studyshouldconcern far more than aspiring home owners Cape Town residentialproperty prices rose 9,1% between September 2024 andSeptember last year.Average housepricesnow sit between R2,1 million andR3,36 million dependingonproperty type.Only43% of homessoldin Cape Town were priced belowR1,5 million.There is oneformalhouse forevery 3,3familiesearning less than R26000 permonth.More than 80%ofSouth Africanhouseholdscannotaffordpropertiesin theirown city

Thesenumbers were neverdesigned to addup. Consider theworkers:a teacher earnsR21 000 –R30 000 a month, an enrolled nurseR20 000 –R27 000, aprofessional nurse R28000 –R35 000, apoliceconstable R15000 –R20 000. They fall squarely in the“missing middle” toomuchfor state-subsidised

Thearithmeticisbrutal. To qualifyfor abondona R2,5 million suburban home,a householdneeds anet monthlyincomeofapproximately R55000 to R60000. Half of allCapeTownhouseholdsearn less than R20700 permonth.That is nota lifestyleproblem.Itisan arithmetic problem. No discipline closes agap that wide.Thisisnot apersonalfailure.Itisa structural wall.

Home ownershipisactively declining. Theshare of mortgage-linked, owner-occupied homesinSouth Africa fell from 7,5% in 2019 to 6,3% by last year Rentinghouseholdsrosefrom 21,9%to25,8%.These arenot signsofa market correctingitself. They describe amarketdesignedto exclude. Andthenthe City adds its ownweighttothe squeeze. Property ratesrose7,96%,after 5,7% the year before.Electricity increased by 7,2%,after an 11,78%hikelast year.Water costsrosethrough tiered pricingthatpushmiddle-income households into higher-rate bands.

Theseincreases arrive on topof already-stretchedrentand transport.For thosealready stretched on transportevery additional municipalcostfurther reduces what littleremains forsavings or investment

Theaffordability benchmarkis 10%. TheMyCiTiMonthly Pass rose by 50%, from R1 000 to R1 500inJulythisyear. Minibus-taxi usersreportmonthly costsofR1

200toR1500 fora single route. Workersdisplaced to outlying areastravel15-20 km or more.Those whocannotaffordtolivenearwork travel thefurthest, paythe most andlosethe most time

When teachers cannotaffordto live near theirschoolstheyspend hourscommuting insteadof preparinglessons or eating dinner with theirfamilies. Nurses finish demandingshiftsonlytoface anothertwo-hourjourney home Police officers servecommunities they cannotaffordtolivein. We should askhonestlywhether our cities aredesignedfor thepeople whokeep them functioning

Perhapsthe most revealingfact aboutthe City’s commitments is this:the City of Cape Town promised 12 000 affordable-housingunits targetinghouseholds earninguptoR32 000 permonth

As of mid-2025 nota single gapopen-market unit hadbeen completed. TheR5,1billion social packageexists. Thepolitical will to deploy it whereitisneeded most does notyet appear to SouthAfrica’snationalhousing backlogstandsatapproximately 2,4million units. More than 90% of individualsfromhistorically marginalised groups remain in areasdesignatedunder apartheid spatial-planning,) areasthatconcentrate poverty, limitopportunity andguarantee long commutes. Fewerthan8%oftracked householdsinsocialhousing ever transition to privatehomeownership When thesystemtraps people geographically thepromise that

honest work leadstosomewhere betterbecomes no more than an attractive butinfinitely elusive prospect

At what pointdid full-time employment stop beingenoughto builda life?Not alifeofluxury. A modest one. Aplace to call home Areasonablecommute.Timeto eatdinnerwithyourfamily. The chance to save.The possibility of building wealth insteadofspendinga growingshare of your salary on rent,transport andrisingmunicipalcosts

We have accepted adangerous contradiction. We tell youngpeoplethateducation is thepathway to opportunity, that hard work pays off,thata stable career leads to stability. Yetanincreasing number of graduatesand professionalsare discoveringthateven with permanentemployment, home ownershipinthe city where they work is notjustdelayed,but structurally impossible. Perhapsthe biggest question is notwhether theWestern Cape has enough affordablehouses. It is whetherwehavequietly accepted that an entire generation can do everything societyasked of them:study, find work,pay taxes, contribute to theeconomy andstill neverown ahomeinthe city they help build.

If that is becoming normal,then we arefacingmorethana housing crisis.Weare witnessing theslow erasureofone of themostfundamental promises of adulthood: that honest work should make it possibletobuild afuture.

FactretonPrimary head bows out

Ado you’ neve orka dayinyou e”,McAvoy believes hispassion foreducation hadbeen his drivingforce over four decades.

VolunteershelpLadlesof LovehonourMandelaDay

KAYLYNNEBANTOM

Thousandsofvolunteersrolleduptheir sleeves at Cape Town StadiumonFriday17Julyas hunger relief organisation,LadlesofLove, launched itsannual Hands-On Heroes campaigninhonourofMandela Day.

Theevent sawparticipantsspend 67 minutes assembling nutritionboxes,makingeducational toys,colouring booksand seed boxesthatwill benefitchildrenatearly childhood development (ECD)centres andcommunity farmersacross SouthAfrica.

ThecampaignaimstomobiliseSouth Africans to support thenutrition andeducation of 20000 youngchildrenattendingpreschoolsin under-resourcedcommunities

Four volunteer sessionswerehostedthroughoutthe day, allowing individuals, families and

corporategroupstotakepartinthe large-scale community initiative

Ladles of Love founderDanny Dilibertoencouraged SouthAfricanstocontinuesupporting thecampaign, with ticketsstill availablefor the Johannesburgevent at theExpoCentretomorrow(22 July).

“Wehopetoattract12000 people across the Cape Town andJohannesburgevents. Choose to be kind,thisworld needsmorekindness. The more kindness we sharethe betterthe world will be,” said Diliberto.

Forthose whowereunabletoattend either event, Ladles of Love is also offering“Create Your Own” volunteer kits,which canbeordered fordeliveryanywhereinSouth Africa untilFriday31July, allowing people to participatefrom home or theworkplace

berand co ue elegacyofa peaceful and respectful environment.”

ethe best youcan be etalents God hasgiven you. Parentsjustloveour children andcreateteachable children.”

Repairsu oncrucial

Motorists canexpectKloof Road,the road that linksCamps BayDrive with RoundHouse Road in Camps Bay, to reopen by mid-December as rehabilitation work on thestorm-damaged routeremains on schedule

TheCitysaidsteadyprogresswas beingmade despitechallengingterrain andthe area’s environmentally sensitiveconditions.

Thesection wasclosedafter theembankment supportingKloof Road wasdestabilisedduring aLevel9 storminSeptember 2023

Furtherdamageoccurredin2024, when heavyrainfallcausedanadditional slip failure during thewinterseason.

Kloof Road linksthe City Bowl with the Atlantic Seaboard suburbsofCamps Bay, Clifton, Bantry Bayand SeaPoint RobQuintas,Mayco member forurban mobility,saidhehad visitedthe site recently andwas pleasedwiththe progress made in meetingthe December deadline “Great care is takenasweare workinginan environmentally sensitivearea. We undertook asearchand rescue exercise to locate and exhume indigenous plantspecies andtook a varietyofclippings.

“These arebeing looked afterata nurseryand will be transplanted at thesiteafter theslopes have been reconstructed.”

He said thestormwaterculvertswerealso beingupgraded.

“The relocation of thewater pipe in thework area is nearly done by ourcolleaguesfromthe Waterand Sanitation Directorateand is now beingtestedbeforeitisreconnected to theexisting watermain. We aregrateful forthe good

Crewscontinue repairing the storm-damaged

Mandela Daycelebrated widely

Communities across South Africa came together on Saturday,18July, to mark MandelaDay throughactsof serviceaimed at upliftingthose in need andhonouring thelegacyofformerpresident Nelson Mandela.

In Cape Town,schools, businesses, non-profitorganisations,community groups andvolunteersrolleduptheir sleeves to take part in awiderange of initiatives, includingfood drives, beachand neighbourhood clean-ups, educationalactivities, tree planting, meal preparationand community outreach projects

WhileMandela Daywas officially

THOUSANDSGAVE67 MINUTES OF THEIR TIMETOGIVEBACK

commemoratedonSaturday, many organisationshostedtheir events on Friday,allowingthousands of people across themetro to giving back

From feedingvulnerablefamilies andsupportingearly childhood developmentcentres to protecting theenvironment andimproving public spaces,the initiativesreflected Mandela’senduringmessage that everyone hasthe powertomakea positive difference

More than 150 volunteers joinedthe TwoOceans Aquarium’sTrash Bash beach cleanup at Monwabisi BeachonSaturday 18 July,collecting 611kgoflitteralongside Clean Coast SA and the Mayine eAfrikaFoundation. TwoOceans Aquarium spokesperson HeatherWares said the facilityisgrateful forthe environmental work carriedout by bothorganisations.

Hands-OnHeroes campaign, spending 67 minutes assembling nutrition and educational items to support thousandsof childreninunder-resourced communities acrossSouth Africa.

Renowned chefJennyMorris joined the Salesian Institute YouthProjectsteamand Cape Town Fireand Rescue Service, James Vos, Maycomember foreconomicgrowth, to preparesoup and support initiativesempowering youngCapetonians

Thenon-profit organisation, Community Chest of the Western Cape transformed Bree Street in Cape Town intoa1600seat outdoor “Langtafel”,bringing peopletogether to shareamealand celebratethe spirit of giving.

Youth return home inspired

KEANANHARMSE

Agroupofyoung de Town’s Cape Flat buzzing with idea Festival26,aninterna powermentevent held States of America(US to Monday 13 July

Thedelegationreprese Your Dreams”, aSchaap organisation (NPO)found Oasisusessport –speci netball– as avehicle to em marginalised communiti life skills training,violenc grammesand community forat-risk youth. The five youngdelegates Ruiters, Nathan Harriso andLiyanda Narwele– ha Grassy Park,Ottery andP They were accompanie Damons and flew outofC tional Airportonthe mo (“AhistoricUSA trip fory Post,7 July). Theirparticipation wasm Oasissuccessfully reache target of R240 000– ag appealingtothe public to before departure. Festival26 broughttoget 400young people from 24