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Entries are now open, with a R100 entry fee, which will feed a child both breakfast and lunch for a day
Official event T-shirts are available at R150 Only online entries will be accepted, and participation is limited to 8 000 walkers
Registration closes at midnight on Sunday 17 August
To register or learn more visit www psfa org za . For enquiries,contact Top Events at info@topevents.co.za or via WhatsApp on 066 139 4210
gafterpets
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Winter Shoebox drive, pack a box full of essentials and drop it off at one of the allocated drop spots listed on https://mdzananda co za/ make-a-donation/ Goods to pack in the box include Hills A/D tinned food (for recovering pets), Milko Pup or Kitty Milk (for bottle-fed babies), food, blankets, hot water bottles, cat litter, automatic washing powder (for blanket washing), black bags (for cage cleaning), leads, collars and dog jackets
. If you can’t pack a box visit www.mdzananda.co.za
forouryouth
employment, but with the right people and economically viable policies the country can make a massive dent towards these figures We need solutions and we need them now Whoever has an answer to our challenge must come together under one roof to discuss a plan of action that will ultimately free our youth
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced the establishment of a National Dialogue This will bring government, political parties, civil society, business, labour, traditional leaders, women, youth and other community voices to talk about some of the deep-rotted societal challenges
Could this be an answer to the unemployment problem? Only time will tell However, the projected cost of this exercise is a big concern
In my view young people do not need the national dialogue They require skills to make them compatible with the labour market or equip them to start their own businesses
Starting their businesses will lead to further opportunities
The projected R700million for the dialogue could be used to fund start-ups for some of our youth under the guidance of some of the country’s top financial brains Many young people are thriving by embarking on this path The majority did so without any form of guidance but based on the knowledge they acquired at certain tertiary institutions or just based on wisdom and grace
Constructive solutions are needed to address unemployment, especially among young people This money can, instead, be invested in some of our youth with a passion for business
Aspiring business owners should be invited to apply for funding for start-ups This must be followed by a rigorous nationwide process, spearheaded by some of the country’s top businesspeople to screen and select individuals with business interest
They must then be mentored to ensure their businesses thrive and opportunities are created for a prospering economy
Mujahid George will be the headline performer at this year’s Blisters for Bread
Maths star on rise
KEANAN HARMSE
KEANAN HARMSE@NOVUSMEDIA CO ZA
ALavender Hill High School
learner was crowned one of the winners of the University of Cape Town’s a Mathematics Olympiad and hopes to pursue a career in the field someday
The top performers were announced recently, with Toufique Adams mentioned amongst them, said Lavender Hill High School maths teacher
Albertino Solomon
“The prize-giving ceremony will take place on Tuesday 29 July in the Sarah Baartman Hall at UCT,” he said
Previously, People's Post reported that two Lavender Hill High School learners were taking part in the Maths Olympiad on Wednesday 23 April and hoped to be beacons of light for youth in their communities (“Lavender High learners tackle maths Olympiad”, People’s Post 6 May)
Adams, a Grade 11 learner, said living in a dangerous environment hadn’t deterred him from focusing on his career goals
He also enjoyed playing soccer and games involving calculation such as dominoes
“I live with my mum and three siblings I come from a community filled with violence and ignorance, and sometimes that inspires me to be different and try to make a change starting with me
“I prepared for the Olympiad by revisiting exam papers of my grade as well as classwork I missed out on and struggled with, like surds (square
roots [√] of numbers that cannot be simplified into a whole or rational number) and word problems ”
His study routine included solving at least two mathematical problems a day
“I’d revise my maths every day, also to catch up on missed work I found the competition very enjoyable as I liked the challenge and also welcomed the on-campus experience as I have always wanted to attend a UCT class and see how it looks and feels,” says Adams
The most challenging part of the exams was solving the word problems
“This requires some time for me to understand certain scenarios or lessons and we didn’t really have that much time to complete these
TOUFIQUE WANTS TO DO HIS PHD IN MATHEMATICS AND BE A PROFESSOR.
questions ” Adams’ advice for learners hoping to tackle the Olympiad is to prepare well and, most importantly, to enjoy themselves and the experience
“My future goal is to be a mathematics professor, but since I don’t have the luxury of time I first need to get a job outside teaching so I would like to become an accountant while further pursuing a PhD in mathematics ”
Toufique Adams defied the odds PHOTO SUPPLIED
Heathfield Primary School hosted its annual cross-country competition on Friday 13 June. It had the honour of being the hosting school, with 20 other schools participating and more than 1 200 spectators attending PHOTO: SUPPL ED
Lavender Hill hosts a youth expo
g y , y communities, in your province and country “Do not let your circumstances pp g y y contribute to their communities, this province and country in a meaningful way ” p , p ing, health, dignity and self-esteem of female learners as part of the department’s Sanitary Dignity Project
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, MC Jonas McCarthy and Minister Jaco Londt take a selfie with participants at the DSD Provincial Youth Expo in Lavender Hill
PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Western Cape Minister of Social Development Jaco Londt with young people from the Bright Path organisation in Langa.
‘Bridget’ eats another truck
An aerial view highlighting Albertyn Road which the City is considering as a guide to steer trucks towards alternative routes
A truck sustained significant damage to its cargo area after failing to heed the 2,5 metre height warning on the affectionately named “Bridget” railway bridge in Muizenberg on Tuesday 17 June PHOTOS: BYRON LOCKER
Men, get your prostate tested now
With the curtain coming down on Men’s Health Month, men are urged to prioritise prostate cancer screening.
Dr Hannes Brummer, Urologist at Netcare Greenacres Hospital, says prostate cancer is a major risk to men ’ s health, with South African men facing a one in eight chance of developing this most common of male cancers
Fellow Urologist Dr Johan Coetzee adds that men usually do not feel any symptoms until prostate cancer has progressed significantly “Which is why they need to be proactive about booking their routine prostate cancer screenings
“With the advanced prostate specific antigen [PSA] screening blood test available from GPs these days, there is so much more opportunity for prostate cancer to be detected earlier when it is still at a highly treatable stage ” Brummer adds that there are various treatment options available
“For men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer following a needle biopsy, the treatment options available have improved to such an extent that there is more hope than ever before Even where surgery is needed, prostate cancer does not necessarily pose a significant disruption to your life,” he says
Over 1 000 robotic assisted procedures have been performed at the hospital since the introduction of this technology in August 2017
This is done with the use the da Vinci X robotic assisted surgical system to operate through tiny punctures in the skin using slender instru-
ments more dexterous than the human hand
Brummer says: “A prostate cancer diagnosis can be daunting We have walked this path with so many men, and robotic assisted surgery offers some important advantages for the removal of cancerous tissue in the prostate gland, in particular the precision of this minimally invasive option ”
Coetzee emphasises that the surgeon remains in control of the robotic system at all times
With magnified 3D imaging capabilities, including a large fixed-focus area at the highest resolution, the nerves, blood vessels and tumour are visible with great clarity for the intricate procedure
“This robotic system is especially useful for operating on the prostate, as we can more clearly distinguish the nerves controlling erectile function and urinary continence In most cases, there is less need for blood transfusion and reduced risk of complications,” explained Brummer
Another advantage of this robotic technology for prostate tumours is that there is much less tissue damage in this sensitive area
Brummer says compared with traditional surgery, this means men usually experience much less downtime with less discomfort after the procedure This translates into shorter hospital stays and faster recovery with robotic assisted prostatectomies overall
“This Men’s Health Month, let’s pledge to be decisive about booking those routine health checks Making the time now and every year could help to save your life in future,” Coetzee concludes
Cyclingforgoodcause
BRENDENRUITER
He is not just speaking to the media about fires, but Jermaine Carelse’s fire also burns for those who cannot fend for themselves
Carelse, spokesperson for the City of Cape Town’s fire and rescue services, and his friend Regan Bagley will tackle the Wines2Wales cycling race to raise funds for St Joseph’s Intermediate Paedeatric Care, an organisation that cares for sick children that can’t yet go home
According to him, the cause is the easiest decision he ever made
“It was one of the easiest decisions I ever made We first went to St Joseph’s Intermediate Paedeatric Care about a year and a half ago
The place really captures your heart, and you have to put on a brave face to keep the tears away The professional staff, the patients, the general workers, each one plays a vital role in the management of the facility As an NPO (non-profit organisation) they are solely reliant on donor funding, and if you see the services they provide you will be gobsmacked, because it is world class
“Regan and I took part in our first endurance race about three weeks ago in Elgin - GravDuro - and what an experience it was From those steep punchy hills, steep and treacherous decent, and getting lost, it all just strengthened
our beliefs in taking on W2W from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 November,” he said The duo recently took on the advanced route in Lourensford “Our challenge is that every pedal strike we take is a step in the right direction W2W is a three-day stage race, and we have about five months to get into top condition This year, it starts off in Hermanus and ends in Lourensford The idea is to have some of the kids from St Joseph’s at the finish line It will be mentally and physically tiring, but those patients will be our motivation to complete the race, ” says Carelse
Their target is to raise R25 000 “I think it’s a modest target and hopefully the public will get onboard and we surpass that amount by far They, the public, have until the afternoon of 9 November to donate - that’s when we will cross the finish line in Lourensford All that the public has to do is get onto their website and navigate to the donations It’s set up for most countries - the flag is the indication of which country you are in to facilitate the donations easier This is such a worthy cause - and we are honoured to represent each and every one at St Joseph’s Intermediate Paedeatric Care,” says Carelse . To support Carelse and Bagley or to make a donation visit www giveandgain com
Jermaine Carelse en Regan Bagley practise for the Wines2Wales race where they will try to raise R25 000
Donation brings joy to residents
AVRILFILLIES
Approximately 450 residents from areas such as Ottery, Parkwood, Philippi, Wetton, Freedom Park informal settlement and Strandfontein benefitted from the China Town Winter Outreach Programme on Saturday 14 June
This venture was done in partnership with Keith Blake, a retired police officer from Ottery and former operational commander at Table Bay Harbour, Shuwing Lieu, CEO of Chinatowns and the Tzu Chi Foundation “Over the past ten years, I received requests from Lieu to nominate disadvantaged communities to receive winter parcels as that they are handing out food parcels every year The inclement weather we have experienced over the past month forced me to ask Lieu to move the winter outreach forward by a month I spoke to residents in the informal settlement and they said they are freezing from the wet and cold and chopped up all the trees in Woodlands Road in Ottery for firewood to keep warm, ” Blake says “I phoned Lieu, my friend since 1982, and relayed the messages from the residents and after discussing this with his managers he said the winter programme will be on Saturday June 14 at the Ottery branch Tina and I were summoned to his office on Friday 13 June for a meeting and reaffirmed that each person nominated by me will receive a 25-litre bucket filled with some groceries, a blanket and 10kg rice donated by the Tzu Chi Foundation to life With the support of Tzu Chi
Joan Wu and William Wu from the Tzu Chi Foundation with the former mayor of Cape Town, Dan Plato, at the winter programme of China Town in Ottery
Beachfront upgrade almost ready
The public can expect Muizenberg’s beachfront upgrades to be completed by Friday 1 August this year.
The City says the refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront is progressing well
The construction of the coastal revetment at the start of the St James walkway is underway, the stormwater pipeline at Surfer’s Corner has been realigned and is now being installed, and the contractor has commenced with the layer work at the western parking area
If all goes as planned the parking area on the beach side, in front of the Muizenberg Civic Centre, will be open to the public by Friday 1 August
The refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront entails major upgrades to public amenities and replacing the aged seawalls
This forms part of the City’s investment in popular beachfront areas to mitigate the impact of climate change on the beachfront and improve the quality of infrastructure in the area
The project is being implemented in
phases over a two-year period
The first phase commenced in February this year on the western side of Surfer’s Corner, next to the railway line
“The casting of concrete components for the main promenade has started This is happening off-site to ensure the highest quality work, as is the manufacturing of the stepped revetment panels Next, removal of portions of the old concrete seawalls will start and the new stormwater infrastructure and piling work in Surfer’s Corner will be completed
The armour rock for the revetment at the start of the St James Walkway has been placed and soon the new walkway will be constructed
“Working in the tidal and wave runup zone adds to the complexity of this project, especially during winter when we often experience storm events, high winds and strong wave action
This requires meticulous planning and flexibility to adapt accordingly
“We will use large sand bags to provide temporary protection to the immediate surroundings in the corner because the area will be exposed
once we have demolished the old step structure,” said the City’s deputy mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment, Eddie Andrews
As for the parking area on the eastern side, in front of the Muizenberg Civic Centre, work is progressing well despite a minor setback
“We discovered during the excavations that the old retaining wall had no foundation
“A new retaining wall will have to be constructed, but on the plus side: this one will be lower and provide additional seating The stormwater infrastructure has been installed and the contractor will start with the new paving soon We are still aiming to open the parking area by 1 August,” said Andrews
The most recent community liaison meeting for the Muizenberg Beachfront Refurbishment Project took place at The Lookout, Promenade Road on Tuesday 17 June
For regular updates visit the following link: https://forms office com/r/ 8rARD9z8SM or email muizenberg@ chand co za
The refurbishment of the Muizenberg beachfront started in February and will be completed in phases over two years Currently, the construction of the coastal revetment at the start of the St James walkway is underway (left and far right); and, if all
IlTrovatoreonenightinCityHall
Opera has often been blamed of gatekeeping, and not without reason.
For too long, the art form has suffered under the weight of its own perceived exclusivity
But that’s changing - not just globally, but right here in South Africa Institutions like Opera UCT are dismantling that myth by making opera accessible, relevant and proudly rooted in the African experience
And performances like their upcoming concert staging of Il Trovatore taking place on Thursday 26 June at Cape Town City Hall show that opera doesn’t need fancy costumes or sets to be powerful When the music is honest, the setting becomes secondary
There’s a reason opera has lasted over 400 years It speaks to something universal in us - a need to feel, to connect, to reckon with beauty and pain in a single breath And far from being the relic some imagine it to be, opera today is not only surviving
- it’s quietly staging one of the most remarkable cultural comebacks of our time
Younger audiences across the globe are rediscovering opera - not because
OPERA REMINDS
US WHAT IT MEANS TO FEEL - RAW,
UNFILTERED,AND UNASHAMED.
it’s trendy, but because it’s timeless It has something the world is desperately short on: emotional honesty
Though opera is often associated with chandeliers, gowns and imported European elitism, its roots are deeply populist
The earliest operas, especially those of Verdi and Puccini, were the Netflix and Tele Novellas of their timewildly emotional, thrilling, unapologetically dramatic They were made for working people, sung in the street, staged in makeshift theatres, telling stories of injustice, love, war, betrayal and redemption
Opera was never designed to be a luxury It was always meant to be an experience - total immersion in voice, music, and human feeling That remains true today
No algorithm can replicate the feeling of sitting in a room with a living, breathing voice trained to move your
soul without a microphone
In a world of scrolling and skipping, opera forces you to pause, witness, and feel - deeply and without distraction
Seeing a South African singer like Nontobeko Bhengu, just awarded a Fleur du Cap and soon heading to the Bavarian State Opera, perform on home soil is a cultural moment
Hearing Mkhanyiseli Dyantyi, bound for the National Opera Studio in London, bring Verdi’s Il Trovatore to life at Cape Town City Hall is not only powerful - it’s historic Opera is often in a foreign language But heartbreak is universal So is desire So is the sound of someone putting everything they have into a single note
To say that opera is “coming back” suggests it went somewhere But it’s always been here - quietly waiting for us to listen again
In this age of curated perfection and attention fatigue, opera reminds us what it means to feel - raw, unfiltered, and unashamed It asks us to sit still and be moved To be human Tickets for the one night only concert performance of Il Trovatore are on Webtickets and start at R175 per person
YoungmusiciansshineatArtscape youthjazzsoloists1976concert
Artscape’s Youth Jazz Series reached a spectacular high point with the Youth Jazz Soloists Concert on Friday 13 June at the Artscape Theatre, featuring 14 outstanding young musicians aged 15 to 23
The concert showcased eight original compositions, the result of a month-long mentorship programme that empowers young jazz artists and honours the legacy of the 1976 youth uprising
The initiative, which began in 2003, is one of Artscape’s flagship programmes and has grown into a vital platform for emerging musicians from diverse backgrounds
This year ’ s concert marked a significant tribute to both the youth of 1976 and the memory of struggle photographer Rashid Lombard and renowned jazz guitarist Alvin Dyers, both of whom were instrumental in shaping South Africa’s jazz and cul-
tural landscape “Youth Day is more than just a slogan for us at Artscape and our partners,” said Marlene le Roux, CEO of Artscape “We work all year to ensure young people are mentored, seen, and supported, not just for performance but for personal and community transformation ”
Just 14 soloists were chosen by a panel of top South African jazz mentors These mentors guided the soloists through composition, collaborative songwriting and jazz repertoire workshops leading up to the concert The soloists included vocalists, guitarists, bass guitarists, drummers, tenor saxophonist, trombonist and trumpeter
Under the leadership of Prof Tiffin, AYJ director since 2017, the young musicians delivered a moving and technically impressive performance
“The programme provides the participants with an insider’s experience
of a professional production,” said Tiffin
“It has become a launchpad for many young artists who go on to become performers, recording artists, and educators ”
The soloists performed work from iconic South African jazz artists such as Sibongile Khumalo, Alvin Dyers, Bokani Dyer, Zoe Modiga, Nomfundo Xaluva and Chadleigh Gowar
The concert highlighted the depth of talent and professionalism nurtured within the programme
Made possible through support from the Western Cape Education Department, the Artscape Youth Jazz Series is not only a developmental opportunity but also a powerful act of remembrance and resistance “We owe it to the youth of 1976 who died for a cause, that we continue to transfer skills to today’s youth,” said Le Roux
The ‘Il Trovatore’ will take place at Cape Town City Hall
Franco von Wielligh (saxophone), Zakhiel Davids (trumpet) Aviwe Macutwana (trombone) with vocalists Andrea Martinez, Caleb Meyer and Sarah Pengilly PHOTO: SUPPLIED
is distributed every Tuesday and reach an estimated 419 650 readers
Michal Hofmeyer of False Bay