TygerBurger | Mitchells Plain | E-Edition | 4 March 2026
VRYDAG6MAART
. Sakeluisêmekaaringoeie gees diestryd aan om dietitel as potmeester by dieTygerbergsakekamerseimmergewilde potjiekoskompetiesie Diekompetisie,'njaarliksehoogtepunt watnou in sy tiende jaar is, word by dieHoërskoolStellenberg aangebied.'nHelegroep bekendes salvanjaar se beoordeling behartig,insluitend Marinda Engelbrecht,Margit MeyerRôdenbeck, StianBam, Andriette NormanenPeer Papsak vanBokradio,met PedroKrugerasdie seremoniemeester.Die potte begin om 13:00 prut.Kontak Marinabyadmin@ tygerbergbc.co.zavir 'n inskrywingsvormenmeer inligting. Slegs'nbeperkte getalpotte kaningeskryf word
VRYDAG6MAART
. ´n Biddagvir Vroue met Lizette vanRensburg vind op Vrydag 6Maart by Trans-50 Panorama Palms-aftreeoordplaas.Die oord is geleëby66Uys Krige-rylaaninPanorama.Die geleentheid is gratis en begin om 10:00.Belangstellendes hoefnet hul naam, vanentelefoonnommer aanontvangsdeur te gee. Skakel 021930 6035
FRIDAY6MARCH
. TheEdgemead’s Family Night Markettakes place this Friday 6March at theEdgemead Community Hall.The event starts at 16:30 until21:00.Craft and secondhand market items will be on sale,aswell as food trucksavailable where youcan purchase something to eatwhile enjoying live music. The community hallislocated at 83 Edgemead Drive, Edgemead
. TheDurbanville CraftMarketwillpresent a charitymarket, TheGypsy Night Market, from 17:00 to 21:00,weather and wind permitting, at 5Louw Street (cornerofLouw and Hafele Street,behind the police station). Thebest-dressed “gypsy”visitor canwin aR300 shopping voucher to redeem at the market.Entranceisfreeand pets areabsolutely welcome. Contact Durbanville CraftMarketon066 0597251orbyemail to durbanvillecraftmarket@ gmail.comwithenquiries.
SATERDAG7MAART
. DieAGS Kuilsrivier-tehuisvir bejaardes (Care Village) bied van10:00 tot15:00 'n herfsmark aan op sy perseel by Kerkstraat17. Daar salmusiek en 'n verskeidenheid vanstalletjies wees om by te snuffel. Verdryfdie honger met 'n wyekeusewat insluit boereworsrolle,hamburgers en skyfies, kerrievetkoekeenvelemeer
WOENSDAG11MAART
. DieCapeWelsh Choir tree op Woensdag11Maart by dieTrans-50 Panorama PalmsAftreeoordinUys Krige-rylaan, Panorama,op. Diegeleentheid begin om 19:00 en kosR60 perpersoon.Bespreek by 021930 6035
WOENSDAG11MAART
. PetraMüllersedigbundel Die aandagvan jouoë –gedigte vir die liefde word by diebyeenkomsvan dieDurbanville-Poësiekring bespreek. Dr.Christa Thom saldie bespreking doen. Ditbegin om 10:00 in dieDurbanville-biblioteeksaal.Toegang is gratis en R50vir besoekers, ligteverversingsingesluit.Kontak Lesley vander Vyverbyteachervdv@gmail.comof 083460 4571 met navrae of om vir besoekers te bespreek.
VRYDAG13MAART
. DiekykNET Buite-ekspo Wes-Kaapwordie naweek van13tot 15 Maart op dieplaas Môreson net buite Malmesbury aangebied. Diehooffokus valoptalle buitelewe-uitstallers watvan die nuutsteprodukte tans beskikbaarindie buitelewekampeer-en4x4-mark uitstal soos watdie koper ditindie praktyksou gebruik. Dagbesoekerkaartjies wissel vanR30 vir kinders totR120vir volwassenes, afhangend vandie dag. Daar is ooknaweekpakkette DitisbeskikbaarbyOpen Tickets, by www.ekspo co.zaenook by diehekketydensdie ekspo.Besoek www.ekspo.co.za vir meer inligting.
SATURDAY14MARCH
. TheFrancophonie Food and CultureFestival returnstoCapeTownfrom10:00 to 17:00 at the BelgianResidence, Newlands. Nowinits fifth year,thisfree, familyfriendly festivaloffers an engaging celebrationofFrench language,culture, and creativity. exploremorethan 60 stalls offering authentic food,artisanalproducts, and cultural displaysfromacrossthe Francophone world. Free entrance. Parkingwillbeavailable at Kirstenbosch Cottages, with afreeshuttleservicetothe festival. . Families struggling to access special needs services in the Western Cape will have the opportunity to connect withdozens of support providersunder one roof at an expo heldatThe Cheré BothaSchool, 20 Meerlust Street,Oakglen, Bellville,from09:00to12:00.The event is open to schools,educators,parentsand caregivers who supportindividualswithspecialneeds.
Scholardriverjailedforfiveyears
Mninikhaya Mvuli, thedriver responsiblefor the deaths of six children in Mitchells Plain in May2023, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and banned from driving for 10 years
The 58-year-old was sentenced in the Mitchells PlainRegionalCourton Thursday, 26 September 2024. Mvuli was convictedonsix counts of culpable homicide fornegligently driving abakkie whilst transporting learners to schoolsin Mitchells Plain. His vehicle struck atreeand traffic lights, mounted atraffic island, and
collided with abus before coming to rest on AZ Berman Drive. Six learners,aged between sevenand 14, lost their lives
COURTREJECTSGUILTYPLEA
NationalProsecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said Mvuli initially pleadedguilty under the Criminal ProcedureAct,but the court enteredanotguiltyplea after questioning him
“The court was notsatisfied that the accused fully admittednegligence, as he did notadmit to the speed at which he wastravellingorhow he was driving,” explained Ntabazalila.
SIXCHILDREN KILLED IN TRAGIC CRASH
MEDICALCONDITIONREVEALED
The courtheard that doctors had diagnosed Mvuli with seizures in 2022 and prescribed medication. Medical professionals had prohibited him from driving.
Thedefence admitted that areasonable person diagnosed with seizures would not havedrivena vehicle, andthat Mvuli had acted negligently by doing so.
“In hisplea, theaccused claimed he
lost consciousness whilst driving and only regained awareness when police were restraining him. He realised he had caused an accident and suffered what he described as ablackout,” said Ntabazalila. Western Cape Director of Public Prosecutions Nicolette Bell welcomed the sentence and urged scholar transport drivers to exercise extreme caution when transporting “the most precious cargo our children”. She assured the publicthat the NPA would continue to vigorously prosecute any driver who acts negligently and endangers vulnerable road users.
Doctorbeginsrecoveryaftercrash
A27-year-old communityser-
vice doctor from Strandfontein is slowly beginning his recovery journey after surviving aserious car accident that saw his vehicle plunge 50 metres down acliff in Mpumalanga.
Dr Ezra SethYorke, from, was travelling from Mashishing to Mbombela in dense mist when his vehicle veered off the road. Trapped inside the wreckage and drifting in and out of consciousness, he was airlifted to RobFerreiraHospital’s neurosurgical unit withtraumatic braininjuries, including bleeding and swellingonthe brain.
ADOCTOR’SCALLING
Those closest people to Ezra say medicine was never just acareer choice
“InGrade 7hedressed up asa doctor for career day,” his family shares. “By Grade 12, when we took him to university open days, he only wanted to visitthe medicine stall. His mind was made up ” Known for his quiet dedication whilst serving communities in Limpopo, Ezra was described as someone who “takes pride in his work, works longer hours if needed
“Myballsare stillsore from this morning’scommute to work,” an online commentator posted on social media.
He was referring to his first trainride on the newly reopened Mitchells Plain section of Metrorail’sCentral Line
The Central Line, which serves theCape Flatstownships, was forced to shut down in November 2019 followingextensive cable theft and vandalism thatcost Prasa approximatelyR364million thatyear alone. The situation worsened during the Covid-19 lockdown when security contracts were cancelled, exposing the infrastructure to further damage and illegaloccupation on the tracks.
MIXEDEMOTIONS
Sections of the line was reopened piecemeal and, last week, after asix-year closure, theMitchells Plain section was reopened on Monday 23 February. However, after little more than aweek of the new blue trains riding regularly on the revamped line,not all residents are ready to embrace the return.
ARocklandspensioner who did not want to be named said thateven though the service is up and running,she would not be using it due to aseries ofbad experiencesinprevious years. The 70-year-
oldhad previously used the service on Tuesdayswhentrains were free for pensioners.
Many commuters alsotook to social media to express their concerns, pay compliments and askquestions of Metrorailand the Passenger Rail Agency of SouthAfrica’s (Prasa)official channels
In response to apublicity photo posted of Metrorailstaff posing in an empty train on Facebook, onecommuter replied: “Looks great except you’re nottravelling in peak hourwith2000 people on the train.Give that atry and let me knowhow you feel My balls are still sore fromthis morning’s commute to work.”
AFFORDABILITY
Another posted apicture of his ticket, showing how costeffective it was to travel by train.
Before the line’s closure in 2019, thousands of commuters made use of the rail servicedue to its affordability.
While most of the commentary was positive, some of the commuters’ questions aboutsafety, the frequency of trainsand the extension of lineswent unanswered.
Metrorailhas alsoimplemented a new Central Line train timetable for passengers travelling between Mitchells Plain, Kapteinsklip andLentegeur.
The schedule includes express services during peakhours,with some trains
CITY PUSHESBID FOR DEVOLUTION OF SERVICES AS RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE IS RESTORED
bypassingMandalay and Stock Road stations to reduce journey times for commuters travelling to the city centre.
Cape Town Mayor GeordinHill-Lewis welcomedthe reopening,describing it as “anothersteptowards devolution of the rail system”. He said Capetonians urgently need an expanded, affordable and reliable rail serviceintegrated with other forms of transport via oneticketing system.
“In time, we want to see residents usethe same tickettohop from this rail corridor to thenew MyCiTi route expansion that theCity is developing along the metro’s south-east,” he added.
DEVOLUTION
Accordingtothe City’s recently adopted Rail Business Plan,aviable devolution handover of rail to the City requires Prasa and national government to restore rail network operations to 2012 levels of 620 000 daily passenger trips.
Hill-Lewis said Prasa’s restoration of therail serviceis“oneofthe critical first steps towards devolutionofthe system to
the City in line with our Rail Business Plan’s long-term vision to massively scale up passenger numbers, new train sets, new routes, upgrade stations, and develop surrounding precincts with affordable housing over the next two decades”.
He added: “We look forward to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy’s release of the draft National Rail Bill and Masterplan,”hesaid.
Mayco member for urban mobility Rob Quintas said of the City’s Rail Business Plan:“All viable options involve the devolution of rail services, associated assets and infrastructure to the City with the participation of the privatesector operating services on acontractual or comprehensive concession basis.” He added that the plan rules out scenarios where infrastructure remains owned and managed by Prasa whilst the City operates the rail service rather than the privatesector. “Crucially, the plan concludes that devolution is only possible with funding from the national fiscus, with no room within the rates base of the City to cross-subsidise rail,”Quintas said. Under the Cape Town Long-Term Plan, which setsout the City’s strategic goals until 2050, 75% of passenger trips areto be made with public transport, with rail as the backbone of an integrated system under City control.
During theconstructionperiod, clients will be able to access
“Theseprojectsform part of the City's broader programme to maintain and improve healthinfrastructure, ensuring
safer, more efficient facilities for both staff and the communities they serve,”Higham said.
THINKING OUTLOUD
We must rebuild safer communities forchildren
Ilook at young people todayand Icannot helpbut feel slightly sorry for them
Iamaproud millennial. Partofthe last generation to experience achildhood balanced between freedom and technology, between scraped knees and dial-up internet, between real-worldadventure andthe digital revolution that was still finding its feet
We were the bridgegeneration.
We knew life before the internet —and we witnessed its arrival.
We remember when boredom sparked creativity,not scrolling. When the streetlights flicking on at dusk wereour only curfew.
You would play in the roaduntil the sky turned orange, too scared to run homefor supperbecause once you stepped inside, that was it, you were in for the night.
We were scolded, but tomorrow, after school, it was the same case scenario.
There were no WhatsApp groups arranging playdates, no location sharing, no TikTok trends dictating how to have fun.
walking to the shop, heading to school, playing in their own backyard.
The very spacesthatoncedefined childhood freedomhave become sources of anxiety. Where we once worried about being shoutedatfor cominghome late, today’sparents worry aboutwhether their children will come home at all.
Thisisnot nostalgia speaking; it is grief for whathas been lost.
We oftenhear debates aboutgenerational resilience, aboutwhether millennials were tougher, or whether today’s youth are moreaware, more emotionally intelligent, moredigitally-skilled.
Perhaps every generationromanticises itsown upbringing. But what cannot be romanticised is safety.
Freedomrequires safety. Community requiressafety. Childhood requires safety. Andhere lies theuncomfortable truth: we are failingto prioritise it.
CHILDRENTODAYARE NOTWEAKER;THEYARE CONSTRAINED
There were bicycles, cricket in the street, hide-and-seek, and the unquestioned assumption thatoutside waswhere childhood belonged.
If we were insidethe housefor too long our parents would demand we play outside.
Children today will sadly never know that version of freedom.
The internet is not the villain. It has brought innovation, connection and opportunity. But it has also replaced something irreplaceable: unstructured, unsupervised, real-world play.
Today’schildren are growing up in a world where entertainment isstreamed, friendships are curated online, andsilence is filled by ascreen.
Their memories willbecloud-backed,not grass-stained
Theshift indoors is not only cultural, it is driven by fear. Crime has become so prevalent that many parents cannot allow their children to roam freely.
For too many families, tragedy has struck during themost ordinary routines:
Billions are spent on state entitiesplagued by mismanagement and inefficiency,while neighbourhood parks decay and community sports facilities remain underdeveloped or unsafe. Instead of investingmeaningfully in secure public spacesinwell-lit fields, maintained playgrounds, accessible after-school sport programmes funds are toooften mismanaged.
We speakabout youth empowerment while neglectingthe environments that allowyoungpeople to grow confidently andsocially.
Millennials grewupoutdoors not becausewewere braver, but because the world around us felt more accessible Children today are notweaker; they are constrained. The tragedyisnot thatthey will never know life before theinternet. It is that they maynever knowlife beyond their front gates. If we careabout the next generation,the goal should notbeto recreatethe 90s, but to build safe spaces where children can rediscoverfreedom, where parents can exhale, where play can spill intostreets, andwhere childhood is notdefined by fear.
-KAYLYNNE BANTOM
Seilbotevertrek vanaf die KaapstadsehawenaMykonosvir die jaarlikseregatta. FOTO:CHRISTA ROSSOUW
