People's Post Constantia/Wynberg E-edition 09 December 2025
Last week Thursday 4 December marked day ten of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign, and the Lions Club of Tokai has highlighted its efforts to address gender-based violence, femicide (GBVF) and domestic violence.
In a statement, the club said it wished to emphasise its ongoing commitment to combating GBV, including through its annual “Walk in Heels” initiative
The project was launched in 2021 and is held every March to align with International Women’s Day on 08 March
According to the statement, the aim of the project is for men in the club to publicly take a stand against GBV by walking 50 metres in high-heel shoes “to show solidarity with victims and survivors of GBV” The initiative has also been adopted as a Lions District 410W project
Since inception, the walk has raised over R150 000 through sponsorships
of participants The funds are divided between the Lions Club International Foundation and the club’s GBV Fund, which supports local anti-GBV initiatives
Over the past five years, the GBV Fund has provided the Steenberg Victim Empowerment Programme (VEP) with a WiFi router and mobile phone, supported upgrades at the Steenberg SAPS VEP facility, and supplied Dignity Bags to the Steenberg and Muizenberg VEPs Lions Club spokesperson Mark
p , essential tools for VEP volunteers to improving victim-support facilities and supplying Dignity Bags,” he said “These efforts, together with our annual Women’s Day event, have become core parts of how we stand with survivors ”
Planning is underway for next year ’ s Walk in Heels, set to take place on Sunday 8 March at Blue Route Mall
For the second consecutive year, the mall’s management will collaborate with the club
“The partnership with Blue Route Mall strengthens our ability to raise awareness, ” Rossouw said
supplying Dignity Bags
Identikidzbackonbeaches
To ensure children’s safety at some of Cape Town’s busiest beaches the City’s Identikidz programme will return this holiday.
Identikidz is coordinated by the City’s Community, Arts and Culture Development (CACD) Department
Parents and caregivers are able to register children at participating beaches – they are issued with an armband that contains a unique serial number
Details of the armband are recorded along with the caregiver ’ s details, so in the event that a child is separated from their group during the course of their beach visit, they can be quickly reunited
During last year ’ s festive season, the City tagged 133 730 children over five priority weekends, with 302 children safely reunited with their loved ones
The programme will run over 15 days, from 09:00 until 18:30 on the following dates: 15, 16, 20 ,21, 25, 26, 27, and 28 December; and 1, 3, 4, 10 ,11, 17, and 18 January next year
PARTICIPATINGBEACHES:
Big Bay, Camps Bay, Fish Hoek, Gordon’s Bay, Harmony Park, Melkbosstrand, Milnerton Beach, Mnandi, Monwabisi, Muizenberg, Sea Point and surrounding area, Silwerstroom, Strand and Strand-
LAST YEAR THE CITY TAGGED 133 730 CHILDREN
fontein The service will be available at Maiden’s Cove on Friday 26 December and Thursday 1 January
.With the permission of parents or caretakers, register children and
issue them with an identification tag or wrist band; . assist with the reunification of a lost or displaced child; . work closely with the provincial Department of Social Development, the City’s enforcement agencies and the South African Police Service to ensure the safety and reunification of a lost or displaced child with their family
The CACD Department will deploy 53 officials and 159 Extended Public Works Programme (EPWP) members who will work closely with other City departments, in-
cluding the Disaster Risk Management Centre Francine Higham, Mayco member for community services and health, encourages parents to make use of the programme “We all share a responsibility to create safer spaces for our children, and our beaches are no exception –especially considering how busy these spaces get over the peak festive season Identikidz adds a lot of value, but caregivers are still responsible for ensuring that their children are supervised at all times ”
MyCiTitorununinterruptedfestiveservice
The City of Cape Town says there will be no reduction in its bus services this year, and MyCiTi buses will continue to operate from morning until evening daily over the festive season
Passengers can look forward to the late-night bus services to accommodate shopping at Canal Walk and the V&A Waterfront as well as the popular service to the Silwerstroomstrand Beach and Resort until Sunday 4 January next year On the public holidays all routes and services will operate a Sunday timetable except for route T02 and 261, which will operate a Saturday timetable
Rob Quintas, Mayco member for urban mobility, says: “I am always excited about the late-night
services from Canal Walk and the V&A Waterfront
“This service has been a great relief for many residents who cannot get around to their own shopping during their work hours, especially with the later retail hours coming up ” He adds that commuters to areas such as Atlantis, Pella and Mamre will continue to benefit until the end of January
“Our night services in the Atlantis region will operate until 31 January 2026 so residents can get around town safely during the summer evenings,” said Quintas
LATE-NIGHTSHOPPING
.Canal Walk: 5-23 December
.Route D08 – Last bus will depart Century City at 22:00
.Route T03 – Last bus will depart Century City at 22:00
.Route 241, 242 and 243 – Last bus will depart Century City at 00:45
.V&A Waterfront: 12-23 December and 26-30 December
.Route T01 – Last bus will depart Waterfront station at 22:00
.Route D01 – Last bus will depart Civic Centre station at 22:35
.Route D02 – Last bus will depart Civic Centre station at 22:35
.Route D04 – Last bus will depart Civic Centre station at 22:35
NIGHTSERVICESTOATLANTIS
.Night services will return to Atlantis serving routes 241, 242 and 243 until Saturday 31 January next year
The services started on Friday 5
December
SILWERSTROOMSTRANDHOLIDAY SERVICE
.Route 247 will operate between Atlantis, into Mamre to the Silwerstroomstrand beach and resort daily until Sunday 4 January, except on Christmas Day The service has been adjusted to directly connect with Mamre to make it more convenient for these residents Buses will depart from the Starke stop at 09:00 and 13:00 via Atlantis station and Mamre, and return from Silwerstroomstrand at 09:38, 13:38 and 18:00
. For more information and a list of all the relevant timetables visit: https://www myciti org za/en/ routes-stops/festive-season-services-2025/
Humaninteractionispreciousandimportant
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Now we ’ re at a stage where there are no excuses, no limits to how many reports we can summarise by copying and pasting a prompt
told to use your app, after you were queuing for a query you had about your finances
each other
Don’t outrun your humanity in the rush to keep pace with technology
Looking back on 2025, it feels as if we ’ ve survived a monstrous mountain climb and can finally gaze down at the deep and treacherous valleys we ’ ve journeyed through this year
As we pray the blinding glow of a new horizon that awaits us in 2026 promises good health for our loved ones or new career opportunities, one can’t help but feel bruised by the weight of change and chaos that have impacted our lives in this new modern age we ’ re navigating These days, productivity and profit have become two interchangeable words that are endlessly circling and feeding off each other through the advancements of
There’s an endless amount of apps we can use to effortlessly edit our videos or retouch a photo with professional effects
This spares hours of time compared to the days of booking appointments, paying and waiting for this service to be done by hand and yet it appears we ’ ve forgotten the beauty of patience
It’s a privilege and an art in itself to receive a hand carved wooden sculpture you bought when one thinks of the sleepless nights, the fingers that endured cuts to produce that lifelike artwork
You could sense the sweat and stress that went into these paintings, the care and delicate touch to try and capture a feeling or a moment frozen in a misty memory
Now you’ll find yourself being turned away from your bank and
The convenience and comfort our cellphones have brought us, are slowly eroding the times we spend speaking face to face when we can simply “video call”
Human interaction is precious, important and needs to be protected and nurtured
The more our eyes slide with the rhythm of our scrolls on our screens, the more they feed and become addicted to our content and algorithms
We can become attached or victims to our ego, numbing our ability to understand each other in the pursuit of curating a “perfect world” where only we reign and other thoughts or ideas are seen as threats or volatile
Whether your utopia is encapsulated with thoughts of bigotry, sexism or tolerance and liberty, we run the risk of misunderstanding or refusing to “ see ” ourselves in
As we all know the French Revolution became a bloody nightmare where potential traitors faced the guillotine This Reign of Terror involved mass executions and arrests for those opposing the new government that “fought for the people”
History tells us around 20 000 men and women were killed –either shot, stabbed or drowned, during this reign, with the vast majority of deaths being ordinary citizens not the rich and elite
When vengeance and fear rule it can blind our reflections like a mirror in a steam room, we can become barbaric and cruel, normalising violence as a “ means to an end”
As the world and society keeps trying to quicken its pace with technology’s innovation, let’s not outrun our humanity in this process to survive the stress of being “left behind” in the fourth industrial revolution
A JOURNO’S VOICE
KEANAN HARMSE
Activists seek malnutrition intervention
NAMHLAMONAKALI
NAMHLA MONAKALI@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA
The National Assembly held a debate on Thursday 28 November to examine South Africa’s failure to protect children from hunger and malnutrition.
The discussion followed growing concern that thousands of children face permanent developmental harm because they do not receive enough nutritious food during pregnancy and early childhood
According to the DG Murray Trust (DGMT), one in every four children in SA is affected by chronic malnutrition
Chronic malnutrition develops when children do not receive the nutrients they need over a long period
The most severe result is stunting, which occurs when a child is too short for their age because their body and brain have not grown properly Stunting affects a child’s learning ability, limits future earning potential and costs the country billions of rand in lost economic growth
Each year, between 15 000 and 20000 children experience severe acute malnutrition This life-threatening condition results from extreme food shortages It causes frequent illnesses, prolonged hospital stays and, for more than one thousand children annually, death
DGMT says these outcomes are preventable, but only if the country confronts long-term food shortages and improves the treatment of children who are already severely malnourished
Dr David Harrison, CEO of DGMT,
THE NATIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION COUNCIL HAS NOT BEEN OPERATING EFFECTIVELY
says South Africa has no national target for reducing stunting and no clear plan to eliminate it
He says that the National Food and Nutrition Council, created to coordinate food and nutrition policy, has not been operating effectively This failure has left the country without strong leadership on child nutrition
“Stunting results from cumulative setbacks from conception through the early years of life,” Harrison says “When babies are born too small and young children lack the protein and micronutrients they need, their bodies and brains cannot grow properly ”
He says the country needs a dedicated leader to coordinate nutrition policy “South Africa needs a ‘nutrition czar ’ to drive a focused national programme across government departments ”
DGMT proposes three priority strategies
MAKINGPROTEIN-RICHSTAPLEFOODS MOREAFFORDABLE
Food affordability is one of the biggest barriers to child nutrition
Protein-rich foods such as lentils, beans, eggs and tinned fish are essential for healthy brain development but remain too expensive for many DGMT and Grow Great have proposed a “double-discounting”
approach This would involve:
. Manufacturers and retailers lowering the price of selected nutritious items by giving up their profit margin on one product label; . Government matching that discount with a subsidy Together, this could reduce prices by 20% – 25% DGMT estimates this would cost the state R4 – R5 billion a year
Dr Edzani Mphaphuli, Executive director of Grow Great, says the foods chosen offer high nutritional value at the lowest cost and have a long shelf life, which is important for families living in food poverty
She adds that the intervention will not replace the need for fresh fruit and vegetables, but it will help parents buy more protein-rich foods
INTRODINGAMATERNALSUPPORT
GRANTTOREDUCELOWBIRTHWEIGHT
Many babies in South Africa are born weighing less than 2,5 kg, placing them at far greater risk of becoming stunted as they grow Food insecurity during pregnancy significantly increases the chances of a low birth weight
DGMT says evidence shows that income support during pregnancy reduces the likelihood of these outcomes
They propose a nine-month maternal support grant, available from early pregnancy until birth
The grant would cost the state about R2 billion annually, but DGMT estimates it could save R13,8 billion in healthcare costs by preventing complications linked to poor birth
outcomes
STRENGTHENINGCOMMUNITY
FOOD-GROWINGINITIATIVES
Many families rely on home gardens to supplement their diet with fresh vegetables NGOs across the country provide training and support for household gardens, but coordination with government’s environmental extension services (EES) is inconsistent
DGMT says stronger partnerships are needed
EES could provide essential items such as seedlings, fencing and water tanks, while NGOs contribute training and technical support
An allocation of R5 million per agri-hub could support up to 200 smallholder farmers or household gardens
IMMEDIATEACTIONNEEDEDTOPROTECT CHILDRENATRISK
DGMT says long-term plans must be supported by urgent action to identify children at risk of severe acute malnutrition One immediate priority is strengthening the National Therapeutic Programme, which provides specialised food supplements to children under two who are not gaining weight The programme has been operating poorly in many provinces
“Children can be protected from hunger and death ”
Mphaphuli says South Africa has the tools to eliminate stunting “With the right plans, leadership and implementation in place, there would be no need for parliamentary debates over past failures
“Stunting can be prevented and children can be protected from hunger and death,” she says
CapeTownlaunchesglobal marketingcampaign
KAYLYNNEBANTOM
Cape Town is stepping into the global spotlight with bold new energy A sweeping marketing campaign is taking the city’s story across six continents and 55 cities, raising the Mother City’s profile on the world stage
The campaign, which was launched on Thursday 4 December, features dynamic storytelling through video, photography, and bold visuals across international social media channels, digital platforms, print magazines, billboards, and even the branding of London’s iconic black cabs
James Vos, Mayco member for economic growth, said that through this campaign, he wants the world to see Cape Town’s cultures, crafts, cuisines, and communities
“These are the elements that make us unforgettable And they form the heart of our six-pillar narrative: a city to visit, live, work, play, study and invest in
“For every ten international arrivals, one job is created We are doing this campaign to grow our visitor economy, to get more forward bookings so that we can get more economic spinoffs and jobs in tourism and hospitality ”
According to Vos, nearly 7% of Cape Town’s workforce is employed in the tourism sector
When asked about the City’s readiness to welcome the influx of visitors this holiday season,
Vos said they have intensified their destination readiness efforts across the metro
“We are rolling out expanded area cleaning services, safety and security personnel are being deployed across the city Our beach and swimming pool safety initiatives are being implemented I have confidence that we will provide visitors and residents with a world-class safe, clean experience ”
He called on citizens to welcome visitors
“We need the help of the private sector and citizens to help us welcome visitors and residents into our communities and businesses, because it is the warmth that will make visitors come back ”
Angelica Munoz Cordoba, chair of the Cape Tourist Guides Association, welcomed the initiative
“This season has a big impact on our jobs What the City is doing in promoting Cape Town as a destination is good It provides jobs to all our tour guides ”
She explained that the association has about 4 000 registered tour guides in the province
“We call on travellers to make use of registered tour guides not only for city tours but also when they go hiking The experience will be better, and knowledge will be shared The knowledge we share are the memories that travellers take back home ”
South Africa faces a severe child malnutrition crisis, with over a quarter of children under five aff
James Vos, Mayco member for economic growth, addresses the audience at the launch of the new destina-
PwDs call for urgent intervention
NAMHLAMONAKALI
NAMHLA MONAKALI@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA
The United Nations (UN) marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) on Wednesday 3 December with a virtual event emphasising the importance of disability inclusion in advancing social progress.
The commemoration follows the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, where global leaders reaffirmed their commitment to building equitable and inclusive societies
The summit highlighted ongoing challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion, which disproportionately affect persons with disabilities (PwDs) Many PwDs remain excluded from social protection systems, face barriers to care and support services, and experience discrimination in employment
The IDPD event included opening remarks from senior UN officials, representatives from Qatar, and the International Disability Alliance
A panel discussion followed, covering social protection, assistive technology, youth participation, and campaigns to combat discrimination Speakers shared practical examples and case studies, emphasising how global frameworks can accelerate progress towards disability-inclusive societies
For Nontuleko Makhohliso, who uses a wheelchair after surviving a crash in 2017, disability inclusion is not a policy slogan, it is a lived reality “In my daily life, accessibility is a
Sequinned goddess and drag comedy icon Tollie Parton is to host a spectacular New Year’s Eve at The Royal Countess Zingara at Century City Patrons can expect a night of unmatched revelry beneath a velvet canopy as nostalgia, spectacle and frivolity collide in divine decadence, from the first sip to the last dance The magic happens from the moment Zingarians step onto the red carpet mid lavish welcomes of bubbly and oysters Come play, dance and revel in the most sensational New Year’s Eve party with Parton on the decks Doors open at 18:00 and guests should be seated by 19:00 for the performance that will begin at 20:00 Bookings are open through boxoffice@zingara.co.za and 0218910448. PHOTO: SUPPLIED NEWYEAR’SEVEATTHEROYALCOUNTESSZINGARA
Tc ow s t e ot e C ty
The Springboks Sevens came into the Cape Town tournament at the back of a disappointing Dubai tour and were eager to redeem themselves in front of their home supporters They made their intentions clear with a flawless group stage wins
w t gu s b a g, bac ed by t e vo ciferous Cape Town crowd They won the match by 22-17 for a final spot against Argentina
With some of their key players, including semi-final star Tristan Leyds missing for the final due to injuries, the Blitzboks made a poor start They conceded a converted try in
In the first minute of the second half, Moneta crossed the whitewash for the second time, putting Argentina 19-7 up However, the Blitzboks refused to give up and continued to push hard at the start of the second half They were rewarded in the second
e su ed t e boys retained the trophy by registering a 21-19 victory
The win elevated the Springboks to the top of the HSBC log after two rounds
The Blitzboks will look to carry their winning formula to Singapore in January next year
MICapeTown#OneFamilyspirittrophytour
Supporters of MI Cape Town in the Southern Suburbs will have an opportunity to share Christmas cheer with the team and SA20 Trophy tour ahead of the start of the fourth edition of the competition on Friday 26 December On Saturday 13 December, some players will visit Canal Walk and Kenilworth Centre on Monday 15 December
“We kicked off the Trophy Tour on Saturday 6 December at CapeGate in Kraaifontein, and fans attending at Canal Walk and Kenilworth Centre
will also have a chance to win prizes
“As Cape Town steps into the festive Christmas season and builds excitement for the SA20 kicking off on Friday 26 December at Newlands, MI Cape Town is taking the coveted silverware to the people,” says Pratik Gore, spokesperson for MI Cape Town Inspired by MI’s global #OneFamily spirit, the tour brings the championship silverware closer to the fans who fuelled the team’s remarkable 2025 title run “The Trophy Tour aims to spark excitement among the
fans ahead of the new season and strengthen the emotional bond between the team and the community
Fans can expect an immersive experience featuring a secure trophy display, a selfie zone with live photo printing, interactive trivia sessions, and high-energy engagement running crowd games, and a Cape Town-inspired play list
“Exclusive prizes like signed merchandise are up for grabs and if you know everything and anything about MI Cape Town during the fan quizzes, you will be a winner
“The tour promises to be a citywide celebration of festive spirit, passion and championship glory, adding Christmas cheer to the build-up for the new season, ” he says Currently members of the different franchises are in action for the Proteas in India and will all be donning the colours of the franchises before the start of the tournament
MI Cape Town will again be led by Rashid Khan Their first fixture is against Durban Super Giants at Newlands The first double-header is on Saturday 27 December between:
.
Super
and .
Eastern
MICAPETOWNSQUAD:
Pretoria Capitals versus Joburg
Kings at Centurion
Paarl Royals versus Sunrisers
Cape at Boland Park in Paarl
Trent Boult, Corbin Bosch, Rassie van der Dussen, Reeza Hendricks, Karim Janat, Rashid Khan, Dan Lategan, George Linde, Tristan Luus, Tom Moores, Nicholas Pooran, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Jason Smith, Jacques Snyman, Dane Piedt, Dwaine Pretorius and Tiaan van Vuuren
Matteo Graziano of Argentina shows a face of determination to stop Christie Grobbelaar of the Blitzboks crossing the try line during the final of the HSBC sev-
