Issuu

SIg in Athlone as the community calls for intervention.

A bitter dispute has erupted over the leadership of one of Cape Town’s most important deaf community institutions, with serious allegations of misconduct and mismanagement dividing the facility and sparking calls for oﬃcial intervention

The concerned deaf community and friends of the institute have issued damning allegations against its current leadership, while the institute has hit back with claims of a “campaign of personal attacks” stemming from internal disciplinary action

The facility has served as a vital sanctuary and resource centre for the deaf and hard of hearing community in the province

The concerned community group has made allegations against Cassiem de Wet, chair of the Institute, and his leadership team, claiming the organisation is being run “ as a family business”

y, g p g board member, an alleged family member of De Wet, had been charged with the rape of a deaf female student, with another deaf woman reportedly coming forward with similar allegations

“Despite this, the accused remains on the Institute’s premises,” the concerned community statement alleges, “and those supporting the victims are reportedly being silenced or banned” from the premises

In a strongly-worded press statement dated Monday 27 October, the Institute rejected the allegations and characterised them as “ personal attacks” connected to disciplinary action involving former treasurer Farinaaz Samaai, who allegedly resigned amid concerns about her ﬁnancial governance

The Institute stated that a rape case against a board member “has been withdrawn by the court due to lack of evidence” and emphasised that its latest ﬁnancial audit “showed no discrepancies ”

Addressing claims about serving the deaf community, the Institute asserted it “served around ﬁfty deaf individuals in a recent session” and rejected allegations of lacking deaf beneﬁciaries

The organisation also denied claims of nepotism and disputes characterising the chair as operating tyrannically, stating that “deaf individuals have always been part of the governance structure” and recent resignations were voluntary

The concerned community group is calling for urgent intervention by the Western Cape Department of Social Development (DSD), demanding the immediate suspension of De Wet, his family members in key roles and other allegedly implicated individuals

THEIR DEMANDS INCLUDE:

. Independent investigations into alleged ﬁnancial irregularities and management practices

g p

The dispute threatens to disrupt services for one of Cape Town’s most vulnerable communities

The Al-Waagah Institute has served as a crucial resource for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals for more than three decades, providing various support services and advocacy

Members of the deaf community have expressed concern about the impact of the governance crisis on essential services, with some worried the institution’s reputation and ability to serve the community could be permanently damaged

“The deaf community relies on Al-Waagah for so many things,” said one community member, who requested anonymity “This ﬁghting is hurting everyone who depends on their services ”

The Institute has indicated its plans to “ consult its legal team regarding the spread of unsubstantiated allegations, suggesting potential legal action may follow

Breakfast raises funds

Godisfarbiggerthanthewallswebuild

teach love over hate, discipline over chaos, humility over pride, justice over selﬁshness, and reverence for life

What if I told you that I am a devoted Christian, ﬁlled with the Holy Spirit, anchored in Christ, and yet I believe that whatever path chooses you, it is okay? Not because truth is ﬂexible or faith is fading, but because God is far bigger than the walls we build around Him.

It is a dangerous sentence to write; I may be nailed to the cross of criticism for it, but it is the most honest one my spirit knows

To some, these words sound like compromise To others, they are courage Some may whisper “heretic” while others hear healing

Ultimately you will see it through the lens of your own heart and how you relate , and that is okay It is still the truest sentence my spirit knows

Across history, religions have searched for answers to the same burning questions: Who is God? Why are we here? How should we live? What awaits us beyond death?

Every tradition, whether ancient or modern, is trying to make sense of human suﬀering, purpose, morality, love and the mystery of existence

They diﬀer in scripture or ritual, but they share one heartbeat: to

Christianity teaches “love your neighbour” Islam speaks of rahmah (mercy) Judaism calls for tikkun olam (repairing the world) Hinduism teaches dharma (righteous duty) Buddhism advocates compassion and the death of ego African spirituality reminds us that we exist through others, ancestors, land, community

Diﬀerent languages, diﬀerent stories, yet the same longing; to live in harmony with God, with self and with neighbour

If religions share purpose, they also share a common enemy

Not each other, but greed, pride, injustice, hatred and ego

The real war is not between cross and crescent, temple and mosque, believer and unbeliever

This is not a battle of religion versus religion It is a battle of light versus darkness, love versus domination, humility versus pride

The enemy is anything that separates us from love and truth, systems that proﬁt from division, violence dressed as righteousness, fear masquerading as faith

It is easier to blame those whose beliefs diﬀer from ours than to confront the pride and corruption within our own hearts

In a globalised world (one I wait to see unfold) cultures collide and coexist in the palms of our hands News, pain, joy and belief systems

spread within seconds Some fear losing identity; others fear losing faith altogether But perhaps that era will never be a threat, but an invitation

Not to build one world religion, but to remember that we are already one human family breathing under one sky, made by one Creator, however diﬀerently we name Him I wait not for uniformity, but for unity, the kind rooted in compassion, justice and humility before the God who made us all

Religion becomes dangerous when the map is treated as the destination

Scripture, tradition and doctrine guide us, but they are always interpreted by human hearts, hearts shaped by culture, upbringing, trauma and time

There are also laws written quietly within each soul, personal callings whispered by God into our unique journeys Faith is personal, but not selﬁsh Public, but deeply inward God’s work is bigger than human interpretation

Christianity taught me that God is love, that Jesus is truth in ﬂesh, and that the Holy Spirit still speaks

But I have also learned this God is not afraid of difference He spoke through fishermen, prophets, prisoners, dreamers, and foreigners, even those whose lives did not look “religious” To confine God to one denomination is to worship a smaller god than the God of creation

The Bible itself shows us a God who meets people in deserts, palaces, prisons, storms and silence, never in one predictable place

To my fellow Christians, this is not rebellion, it is reverence Jesus did not come to build fences around grace, but to reconcile all things to God He ate with tax collectors, touched lepers, spoke to Samaritans and forgave those who murdered Him

Faithfulness to Christ should make us more loving, not more afraid And to those of other faiths or no faith at all, I do not stand above you, but beside you Let us be honest in disagreement, generous in love and united against the real enemy

People will think what they think, and that is okay This is bigger than opinion It is about truth, love and the world we are shaping

While we debate whose belief is correct, children starve While we argue over doctrine, wars rage While we divide ourselves by religion, the real enemy, injustice, greed and hatred, keeps winning In the end, faith asks for rootedness and openness at once

Rootedness keeps us faithful to what formed us

Openness keeps us honest about what we do not yet understand If the Holy Spirit continues to teach, then perhaps our greatest task is to remain teachable, to listen, repent and love, even when the voice of God comes from a direction we did not expect

A JOURNO’S VOICE

NAMHLA MONAKALI

Teenager joins baboon ﬁght

Ap b , He proposes that the community y b y plan for the baboon tribes will be g y , so many caring stakeholders, who all p baboons "

Joshua Wynne

Piratesauditionsat CannonsCreekthisweekend

The Cape Town Gilbert & Sullivan Society has announced auditions for its next major production The Pirates of Penzance to be staged at the Artscape Theatre from Saturday 4 to Sunday 12 July next year

Auditions will take place at Cannon’s Creek School in Pinelands on Saturday 8 November

This production will be directed by Darryl Spijkers with musical direction by Alastair Cockburn

It will feature a full live orchestra, bringing the wit, wordplay and whimsy of Gilbert & Sullivan’s classic to glorious life on the Artscape stage

The Society is calling on singers, dancers and actors of all ages to audition – whether you ’ re a seasoned performer, a former theatre kid, or simply someone who loves music and the magic of the stage

No professional experience is required – en-

thusiasm, commitment and a love of performance are all that’s needed No preparations are required for dancers – they should just present themselves at Cannon’s Creek School at 15:30 on Saturday 8 November in clothes they can move in

The Society is also seeking backstage crew, costume assistants, social media helpers and PR enthusiasts to join the team

“This production will be bold, energetic and great fun,” says Spijkers As a community theatre production, participation is voluntary and unpaid – but the rewards include performing on a world-class stage, making new friends, and sharing in the joy of bringing Gilbert & Sullivan’s comic genius to life

.Email gands piratesofpenzance2026@gmail com or info@gands.co.za for details and preparation notes or visit @gandsza on Instagram and “Cape Town G&S”on Facebook

One-man show debut at Baxter

The internationally acclaimed stage production Far Gone is set to make its South African debut with a highly anticipated tour that will bring its gripping, thought-provoking story to local audiences

The Baxter Theatre will welcome the show from Tuesday 11 until Saturday 15 November as part of an ambitious new tour spanning four continents

Known for its raw storytelling and powerful performances, Far Gone has captivated theatre lovers across the globe, and now South Africa will experience it ﬁrst-hand

Written and performed by Ugandan-born actor and writer John Rwothomack, Far Gone tells the heartbreaking story of a young boy’s journey from childhood innocence to life as a forcibly recruited child soldier in Northern Uganda

The one-man show is produced by Roots Mbili Theatre from Sheﬃeld, England, a company founded to give a platform to voices and stories often missing from the international stage

“As an artist, it’s one thing to work internationally To tour your own work globally feels incredibly special We are humbled to take this important piece of work across four continents I hope the heartbreaking story will resonate with South African audiences and those around the world,” said Rwothomack

Directed by Nigerian theatre-maker Mojisola Kareem and originally co-produced with

‘FARGONE’BLENDSHUMOUR,

Sheﬃeld Theatres, Far Gone blends humour, poetry, and physical theatre to explore the devastating impact of child abductions by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), which forcibly recruited tens of thousands of children across Central and East Africa

Rwothomack drew inspiration for the play from his own experience of nearly being kidnapped by the LRA at the age of eight

Founded in 2021 by John Rwothomack, creative producer Sam Holland and digital director Smart Banda, Roots Mbili Theatre is committed to spotlighting stories from Africa and the African diaspora

The company ’ s most recent work, Lines, completed a tour that ﬁnished at New York’s La Mama Theatre Rwothomack’s motivation is deeply personal “I made a promise to myself that I would tell this story one day These guerrilla groups and child kidnappings are still a reality around the world; we have to show that in a truthful way When I ﬁnished training as an actor, I thought the theatre scene was not set up to represent my voice, nor that of many others So I knew if I wanted to be truly heard, I would have to build a space to do it At Roots Mbili Theatre, we are dedicated to pinpointing views and stories that are not on the radar of theatre to give them the platform they deserve ”

The Cape Town Gilbert & Sullivan Society’s last production, Mikado, was on stage at Artscape Theatre in July this year