People’s Post Woodstock/Maitland/City E-edition 9 June 2026

Entriesopen forbusiness competition

Learnersfromacross Southern Africa are invitedtoenter the10th birthday editionofthe annual AllanGrayEntrepreneurship Challenge(AGEC)– the region’s most celebrated business competitionfor young people.

This milestoneyearbringsa bigger, bolder experience:morefun, more relevanceand more of the action-packedactivitiesthathas shaped adecadeofinspiring and sparking entrepreneurialspirit across theregion.

“Asthe Challengecelebratesits 10th year this year,it’samazing to seehow this competitioncontinuestospark interest andignitea passion forentrepreneurshipinso many youngpeoplefromall over Southern Africa,” says Charleen Duncan,HeadofPublicAffairs andCommunicationsatthe Allan Gray OrbisFoundation. “We’re proudofthe cultural movement theAllanGrayEntrepreneurship Challengehas spearheadedover thepastdecadeand theway it is reshapingthe entrepreneurialaspirations within Southern Africanyouth.Thiscompetition’s mission is to getmoreyoung peopleinterestedinstartingontheir entrepreneurialjourneysasearly as possibleinlife, becauseentrepreneurshipistransformativefor youngpeople, theircommunities, andtheir economies.”

Topstudentsget theopportunity to pitchtheir business ideas live at theAGECSummittoturn business plansintorealventures.

“Through fun,relevantand accessiblemeans,AGECexposes the foundational concepts of entrepreneurship,shiftingperceptions and creating aculture that excitesand inspires futureentrepreneurs,” says Duncan

HOWTHECOMPETITIONWORKS

AGEC startedasanonlinegame to getstudentsexcited about

GETYOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEYS

business, andsince inception, has grownintoa full-on entrepreneurialmovement.

Thegameisopentostudents from SouthAfrica, Namibia, Botswana andEswatini.

Thecompetition features ahigh school game basedona deep, scenario-based simulation that puts learners in thedriver’sseatof real-world business decisions.

Participants canpickfrom five differentshoptypes to starttheir “retailempire”.The game is free to play butrequires14MBofdata to play,onlineordownloaded forofflineplay. Thegamecan be played year-round,althoughprizes canonlybeearnedinthe competition timeframe. No priorbusiness, accounting or financeknowledge is required.The fast,smart and mobile-friendlyAGECdigital platform is designed to feel relevant,excitingand easy to use. The competitionalsoincludeshandson toolsfor teachers,physicalcard gameslikeStartup Shuffleand in real life (IRL)pitchingevents.

Participants standa chance to winexcitingprizes, includingcash andAllan Gray Unit Trusts

The finalBusinessPitch Challengewillrewardthe topthree students with incredible prizes, whilethe AllanGrayHighSchool Game features agenerousoverall prizepool.Schools canalsowin a specialprize forenteringthe most participants

More than 21 000 learners from four countries, andmorethan800 teachers,who participatethrough partnerships with teacherunions participate.

.Formoreinformation about the competition,visittheentrepreneurshipchallenge.com.

ELUSIVEJELLYFISHATTHEAQUARIUM

Visitorstothe TwoOceans Aquarium at the V&A Watefronthavearareopportunitytosee one of SouthAfrica’smostelusive jellyfishspecies up close.A thriving pink meanie jelly (Drymonema sp.) is currentlyonexhibit in theAquarium’s Jelly Gallery,captivating visitorswith its striking appearanceand impressive size PHOTO:SUPPLIED Arewelookingafterourchildrenproperly?

Thenames Kelly-Amber Koopman(12), Zahnia Woodward (6 months), Uthmaan Taliep (2), Alnika Mitchell (14),Qadir Boer (4)and Machiano Geswind(4) andmanyothersshouldnever be forgotten.

They were children with dreams, laughter andfutures aheadof them

Instead, theirlives were cutshort by violence on theCapeFlats

As thecurtain comesdownon National ChildProtectionWeek, commemoratedfromFriday 29 MaytoFriday5 June under thetheme “Working together in ending violence againstchildren”, communities areremindedthat protecting children is everyone’s responsibility

Statistics released by theWestern Cape Department of Social Developmentpaint aheartbreakingpicture.Morethan43000 children arecurrently in foster care, whilea further 2800 children are beingcared forinNPO-run child andyouth care centres.

Thedepartmentalsorevealed that between Octoberlastyearand Marchthisyear, nearly 2000 reportsofchild abusewerereceived, highlighting theurgentneed for stronger protection measures and community involvement.

Gone arethe days when communities helped raisethe children; today, many families face the challenges of parentinginisolation,makingitmoreimportant than ever forneighbours, schools, organisationsand community leaderstoworktogethertoprotect andsupport youngpeople.

Children deservesafehomes, safe streetsand safe schools. They deservetoplaywithout fear,to

grow withouttraumaand to dream withoutviolenceinterruptingtheir futures

Parentsand caregivers,please speakopenlytoyourchildren, know wheretheyare,check their phones andsocialmedia platforms, listen to theirfears and create spaces wheretheyfeel safe andprotected

To ourgovernments,createmore jobs so that children don’thaveto standonstreet cornersbegging for food

To ourjustice system,implement stricter laws andensure swiftjustice forthose perpetrating childmurders,abuse andviolence againstchildren. As acommunity we cannolonger turn ourbackand look theother way, report abuse, neglectand violence,and let’sstand together in protecting themostvulnerable.

To thechildren: your voice matters.Ifsomething feelswrong or unsafe,speak to atrusted adult,

teacher, family member,social worker or community leader

Youare notalone,and thereare people whocareabout your safety andwell-being. LetusberemindedthatinMatthew 18:10the Biblesays: “See that youdonot despiseone of these littleones. ForI tell youthattheir angels in heaven always seethe face of my Father in heaven.” This scripturereminds us that children arepreciousinthe eyes of Godand worthy of ourprotection, care andrespect.Wehavea mandate to care forchildren, to safeguardtheir well-being, to speak outagainst abuseand neglect, and to ensure that everychild hasthe opportunitytogrowupina safe andnurturing environment. Childprotectionisnot only aconversationfor oneweek in theyear. It is adaily responsibility.Every childmatters,every childdeserves love andevery childdeservesthe chance to simply be achild

From one to fifty vege patches

NAMHLAMONAKALI

Asingle vegetablepatch planted10 yearsago hasgrown into acommunity initiative feedingthousands of children across Hout Bay.

What beganasone circular garden beddug into thegroundin2015has blossomedinto50 mini-farms supplying freshproduce to early childhood development(ECD) centresinImizamo Yethuand Hangberg

This year,HoutBay-based non-profitorganisation (NPO)Loveina Bowl celebrates adecadeofgrowing food,creatingjobs and strengtheningcommunity connections

Projectmanager Tjarla Norton,affectionately knownasthe “FarmQueen”, said theorganisation startedwitha simple idea

“Wedug onecirclewiththe hope of growing enough vegetables to make soup fora single community programme,” said Norton

Thefarmcurrently growsclose to four tonnes of organicvegetablesmonthly andsellhalfof that andthen“donate therestto23community drop-offsinthe twolow-incomeareas in our valley”

Everyweek,fresh organicvegetablesharvested from Love in aBowl’smini-farmsare delivered to ECDcentres across thevalley, helping providenutritiousmeals to youngchildren.

“For many children,these mealsare an importantsourceofnutrition.Knowing that thefood wasgrown righthereinHoutBay by membersofthe community makesitevenmore meaningful,” Norton explainedto People’s Post TheNPO also opensthe farm to ECDcentres andschool groups,allowing children to connect directly with wheretheir food comesfrom.

“Wealsoopenedthe farm up forthe ECDs and thekidstocometothe farm,soweholdschool groups,” shesaid.

VEGETABLESHARVESTED FROMLOVEINABOWL’S MINI-FARMSAREDELIVERED TO26ECDCENTRES

Theorganisationcurrently employsnearly40 people andinterns,creatingopportunitiesfor localresidents to gain skills in agriculture, food production andenvironmental stewardship.

“Wehavealwaysbelievedthatfoodsecurity andemploymentgohandinhand. By investing in people,weare building stronger andmore resilientcommunities,” Norton said

Akey part of theinitiativeisits community composting programme,which collectsfood wastefromhouseholdsand businessesand transforms it into nutrient-richcompost forthe farms.

“Whatsomepeoplesee as wastebecomes thefoundationfor growingfresh food.Itisa beautiful exampleofa circular economyatwork in ourcommunity,” shesaid.

Residentscan also support theorganisation by purchasing freshvegetables, eggs,bread and honeyatregular market days hosted on the farm.Revenue generatedthrough thesesales helpsfundfeedingprogrammesand operational costs. Norton describedLoveina Bowl as more than afarming project.

“I am aforever member of theHoutBay community,and this organisation belongsto thecommunity

“Wehavecreated aspace wherepeoplefrom allwalks of life cancometogether, learn, volunteer andcontributetosomething bigger than themselves,” shesaid.

Volunteersare encouraged to assist with planting,harvestingand food distribution, whilelocal businesses, restaurantsand non-governmental organisationscontinueto partnerwiththe projecttoexpandits reach. .Themarket runs everyTuesdayand Thursday from 9:00 to 14:00,aswellasonthe last Saturday of each month.

13 economic innovators awarded

Tgory TheNPC redirectssurplus productfromover 2000 retail stores to help launch micro-enterprises Tracey Chambers,co-founderofTakingCare

lb ng aj ry of families.”

Otherwinners included TheBluebirdGroup SA,which provides door-to-door workforce transport. AndResearchand Development

y’ ga business-friendly environmentwhile congratulatingthe Cape Chamberfor recognising businessesthatcontributetoeconomicgrowth andjob creation

oupasson

relative duetothe absenceofa validWillora lack of understandingofestateadministration processes.

Thesechallenges ofteninclude disputes over inheritanceand delays in finalising estates amongothers.

“Through ourworkwithinvarious communities,wehaveidentified agrowing need for educationinthisarea. Many families face significant challenges following thepassing of a lovedone,including disputes over inheritance, delays in theadministrationofestates,and uncertaintyregarding legalprocesses.”

Sheadds that properties left unmanagedafter adeath canbecomevulnerabletovandalism, unlawful occupation,and criminal activity, negatively impactingbothfamiliesand communities

AccordingtoMoses,the workshop will providepractical informationand guidance to help individualsand families make informed decisionsabout theirestates andinheritance matters

To gethelpattendees arerequested to bring: . Acopyoftheir SouthAfrican ID

. Thefullnames andsurnamesoftheir preferredExecutor(s)

. Thefullnames andsurnamesofthe heirsor beneficiariestheywishtonominateintheir will Sheencouragedattendees to attend andtake advantageofthisopportunity.

.Formoreinformation contact Moseson084 677 8459.

Endingviolence againstkids

As thecurtain came down on National ChildProtectionWeek,the office of theWestern Cape Commissioner forChildrenannounced it’s rampingupefforts to ensure that thevoicesand livedexperiencesofchildrenshape provincial safety interventions.

Theweek is observed annually from thelastweek of Mayuntil the firstweek of June to shinea spotlightonchildren’srightsand the urgent need to protectevery child from abuse, neglectand exploitation,asenshrined in SouthAfrica’s Constitution andthe Children’s Act.

This year’s themewas “Working together in ending violence against children”.

With thousandsofchildren across theprovincefacingthreats whichinclude violence,abuse, neglect, bullyingand gang activity, commissioner SarahRoberts is calling forstrongercollaboration between government,communities andcivil societytocreatesafer environments whereevery child canthrive.

Robertssaidprotectingchildren is asharedresponsibility, andthe voices of children must remain centralinall “decisions andinterventions”thataffecttheir lives.

“Recentstatisticspresented to theWestern Cape Provincial Parliament in Septemberlastyear on childmurders andchildrenin thechild protection system painta sobering picture.

Thesenumbers areoverwhelming, particularly when we rememberthateachstatistic represents a younglife.”

Sheaddsthatemotional abuse andneglect arethe keyreasons children find themselves in the childprotectionsystem.

“Inour eagernesstoprotect

children,wemustrememberto includetheir voices in theconversation.Instead of designingprotection services solely forchildren, we should engage with them directly andask what makesthemfeel safe “Ultimately, before children can experience safety,theymust first feel it.”

Robertssaidthrough ongoingoversight visits,community dialogues, research initiatives, and childparticipation platforms, her office continuestomonitor the extent to whichchildren’sconstitutional rights arebeing realised and protectedacrossthe province

AccordingtoRoberts,her office is part of theProvincialJoint Priority CommitteeonSchool Safety,which identifies high-riskschools, particularlyingang-affectedareas,to help protectvulnerablechildren.

Informationgatheredthrough theseinitiatives is used to guide theWestern Cape Commissioner forChildren’sCommunity Child Rights Workshopsacrossthe province

Robertssaidshe continuesthe unannouncedvisitstoLevel 2 Childand YouthCareCentres, whichwereinitiated in December last year in theMetro-North,followedbyvisitstothe Eden Karoo Municipality in February

ThroughvisitstoChild and YouthCareCentres,Roberts gains insightintothe living conditions andchallengesfaced by children, caregivers andfacilitymanagersin both urbanand ruralareas

Thevisitshaverevealedsimilar operationalchallengesacross centres, promptingongoing engagement with theDepartmentof Social Developmenttoaddress issues and improvecare, servicequality and accountability

Million learners reportabuse

Morethanone million South Africanlearnersexperiencedviolenceatschool in 2024,exposinga disturbing realitybehindclassroom doors andhighlightingthe urgent need to betterprotect children

As ChildProtectionWeek concluded on Friday 5June, newlyreleased GeneralHousehold Survey (GHS)data released by Statistics SA paints astark pictureofthe abuse, neglectand violencemanychildrencontinuetoface. Thesurvey, whichtrackstrends between 2009 and2024, shows that whilecorporalpunishmenthas declined significantly,violenceagainst children remainswidespreadin schools.

Accordingtothe data,the proportion of learners aged five yearsand older whoexperienced corporal punishment

PEER–PERPETRATED VIOLENCE IS MOST PROMINENT AMONG SEVEN YEAR OLDS

Incidentsinvolving teachers (156 229) arefar higher than thoseinvolving fellowlearners(87 059)

In total, 1156 009 learners said they experiencedsomeformofviolenceat school

About14% reported physical violence from teachers,comparedwithroughly 8% from otherlearners.

Learners aged five to eightreport higher levels of violence,withpeaks at ageseven (20,6%)and againatage 13 (19,5%), highlighting particularly vulnerable stages in earlyschooling andearly adolescence.

reported from fellowlearners, with 21%identifying peersasthe source, compared to 12%who report similar experiencesinvolving teachers

AGEPATTERNSREINFORCETHISTREND

Thehighest incidenceofverbal abuseoccurs amongseven year olds, wherenearlyone third(30,1%) report exposure

Elevated levels arealsoevident amongpre–teens, suggestingthatverbalabuse notonlybeginsearly butcan persist, andpotentially intensifyinto laterdevelopmental stages

Amonglearnersaged five andolder whoexperienced violence in schoolsin 2024,reports of verbal violence were almost evenly splitbygender, with aslightmajorityoffemales affected (51,2%).

Acloserlook,however,reveals clear gender differencesacrosstypes of