People's Post Grassy Park|Retreat E-edition 21 October 2025
Abudding hairdresser made her hometown proud after scooping top honours in a hairdressing competition
Christel House School South Africa former pupil Amy-Lee Adams, from Manenberg, won the Gold Certificate
in the WorldSkills South Africa Provincial Competition for hairdressing held at Northlink College earlier this month
Having left the Ottery school in Grade 10 in 2023 and currently a student at the College of Cape Town, she said winning gold felt “absolutely incredible It was a mix of pride, disbelief and gratitude All the long hours of practise finally paid off, and it just confirmed that I’m on the right path to doing something I truly love ” The competition required participants to demonstrate mastery of technical skills and creativity under
precision cutting and creative colour work, ensuring that every style had a professional, polished finish that reflected both artistry and technical excellence ” It is these characteristics that intrigued her when watching hairdressers at work on visits to the salon “Hairdressing was not my passion,”
“I’ve always loved how
completely transform a person ’
confidence and appearance Watching how a great hairstyle can make someone smile inspired me to turn that into my career, ” she said
Cableway forWTA again
Table Mountain and the Cableway are once again in the spotlight as they compete for top honours at the 2025 World Travel Awards (WTA).
These world-famous attractions are nominees in their categories, but bringing the prestigious titles home depends on public votes
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) has been nominated in the World’s Leading Cable Car Ride category, while Table Mountain has been nominated as World’s Leading Tourist Attraction
These are the only South African nominees in the world categories this year
TMACC boasts an impressive track record at the World Travel Awards, having secured the title of Africa’s Leading Tourist Attraction five times, in 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022
Now celebrating its 96th year of operation, the cableway remains a cornerstone of South Africa’s tourism industry, having safely carried over 32 million visitors to the top of one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature since opening on 4 October 1929
The attraction continues to play a pivotal role in positioning Cape Town and South Africa as leading global destinations, contributing significantly to the visitor economy while promoting sustainable tourism and local employment
Wahida Parker, Managing Director of TMACC, says being recognised again at the World Travel Awards is an “incredible honour”
“This competition is our industry’s version of the Oscars and is widely respected as a contest that recognises commitment to excellence ”
She says the nominations reaffirm their
commitment to being a responsible operator that prioritises safety, honours the mountain’s unique flora and fauna, and delivers world-class service to both local and international visitors Parker encourages South Africans to get behind the Cableway and Table Mountain by casting their WTA votes in the two categories
SUPPORTERS CAN
“Every visitor, every team member and every partner has played a role in this success We’re calling on South Africans to help us bring these awards home ” TMACC has consistently earned nominations for World’s Leading Tourist Attraction and World’s Leading Cable Car Ride, reflecting its commitment to creating positive experiences and driving innovation on the international stage
Parker says the company is proud to fly the South African flag and hopes to make the country proud once again
“These nominations reflect our journey, from the very first trip in October 1929 to the millions who continue to make memories atop
Table Mountain We have never won in the world categories before, and it would be incredibly special if we could make it happen this time around ”
Members of the tourism and hospitality sector can also cast their votes, and they are given double the weighting to votes cast by members of the public
Voting for the 2025 World Travel Awards closes on Sunday 26 October
Supporters can cast their votes at www worldtravelawards com/vote
SANParkshitsR4billionrevenuemarkforthefirsttime
South African National Parks (SANParks) reported strong financial and operational results for the 2024-'25 financial year, marking the first time revenue exceeded R4 billion
Addressing the Portfolio Committee on Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment,
SANParks Chief Executive Officer Hapiloe Sello said revenue increased by 11%, from R3,67 billion to R4,1 billion
She highlighted that 75% of revenue came from commercial activities, including tourism and park-related services, reflecting the effectiveness of the organisation’s commercial strategies
SANParks maintains a net cash balance of R2,7 billion and a positive solvency position, with total assets exceeding total liabilities by R3,7 billion, underscoring its strong financial health The organisation also received an unqualified audit outcome for the past year, confirming the robustness of its financial governance and management practices
“The positive results reflect our ongoing efforts to strengthen internal controls and improve governance, ” Sello said The auditor-general’s report highlighted improvements in the quality of the annual financial statements and in supply chain management, with no material findings identified, an improvement from the previous year She noted that continued work to strengthen internal controls is expected to deliver further improvements in the coming
period
On the operational front, SANParks achieved 86% of its performance targets, meeting 24 out of 28 goals Notably, 18 of these targets were exceeded, demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to efficiency and operational excellence These results reflect SANParks’ focus on conservation, sustainable development and community empowerment
Sello said the landmark revenue milestone and robust financial position enable SANParks to continue delivering high-quality conservation initiatives and improve the visitor experience across its parks nationwide She said the results also show the organisation’s dedication to sup-
porting local communities through tourism-related employment and development projects
“These accomplishments demonstrate the dedication of our team and stakeholders’ efforts to manage our national parks sustainably for future generations while promoting inclusive growth and transformation,” Sello said SANParks’ achievements position it as a cornerstone of South Africa’s environmental and socio-economic landscape By combining financial stability, operational efficiency and community engagement, SANParks continues to strengthen its role in preserving biodiversity, fostering sustainable tourism, and the country’s development objectives
Even blocking spammers does not help
an urgent call
It feels like there’s no escape Blocking one number doesn’t help I’ve tried that They just use another
What’s more frustrating is that spam callers are breaking the rules by using mobile numbers for call centres that operate from fixed locations, making it increasingly difficult to spot and avoid these calls
The result? More unsuspecting people are picking up, only to be met with unwanted sales pitches or robocalls
This goes against the Numbering Plan Regulations of 2016 and is also seen as unfair competition
As I typed this, I declined three consecutive calls Two popped up as spam the other didn’t But I knew it was
This is incredibly frustrating when you ’ re on deadline, in an important meeting or expecting
Downloading “ spam alert” Apps seems pointless when enforcement is weak or non-existent
The lines between legal telemarketing and outright harassment are becoming dangerously blurred
What’s needed is stronger regulation and actual consequences for the companies violating the rules not just the agents who are often just trying to get by
There should be more transparency, proper identification, and respect for our time We shouldn’t have to live in fear of our own phones ringing
For now, we ’ re left managing issues as they pop up, one after another, with our peace and productivity paying the price
Table Mountain and the Cableway are once again in the spotlight as they compete for top honours at the 2025 World Travel Awards PHOTO: KAYLYNNE BANTOM
A JOURNO’S VOICE
KAYLYNNE BANTOM
South African National Parks reported strong financial and operational results for the 2024-’25 financial year, marking the first time revenue exceeded R4 billion PHOTO: SUPPLIED
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She described her work as a blend of creativity and personal connection
“What I love most is the creativity, and no two days or clients are ever the same I also love the personal connections I build with clients and the joy that comes from helping them look and feel their best ”
Adams said building confidence under pressure presented her with her biggest challenge “I had to learn to trust my own abilities and stay confident under pressure, especially during competitions ”
She overcame this obstacle through constant practise, seeking feedback and viewing each challenge as a learning opportunity
Adams credited Christel House with preparing her for success after school “Christel House taught me discipline, leadership and the importance of hard work The support and guidance from teachers helped me believe in myself and set goals for my future ”
Her experience at the school and memories of childhood struggles continued to motivate her: “One’s background doesn’t define one ’ s future, one ’ s determination does
Christel House always reminded us that success comes from perseverance, kindness and believing in one ’ s dreams no matter how big they seem ”
Adams said she had ambitious plans for her hairdressing career “I want to open my own salon one day, where I can mentor young stylists and create a space that celebrates creativity and confidence ”
She was also exploring other opportunities within the hairdressing field beyond salon ownership and hoped to continue competing internationally, representing South Africa “I want to continue competing and representing South Africa internationally and inspire others to pursue excellence in hairdressing ”
Adams had words of advice for young people considering hairdressing as a career: “Never stop learning and practising your craft Every expert was once a beginner, so be patient with yourself
“Stay passionate, take every opportunity seriously, and surround yourself with people who encourage your growth With hard work and dedication, believe me, you can achieve anything ”
Mayor’sserviceblitz
R ( ) gs
Pophaim (left) and Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis
Resident Mavis Adriaan
Amy-Lee Adams styles a mannequins hair during the competition PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Spectacular end to a matric year
Heathfield High’s matric learners bid farewell to their school and enjoyed their valedictory ceremony at their school hall on Thursday 16 October. The school honoured top performing learners and offered them words of encouragement as they prepare to tackle their final exams starting today (21 October)
On Thursday various guest speakers, including former learner and comedian Marc Lottering, inspired the matrics and guests Leaner Tinotenda Marungisa was recognised for her expectional performance after achieving 83% in History
Renownedworkshopcatchesfire
KEANAN HARMSE
KEANAN HARMSE@NOVUSMED A CO ZA
The owner of a 40-year-old Heathfield furniture restoration workshop damaged in a fire is seeking community assistance
Nicholas John Harding, founder and owner of Restorabilia, said the company was saved by the prompt response of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service, which limited damage to approximately 20 % of the building on Sol Cohen Road “The business was saved through the prompt response by the fire services limiting the
OWNER SEEKS COMMUNITY SUPPORT
affected area to about 20 % of our building and excluding our production facilities,” Harding told People’s Post
The fire, which erupted in the early morning hours of Thursday 16 October, was first noticed around 07:00
Harding suspects spontaneous combustion from finishing products may have caused the blaze, though the official cause has not yet been established
The City’s fire services responded to reports of the fire around at 06:40
When Jason Poleman, coach of Just Planting Seeds in Manenberg, undertook to use sport to better the lives of girls in the community, he set his sights on participating in tournaments to empower them to make better choices than gangsterism and drug abuse.
From Friday 3 to Sunday 5 October, the team took part in the Knysna
7s Tournament at the Loerie Park Sports Grounds and was crowned the champions
“For the past three years, we wanted to participate in the inaugural George Tens Tournament, but it was unfortunately cancelled this year and rescheduled for 2026 This setback could have easily dampened the spirits of our u-16 girls, but rather than allowing disappointment to take over, we worked hard and be disciplined
y , the journey along the scenic Garden Route was an unforgettable experience
“What made the weekend truly special was the unity and emotional strength displayed by the team The girls dedicated this tournament to one of their teammates who had tragically lost her father before departure With heavy hearts but unwavering determination, they played every game in his memory, and their performances reflected both their pain
“Our learners once again demonstrated that they are not defined by circumstance but by their courage, character and commitment to rise above from where they come from They played four matches - beat Titans Academy 56-0, Amazonians B 68-0, Motherwell 56-0 and Amazonians A 31-5 (final) The girls emerged as champions of their division, showcasing exceptional skill and sportsmanship throughout the tournament,” he says
p p p , young people are given the platform to dream beyond their circumstances to make their dreams a reality Our girls did their part by showing gratitude, appreciation and unity during the entire trip, proving that when a community stands together, beautiful things can grow from even the most challenging circumstances Just Planting Seeds is nurturing hope, builds character and growing dreams in Manenberg,” Poleman says
