Geordin Hill-Lewis,ExecutiveMayor of Cape Town,took part in aSanccob-led releaseofrehabilitated African Penguins,underscoring the City’scommitment to protecting this critically endangered species.Releasesmark importantmoments,yetSanccobstressesthatongoing care andvigilance areessential to the penguins’ survival.Read moreonpage5
AlocalKung Fu champion will receive tophonoursthisyear, being inducted into the WorldAction Martial Arts HallofFame andHonors in America later thismonth Goodwood resident, Shifu Muhammad Junaid Chafeker, alsoknown as M.J Li, was invitedtoattend Action Martial Arts Magazine’s 25th anniversaryevent, the most prestigiousmartial arts gathering in theworld, taking place in Atlantic City, New Jerseyfrom 31 Januaryto1February wherehewill be formally inducted.
M.Jisthe founder of the M.JLiKung Fu Foundation, aregistered non-profit organisation. He launched theNPO a decade ago, where his major focus has been offering up his timefor free, training youth from disadvantaged communities acrossthe Western Cape, Gauteng and Tshwane
In his30years practising Kung Fu,M.J has won more than30gold medals for South Africa. He has also represented thecountry in more than14World Championships acrossfour continents.
M.Jisa three-timeUndefeated Legends of Kung Fu World Champion, IKF World Cup Champion, Africa Kung Fu Champion, andWorld Chin Woo Kung Fu Champion.Heisalso afour-time HongKongInternationalWushu Kung Fu Champion.
He will nowbeformally inducted into theWorld Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame andHonors andwill receive a prestigious award. He will become the first Muslim Kung Fu champion from South
Africa and Africa to be inducted. Former world champions and movie stars that have been inducted over the yearsinclude Jackie Chan, JetLi, Don the Dragon Wilson, Cynthia Rothrock, Benny TheJet and Bill Superfoot Wallace, to name afew. He leaves SouthAfrica tomorrow (Thursday 29 January)toattend the event.
Two vehicle-relatedincidents were reported at thestart of the weekend in Parow and Goodwood, respectively. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported in either of them.
Emergency personnel responded to a taxi on fire in Hofmeyer Street, Parow on Friday 23 January, andthe same day avehicle overturned andlanded on its roof at theKimberley and Dingle Street intersection in Townsend Estate, Goodwood.
Responding to the first incident, Jermaine Carelse, the City's Fire and Rescue spokespersonsaid the service was notifiedaround 12:55 about the vehicle alightinParow. Crews from Bellville were on sceneand by 13:10 the fire was
extinguished, he said. No injuries were reported and it was suspected the fire had originated in the engine compartment of the taxi,Carelse added.
Very little information was available on the vehicle that had overturned in Goodwood. “All we know at thisstage is therewere two vehicles involved, with one injury but nothing serious,”saidAbdallah Sydney, Goodwood Community Policing Forum (CPF) chair.
He said roadworkswere currently taking place in the area. “The one vehicle apparently came down aone-way [inthe opposite direction] and drove intoanother vehicle in Dingle Street,without stopping. Theroads are busy being resurfaced so therewere no road markings.”
DSubcouncil 5: Parow Industria and Vredelust (Kuils River).
Subcouncil 6: Bellair; Blommendal; omtuin; Chrismar; De La Haye; roenvallei; Heemstede; Joubert Park;La Rochelle; Loumar; Meyerhof; Vredelust; Boston; Bosbel; Oakdale; Oakglen and Vredenburg.
Subcouncil 7: Bothasig; Durbanville andDurbanville Hills; Edgemead; Monte Vista; Panorama; Plattekloof (including Plattekloof Glen); Sonstraal andSonstraal Heights; Stellenberg; Welgemoed and itzicht.
REMOVEBINSAFTERCOLLECTION
Going forwardresidents are reminded onot place any bins outearlierthan the evening before collection, andtoremove bins fromthe streetassoon as possible tercollection.
“We thank residents for their willingness recycle andfor their engagement on is issue. We are happy to be able to negotiate asolution to this matter that worksfor everyone involved,”says Grant Twigg, Maycomember for urbanwaste management.
“Recycling is key to protecting our nvironment as it helps send less waste to ndfill, whichreducescarbon emissions,” Twiggsays.
DieHoërskool Tygerberg het verlede Maandag (19 Janaurie) sy interhuisatletiekbyeenkoms op die atletiekbaan en sportveld by Jan Burger-sportpark in Parow-Noordgehou.
"Onsisbaie trots op almal wat aan die items deelgeneem het en is opgewonde om te sienwat onsatletiekspan vanjaar gaan vermag. Soos gewoonlik het die Tiere ook vir die gees op die pawiljoen gesorg," lees 'n inskrywingopdie skool se sosialemediablad.
Die skool het ook sy afrigters, atlete en dirigente sterkte toegewens met die voorbereiding vir vanjaar se DTBSatletiekbyeenkoms en al die byeenkomste wat voorlê.
Die DTBS, voorheen bekend as die MTBS-atletiekbyeenkoms, vind vanjaar op Saterdag 7Februarie plaas en word in die Groenpunt-atletiekstadion in Kaapstad gehou. Die ander deelnemende hoërskole sluit in DF Akademie, Bellville en Stellenberg.
Morethan130 000 caseswererecorded at public health services this past festive season, the provincial health department said in astatement issued last week
Each year thefestive season places increased pressure on emergencyservicesinthe province, it pointed out.Thistreatmentestimate,between 15 December2025and 14 January2026,atemergency centres across theprovinceisaccompanied by the morethan47000 estimated incidentsresponded to by thedepartment's EmergencyMedical Services (EMS), totalling177 000 emergencycases.
TheHealthDepartment said EMS teamsresponded to 47 351 emergencycalls across alldistricts, the highestdemand recorded in greaterCape Town, the Cape Winelands andGarden Route.
It said trauma remained amajor driverofdemand,the EMSresponding to 7353 assault-related casesand 1437 motor-vehicle incidents.
Seasonal risksalsoincreased, with 93 drowning incidents andmultiplewilderness andTableMountain rescues, thedepartment said Emergencycentres recorded atotal of 130004 patientadmissions, including 29 272traumacases
and93755 non-traumacases.
Earlyindicators showedpatientswithchronic medical conditions made up alarge proportion of theseadmissions. This added to thetraumaload, increasing waitingtime at many facilities, the department said
From 15 December last year to 14 Januarythis year most childrenseen in emergencycentres were treatedmainlyfor non-trauma-relatedconditions whilefalls andaccidental injuries remained the leading causes of injury. Overallpaediatric visits were lowerthan theprevious festiveseason, but transport-related casesincreasedby30% andsome rise in violence-related injuries wasrecorded, the department said It said thecases of adults treatedatemergency centreswereprimarilynon-trauma-related. While overallvisits declined compared to theprevious festiveseason–includingfewer accidental injuries, blunt assaults andfalls –seriousviolence-related casessuch as stabbingsand gunshot wounds continued to placepressureonservices.
TheForensicPathologyService confirmed 941 deaths in thereporting period.
KAILINDANIELS KAILIN.DANIELS@NOVUSMEDIA.CO.ZA
The ExecutiveMayor ofCape Town, GeordinHill-Lewis, recently attended aspecial release event withthe Southern AfricanFoundation forthe Conservation of Coastal Birds (Sanccob), standing alongside the dedicated team working tirelessly to save the critically endangeredAfrican Penguin.
On 20 January, celebrated as Penguin Awareness Day,Sanccob ambassador Martine Viljoen spent time feeding the critically endangered AfricanPenguins in care, underlining the essential, ongoing efforts required to nurturetheir recovery andsurvival.
Adult penguins require between sixand 10 fish per day to thrive, demonstrating howvital consistent care and feeding are.
Releases of rehabilitated penguins are powerfulsymbols of hope, but Sanccob stresses that real conservationsuccess demands ongoing support
“Releases are more than moments —they show what’s possible when leadership, science, and public support worktogether,” said aSanccob representative.
To encourage public participation in this vital mission, Sanccob is inviting donations to help feed penguins in their care. Thosewho donateaminimum of R150stand achancetowin aluxuryonenight stay for two, including breakfast, courtesyofThe Oyster Collection.
African Penguins are currentlyfacing severechallenges from an outbreak of High Pathogenicity AvianInfluenza (HPAI), commonly known as Bird Flu. Since September 2025, 23 AfricanPenguins have tested positive, with at leastnine confirmed deaths amongwild populations. The disease has caused widespread mortality among seabirds along South
Africa’s coastline, including speciessuch as CommonTerns, Hartlaub’s Gulls,Great WhitePelicans, andvariouscormorants. Bird Flu severely affectsthe brain, causing unusual behaviour, twitches, andseizures. While the risk to humans remainslow if basic precautions are followed, Sanccob urges the public not to touch sick or dead birds andtoreport sightingsimmediately.
Sanccob is workingclosely with State Veterinary Services andconservation authoritiestomonitor the spread of HPAI andprotectvulnerable seabird populations. Public reporting of sick or deceased birds greatly assist surveillance efforts.
If you encounter aseabird that appears ill, injured, unusually tame, or deceased, do nottouch it. Instead, report it immediately to Sanccob or the relevant authorities. Thepublic can submit sightings via an onlinereporting form here or contactSanccob directly.
Up-to-date information about the bird flu outbreak andits impact on seabirds, includingAfrican Penguins, is available throughanonlinedashboard hostedbythe DepartmentofEnvironment Affairs: https://dea-surveys.maps.arcgis.com/ apps
Hey partner. Breathe withme. Icall you partner because Idon’t see youasjust areader —Isee youas someone walkingwithme. We’ve done so successfullythis past year; we might as well keep walking. When Iask you to breathewith me, it’s an invitation to pause,not to perform. Rightnow, that pausefeels more important than ever Welcome to 2026. This is my first column for the year, and Ihope to share many “hey partner” moments with you. When asked where I’m from,Ijokingly say I’m acitizen of the world. December proved just that —Ispent mostofitonthe road betweencommunities:Zwelethemba in Worcester, Mdantsane in East London, New Brighton in Port Elizabeth, and KwaNokuthula in Plettenberg Bay
The roads blurred under the wheels, townsand townships passing like pages in abook Icouldn’t put down. As I travelled, Irealised that not everystory has aheadline. Some just make the heart lighter.
In many homes and streets, people would keep quiet in the face of injustice or share their thoughts, frustrations and hopes in hushed tones, carefully, as if testing whether it was safe to be heard. People aren’t silent becausethey don’t care.They’re often silent because, over generations, they’ve been taught that their voices don’t matter. Taught to doubt their worth, to normalise being ignored, to survive quietly. But in some spaces,
NOTICETHESMALL VICTORIESAROUNDYOU. SPEAKUPWHENYOUMUST. CELEBRATEWHENYOUCAN.
I’ve seen something different —something quietlyrevolutionary. People speaking up, insisting to be seen, heard, to matter In Zwelethemba, Imet agrandmother tendingacommunitygarden. Her hands were darkened by soil and sunlight, her voice soft but firm. She’d started the garden as asafe place for children. It wasn’t on the news. It didn’t go viral.Yet watching children harvest vegetables, their laughter spilling over fences —the power of small victories.
In Mdantsane, neighbours had cleaned the streets for Christmas —not because anyone asked them to, but becauseit mattered to their sense of dignity. One picked up aplastic bottle,another swept, others planted flowers. By afternoon, a street thathad felt forgotten looked alive again—care is contagious.
In New Brighton, Iwitnessed ayoung lady startareading circle in her yard. It began with three childrenand afew books. The children’s eyes light up with stories. —Small acts can ripple further than we imagine.
In KwaNokuthula, young, loud, and unapologetically joyful artists revitalised homes for low-income residents. With each brushstroke, houses told newstories of hope, colour and possibility. Thesemoments are everywhere —in gardens, streets, yards, neighbourhoods and kitchens. They’re about connection, resilience and humanity. They’reeveryday victories that don’t make headlines but remind us that healing begins when we speak, act, and notice each other. Your voice matters too. You don’t have to shout to be heard. If something feels wrong in your community, to speakto ajournalist, share your storybecause injustice thrives in silence, and everyday victories thrive when acknowledged.So partner, Iinvite you to breathe with me. Notice the small victories around you Speak up when you must. Celebratewhen you can. Connect when it matters.
—NAMHLA MONAKALI
ONTPLOFFINGVAN KLEUR:‘n Leservan Durbanville hethierdie kleurvollefotovan die pragtige bougainvilleaopdie hoek vanDurbanwegenTindalestraat in Durbanville geneem–“sommeruit my motorbydie rooi verkeerslig”! FOTO:WYNANDTHERON
DF Malan High School's rugbyhas been nothing short of disastrous. Theschool that once prided itself on excellence andplayerdevelopmenthas allowedits rugby culturetocrumbleintoinconsistency,frustration,and outright unfairness.
Howisitpossiblethatsenior players —those who have invested years into this sport,attended every practise with dedication,and maintained peak fitness —are stilldenied agenuineopportunityto competefor aplace in thefirst team?
Howmanyseasons must pass before someone finally acknowledges the obvious?
Everyyearbrings newcoaches, newpromises, new “visions”, andyet the result remains the same: seniors pushed aside,notransparency,nostability, and no real progress. Insteadofbuilding astrongerprogramme, the constant turnoverhas draggedthe team from bad to worse.
Playerswho have proven their commitment areleft watching from the sidelines whilevague,inconsistent, andunexplained selection decisions arequietlymade
Ek hetallemoontlikhede probeer om die onwettige plakkersopdie munisipaliteit se erf 2465 in Soneike, Kuilsrivier, te verwyder Stad Kaapstad,wetstoepassers en die burgemeester vanKaapstad ignoreer my maandelikse pleidooie vanaf2018 toedie plakkers daar begin plak het. Watuitersontstellend, frustrerend, onaanvaarbaar en onbillikis, is die feit dat ek hoëmunisipalebelasting en diensgeldemoet betaal,terwyl dieStadKaapstad dieplakkerstoelaat om onwettig langsmyerf te plak Hulle verwyder ook niedie vullis watdie plakkers onwettiglik rondstrooi nie.
My pleidooi oor die veiligheid, gesondheid en brandgevaar watmyelkedag in die gesig staar,wordblatant deurdie Stad geïgnoreer
Myverwysingsnommers vir klagteshelp niejuis baie nie
Onwettigeplakkers vermeerder onder die aandag vandie Stad en wetstoepassingsbeamptes
Ek daagdie Stad en die burgermeester uit om hierdie feitlike skrewe te komtoets.
J.J.CLOETE ,Soneike
.TygerBurgerhet die briefaan die Stad Kaapstad gerigvir kommentaar,maar hetteen druktydnog geen terugvoering ontvang nie
behind closed doors, tolerating negativeinfluences of parents which shouldbeentertained. It is beyond unfair —itisdemoralising.
What messagedoes this send to the young athletes who have proudlycarried the school’s colours?That hard work counts fornothing? That showing up,stayingfit, andgivingyour allmakes no difference? That politics outweigh performance?
Theschool owes theseboys—and the entirerugby community—far better.
Theschool cannotcontinue to project apolished public image while ignoringthe growing frustration amongplayers andsupporters.
Tr is tial. Co ist yi ential.
Wees versigtig vir e-taxi’s! Vandeesweek is twee 80-jarigemensenadie Bellville-gemeenskapskliniek met’ne-taxidiens vervoer.
Die man het sy selfoon in die motor vergeet.Hyhet dit nie teruggekrynie Hulle is latermet ‘n ander e-taxihuis toe. By navraaghet die bestuurder beweer hulle het nie betaal virdie reis nie!
KARIN VOLLENSTEE, Boston
kontant vir enige huis-houdelike goedklere, skoene, beddegoed, gordyne, speelgoed,oudhede, juweliersware -goud, breekgoed, potte, elektronieseware. MEUBELS yskaste, beddens, Sitkamerstelle, tv's. (en baie meer) Johan 074 4744275
Theformer Fast FiveProteaplayerAmber Coraizin,head of netballatFairmont High School,isone of the ambassadors of the DNL Tournament and NetballDevelopmentProgramme and willbeplaying in the exhibition matches on Fridayand Saturday.She will also be part of theGoalgetters programme forthree to fiveyearolds.
The annual DNL Netball Tournament has been launchedthis week by the DNL NetballDevelopment Programme 2026.
The tournament, apowerful platform dedicated to the development ofthe youth andwomen, education, and community upliftment through sport,will open with agala opening and fundraising event on Thursday 5February at Fairmont High SchoolinDurbanville.
The tournament this year will welcome 30 elite players and mentors from across South Africa, who will engage with local teams throughout thetournament.
This mentorship model bridges the gap between elite athletes and aspiring young players, inspiring thenext generation of women in sport, says Dr Freda Kemp, founder and director of the DNL Tournamentand Netball Development Programme.
Tournament matches will take place on Friday 6and Saturday 7February and will be broadcasted live on SuperSportSchools, allowing viewers across South Africa to experience women’s sport at itsbest.
"The DNL Netball Development Programme integrates structured sport development with education and social impact.
“The initiative provides young women andchildren with access to quality coaching, mentorship, and leadership opportunities, while addressing barriers such as geography and financial constraints," says Kemp.
"This tournament is more than a competition, itsgiving coaches the chance to settle their teams for theseason. We willhave the privilege to see the best players in Cape Town and someelite players from Gauteng thatwenormally
Die boulershet diebotoon gevoer in die jongste reekseersteliga-krieketwedstrydedie afgelope naweek in dieWP.
only see in the Telkom netball league. They will be accompanied by Rozanne Matthyse and Dr Elsje Jordaan, coaches of Jaguars and Fireballs respectively.
"On Fridayevening andSaturdaythere will be two exhibitionmatches and we inviteall netball enthusiasts to the events," shesays
The 2026 programme marks an exciting milestone with the support of GEA, a globaltechnology suppliertothe food, beverage andhealthcare industries, a companylisted on the German DAX. Stadio University joins as an official sponsor of the u-19 division, expanding access to training andcompetitive opportunities for young netball players across South Africa. 3Cube Management Fast 3willalso come on board as akey partner, addingnational visibility and dynamic energy to the tournament
This year’s event is officially endorsed by the Cape Town Netball Federation, reinforcing its commitment to the growth and professionalisation of both community-level and elite netball across the region.All funds raised will assist Cape Town players to attend the Spar National Championships, ensuring talented athletes can represent their province on anational stage
The Goalgetters divisionofthe tournament, ledbyLuhandri van der Merwe, focuses on early childhood development, introducing foundational motorskills, teamwork, andhealthy living habitsthroughsport andplay.
Geen Tygerbergsespankon by die 200-merk uitkomnie.Cravenby, KraaifonteinenTygerberg-klub wasaan diewenkant in hulonderskeie wedstryde.
Tygerbergsesegeoor Strandfontein (161) is moontlik gemaak danksy Bjorn Hollenbach(61)en Ansley Adams(4/30), terwyl Kraaifontein (158) die span vanEdgemead (144) naelskraapgewen het met bydraes deur JJ Fourie(44) en Ismael September (3/24) –SAREL BURGER
