NGOsdemandMSGforpoor
NAMHLAMONAKALI
Acoalition of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and researchers is urging the South African government to approve a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) to help poor pregnant women, as child poverty and malnutrition continue to rise
The MSG advocacy coalition says the grant would cost R2 billion annually, just 0,1% of government spending but could save about R13,8 billion by preventing low-birth-weight births and stunting, according to new policy proposals by Hold My Hand, Change Ideas and Grow Great (DG Murray Trust)
“This grant is a realisable opportunity to support pregnant women with a financial lifeline and economic agency when they need it most,” says Julie Mentor, Project Lead at Embrace
The grant would support roughly 800 000 women for nine months, starting in the second trimester and continuing three months after birth
It would provide a bridge to the Child Support Grant (CSG), ensuring infants receive nutrition during their first months, a critical period for healthy growth and brain development
“Income support during pregnancy improves maternal and child nutrition, lowers maternal
NEARLY70%OFCHILDREN LIVEINPOVERTY,40% HOUSEHOLDSUNABLETOMEET BASICNUTRITIONALNEEDS
stress and reduces the incidence of low-birthweight babies, a key predictor of stunting,” says Liezel Engelbrecht, Nutrition Lead at DG Murray Trust
Nearly 70% of children in South Africa live in poverty, with almost 40% in households unable to meet basic nutritional needs (“NGOs urge South African government to approve maternal support grant” People’s Post, 4 February 2025)
Chronic malnutrition begins in the womb and can lead to stunting, which affects learning, cognitive development and future economic productivity
“Children who do not receive proper nutrition in the womb and early months are more likely to face stunting, poor cognitive development and lower educational outcomes,” warns Nicola Eley, deputy director of Grow great
The coalition says the MSG is not charity but justice It would reach women in informal work who are excluded from maternity benefits, helping to reduce inequality and break intergenera-
tional cycles of poverty
Advocates highlight that nearly half of eligible infants do not access the CSG in their first year, leaving a gap in crucial early nutrition Introducing the MSG would ensure financial support reaches families during this critical period, improving health and long-term educational outcomes
The coalition is calling on the Department of Social Development to table the MSG policy before Cabinet without delay, ensuring pregnant women and their unborn children receive the support they need
NHWnominationscloseinafewdaystime
Entries for this year ’ s Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Awards will close on Friday 31 October
The annual awards celebrate outstanding achievements in community safety and neighbourhood support
Organisers are urging the public to submit their nominations urgently
The nominations can be done across a number of categories, for individual NHW members or teams/organisations
Nomination forms are available in English, IsiXhosa and Afrikaans – each nomination must be accompanied by supporting evidence, like social media or news clippings, affidavits and photographs among others
JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, said: “Our Neighbourhood Watches provide a visible presence and offer a sense
of security and peace of mind to many of our residents The awards shine a light on their commitment and hard work They amplify the reach of the safety and security directorate, and this is an opportunity to show our appreciation and gratitude ” Smith said that people could nominate the same person or neighbourhood watch group for more than one category, but that a separate form should be submitted for each nomination
The awards ceremony will take place at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Saturday 22 November
THECATEGORIESFORINDIVIDUAL
MEMBERSINCLUDE:
. Neighbourhood Watch
Member of the Year – outstanding achievement in safeguarding members and property
. Organisational Excellence –
exceptional Neighbourhood Watch management
. Mobiliser of the Year – extraordinary efforts to unite and mobilise the community
. Inspiration of the Year – a leader who inspires across multiple Watches
. Crime Fighter of the Year –selfless commitment in the fight against crime
. Courage in Action – sustained service under challenging safety conditions
FORNEIGHBOURHOODWATCHES
. Neighbourhood Watch of the Year – exceptional service in community protection
. Situational Crime Prevention Award – efforts to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe environment
. Social Responsibility Award –commitment to healing social ills and strengthening unity
. Courage in Action Award – continued operations despite serious community safety risks
. Disaster Relief Contributor of the Year – outstanding contribution during the City’s Disaster Management Donation Drive . Best Utilisation of Technology Award – innovative and effective use of technology to enhance safety Nominees must be accredited with the Provincial Department of Police Oversight and Community Safety or have formal accreditation applications pending Entries for the newly added categories, Disaster Relief Contributor of the Year and Best Utilisation of Technology Award, can be submitted via email: nwawards@ capetown org za, together with the required body of evidence . For details email can be sent to: nw awards@capetown gov za
Whattheworldisreallymadeofthesedays
2025
Learning to embrace the speed of modern life
“I remembered reading that they were making sausages out of fish, and fish, no doubt, out of something different It gave me the feeling that I’d bitten into the modern world and discovered what it was really made of That’s the way we ’ re going nowadays Everything slick and streamlined, everything made out of something else ”
This passage from George Orwell’s novel Coming up for air has become a haunting metaphor to describe this glittery age we find ourselves racing to embrace and understand
First published in 1939 just before World War 2 and the birth of the atomic bomb, two terrifying phenomena that would alter life and our idea of safety and security forever
And yet I find the novel still captures the unease and paranoia that technological and industrial innovation presents our society in
A few years ago, we survived and emerged from the Covid-19 pandemic, where we witnessed hybrid work environments, government distrust, the rise of podcasts and dying theatres and record stores closing down
During this time the political world became more divided, with content creators sharing their ideologies towards their fanbases on social media and deepening the divide between liberals and conservatives to boost their followers
We saw YouTube become the new television and now we are bombarded with unskippable ads and more spam calls than ever before Cooped up in our homes while being forced to quarantine and social distance, these videos or “content” we consumed became an escape from a gloomy reality we were struggling to accept
You often hear people say they weren’t the same person that entered the pandemic
All the while our cellphones, our apps, kept updating and improving
Now these devices are operating at unprecedented speeds, effortlessly processing oceans of
data and completing tasks more efficiently
We are basking in the golden age of technology and witnessing the breakneck speed of information and ever increasing popularity of social media
Particularly, Instagram and the obsession of appearing cool and having an “aesthetic” and style that sets you apart from the rest and pretending to live as a celebrity
Now a photograph that would organically capture a moment has become exploited, filtered or polished to satisfy some personal idea
In the past, reporters and the radio were the main source of information for the public who had to verify facts before they were published Now we are seeing accidents, traumatic videos of violence being shared at the push of a button and spreading like wildfire online
These videos are being shared and seen seemingly without consequence or any care to fact-check if this news truly occurred on this day nor if the contents are disturbing for viewers
God forbid the graphic material enters the TikTok feed of a young person, reshaping their algorithm
to ensure they’ll see similar content because they haven’t skipped the video in five seconds
It’s as if social media has become a colourful zoo where visitors are gasping at graphic and upsetting material whilst being unable to peel their eyes from the screen like numb and overstimulated zombies
Now reporters must adapt to a world where research and patience are becoming relics of the past and they’re competing with endless videos being posted without being checked or edited for credibility
Like the word “fast food” means a quick, cheap and tasty meal, people can become irritated and impatient when this convenience doesn’t fulfil its promise and they waited 20 minutes for their hamburger
And yet after they’ve exhausted their lungs, once they’ve received their meal they’ll bite into the meat like some rabid hyaena, with little care to consider if the meat they’re chewing is truly the “100% pure bred beef’’ they paid for I think this is an apt way to describe why we should remember the importance of staying vigilant and distinguish between the truth and the lies being sold and packaged to us with colourful gift wrapping
A coalition of NGOs and researchers is urging the South African government to approve a Maternal Support Grant (MSG) to help poor pregnant women, as child poverty and malnutrition continue to rise. PHOTO SUPPLIED
FROMPAGE1
People's Post spoke with founder and managing director Yomna Allie to uncover how the school is managing this crisis
“Since the very start of the school we applied for compliance There have been numerous challenges, and every time we tried to mitigate them we just faced more and more So our school is operating without compliance, but not because we haven’t made every effort to meet the required criteria for compliance ”
Allie said she bought the property in 2017 and tried to apply for consent use before opening the school
“I discovered the City of Cape Town actually had no building plans for that property on record,” she said, accusing the City of the “setback”
“I was then forced to draw as-built plans which delayed my initial application We restarted the rezoning process in 2021 after an attempt to apply for consent use failed between 2018 and 2020
“The rezoning application process was managed by a professional town planner and the process concluded only this year Even our appeal failed ”
The school was asked to do a noise assessment and a traffic assessment, Allie claimed
The letter the school was served to “ cease activities” has been upsetting for parents and staff, she said
“This instruction from the City of Cape Town has caused enormous distress for the parents, children and staff who earn their living at the school We decided to look for alternative premises, which we are still currently doing, premises that can fit into our budget and that are easily accessible for parents and suitable for the children ”
When People’s Post enquired from the City how it was engaging with the school the municipality said it remained committed to ensuring development across the City took place in a lawful, safe and responsible manner
“Where challenges arise, particularly in cases involving schools and community institutions, the City seeks to apply the law with fairness,” said Mayco member for spatial planning and the environment Eddie Andrews, “while advising affected parties on areas of non-compliance and the steps required to rectify or regularise their applications in line with planning requirements and the municipal planning bylaw (MPBL) ”
The City said it had empathy for the parents, learners and broader Ferness Estate community regarding the recent notice of closure of the
school
“Unfortunately, the school has since 2019 been operating illegally from a property that is zoned as single residential,” Andrews pointed out, “which does not permit a place of instruction as a primary land-use right As part of our commitment to transparent and supportive planning processes officials from the local planning district will be available to engage with the applicant during the pre-application phase, in line with the provisions of the MPBL ”
The land-use application will have to comply with the provisions of the MPBL and will be assessed on its merits, he added
“A public-participation process will also be required to allow surrounding neighbours and property owners to comment on the application before any decision is made ”
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) noted that the school is having issues with their municipal zoning
“Ours is an independent school, and the WCED is not closing it,” said school spokesperson Kerry Mauchline “Queries would need to be directed to the independent school ”
Andrews said the City remains sensitive to the impact such matters have on families and communities
“Our approach is to guide and support applicants through the proper legal channels so community-serving facilities can continue their work in a way that is lawful, safe and beneficial to all residents,” he said
The school is still engaging with the City to submit a new application of consent use so they have another chance to apply, Allie added
“Hopefully they can assist us to overcome the technical challenges we faced with our first application,” she said
Concerned parent, Nazreen Sonday said her 10-year old son is one of the speical needs learners at the school
“He has been attending OCJS since Grade R We struggled to find a suitable school for him and were fortunate Allie opened her doors for us Our boy has been thriving at the school and they have been increidbly accomodating of his needs,” she said
Fellow parent, Waybah Phillips said her children are neurodiverse and require small classes with lots of individual attention
“Currently the governement special needs schools do not cater enough for higher functioning special needs For government special needs schools my kids have been on the waiting list for the last five years Where do we take our kids if Otters closes? We are appealing to the City Help us keep the school open ”
Valedictorian overcomes loss
KEANANHARMSE
Christel House valedictorian overcomes personal loss to lead Class of 2025
Christel High’s South Africa’s class of 2025 are looking forward to securing their best marks while they tackle their final exams this year
The school’s matriculants posed for a group photo outside their school as a way to honour and celebrate their matrics on Monday 20 October
The following day, the school celebrated their top ten learners during their valedictory ceremony at their school hall
This year the top three valedictorians were:
Alique Jacobs, Kuhle Javu (second place) and Alutha Tshongweni (third place), said school spokesperson, Megan Losper
Christel House South Africa is a no-fee, non-profit school based in Ottery and supports learners from disadvantaged communities, starting from Grade RR until age 18 and five years post matric
Jacobs credits school community for support through his academic journey and helping him overcome family tragedy
Two years ago, Alique experienced the devastating loss of his mother
Through this challenging time, he found strength and support in both his family at home and his Christel House family, which includes his classmates and dedicated staff who have walked alongside him every step of the way
He first began his journey with the school in Grade R
He told People’s Post he still feels calm while tackling his finals as he hasn’t started writing
JACOBS CREDITS SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORT
the more challenging subjects yet Javu says she feels slightly overwhelmed but does feel like she’s prepared well enough for the exams
“So far the exams haven’t been that stressful yet and thankfully I still have time to study after my chores,” she said Tshongweni says she’s been constantly revising and correcting mistakes
“I’m staying calm as I remember I’m near the finish line I’d encourage my fellow matrics to not fold under pressure as stress will be your worst enemy, if you are prepared well it will pay off It’s also important to have a good support system ”
Artistsgiveschoolafacelift
KAYLYNNEBANTOM
The exterior walls of Salt River High School received a vibrant makeover, thanks to a group of local artists eager to give back to the school
The five artists began painting on Saturday 11 October and completed the project the next day, creating a vibrant environment for teaching and learning, explained artist Chad Hanning, also known as “Bushy Wopp”
Hanning said he was approached by Margolite Williams, who has been actively involved in several upliftment projects at the school
“We had a meeting at the school where she and Melanie told me about the hardships the kids go through and how much positive art could make a difference around them I was completely on board ”
Hanning explained that without hesitation he called a group of artists to come on board
“I then gathered about four other artists to help me paint the school
“The other artists were Skubalisto, Motel 7,
Ras Silas, and Aweh Migo ”
He said within a few hours, they transformed the walls of the library, trauma room, and several other school facilities into vibrant works of art
“We created fun, light-hearted artworks throughout the school, including in the library This will be an ongoing project that I see myself and others involved in ”
He explained the project’s vision
“The purpose of the project was to make a positive change for the kids at the school by beautifying the space so they can feel proud to be there and uplifted in their environment Our message is that art is powerful for healing and for making spaces feel more welcoming, inspiring, and full of possibility ”
School principal Donovan Nicholas said the wall art is a welcome addition
“I appreciate the work done by the artists It adds a splash of colour to a drab environment,” he said
Kuhle Javu is flanked by Alutha Tshongweni; left, and Alique Jacobs
Community artists beautified Salt River High School PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Club showcases flowers
A look at one of last year’s winners
Longbeachgetsintofestivespirit
KEANANHARMSE
More than 20 visitors and their families enjoyed a weekend of getting into the festive spirit and crafting Christmas decorations from recycled materials
Earlier this month, a workshop was held at Longbeach Mall in Noordhoek, where guests took part in a creative community project Designers created two items per person, one to take home and the other for the mall’s Christmas tree, with the creator’s name attached
The workshop, which fostered the idea of transforming recycled items into works of art, was organised by Irene Oxley, president of the South African Society of Artists
Visitors of all ages participated with guided instruction, in a collaborative enterprise that enabled them to walk
away with something for their own tree and a heightened environmental consciousness “Thanks to help from Melissa Tiemie and Lorraine Hendricks of Ocean
View the tree went up and on display on Sunday 19 October,” said Oxley
She also hosted a similarly-themed art exhibition, which promoted environmental sustainability with Earth Art: Saving the planet one brushstroke at a time, from Tuesday 2 September to Wednesday 1 October .For more information contact Oxley at 082 303 6798
SUPPLIED
Volunteers assisting the young boys and girls who took part in the Christmas art workshop
Local cartoon artist Gavin Thompson alongside Irene Oxley
Young boys and girls had the pleasure of seeing their crafts become Christmas decorations
Mentalhealth care is p
With World Mental Health Awareness Month ending on Thursday 30 October, Cape Mental Health highlighted violence as a significant challenge and driving force behind South Africa’s surge in mental health cases
“The persistent violence in Cape Town, through ongoing gang and gender-based violence, alcohol and drug-related incidents, and taxi wars, acts as a catastrophe with several mental health consequences
Despite over 30 years of democracy, violent crime remains high, leaving communities in constant fear,” says Barbara Meyer, spokesperson for Cape Mental Health
Exposure to violence erodes mental health, causing anxiety, depression, sleep problems, PTSD, and strained relationships
Children and youth exposed to trauma face heightened emotional and behavioural challenges
“The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) notes that one in five people exposed to catastrophes develop a diagnosable mental health condition, yet access to quality mental health services remains limited, especially in low- and middle-income countries
South African Federation for Mental Health (SAFMH) recognises violence as a national emergency and a public health crisis
“Poverty, inequality, rigid gender norms, easy access to firearms, alcohol and drug addictions
Renowned motor show returns
TScribantewinsSpeedClassicCapeTown‘25
Franco Scribante claimed the King of the Mountain title at the inaugural Speed Classic Cape Town on Sunday 26 October, driving his 2018 Nissan GTR R35 to victory on the closedoff Philip Kgosana Drive in the city Scribante set a time of 35,260 seconds on the 1,8km track, finishing 0 599 seconds ahead of Reghard Roets, who drove a 2014 Nissan GTR R35 to second place with a time of 35,859 seconds Dawie Joubert completed the podium with a time of 37,407 seconds in his Lotus Exige Pieter Zeelie, who had regularly topped the timing charts and was in contention for the crown throughout the day on Sunday, suffered a faulty start in his final run during the King of the Mountain shootout, putting him out of contention
FROMFERRARISTO1000HPMONSTERS
Close to 80 supercars and hillclimb monsters competed under the shadow of Table Mountain, with cars reaching top speeds of nearly 240km/h Sunday’s field included everything from modern Ferraris, McLarens and Lamborghinis to modified single seaters and saloon cars with over 1000hp, while Saturday featured a range
of nearly 70 classic cars – from single seaters steeped in racing history, to modified classic road cars
“It was a really great day for us We were absolutely nowhere when we got to the Class Finals, so I knew we would have to dig deep But I didn’t know if it would be enough, so it was a miracle that it all came together for the final run and I cannot wait to be back again next year, ” said Scribante, who had settled for second place on Classic Car Saturday
BATTLEOFTHECLASSICS
It was Charles Arton that claimed the Classic Champion title on Saturday by setting a winning time of 40,143 in his 1979 March 79A Scribante in his Chevron B19, set a time of 40,362 in the Classic Champion finale Scribante had broken the 40 second mark in his Class Finals run, which set the grid for the Classic Champion shootout However, Arton was able to come out ahead of Scribante in the day’s final run
The podium was rounded out by James Temple, who clocked 43,245 in his Shelby Daytona Coupe Temple bettered his time of 44,614 in the Class Finals run, but it did not prove to be enough to unseat either Arton or Scribante
RACINGBENEATHICONICMOUNTAINBACKDROP
Speed Classic Cape Town Race Director Enzo Kuun described the course as one of the “most scenic tracks in the world ”
“To race with Table Mountain to my right, the Atlantic Ocean to my left and Lion’s Head behind me was an absolute privilege and epic experience,” Kuun said
The event attracted close to 15 000 spectators through the gates, with close to 180 000 joining the livestreams across Saturday and Sunday Speed Classic Cape Town event director Garth Mackintosh said the event is poised to establish itself as a premier hillclimb event following the successful first weekend
“To see our vision come to fruition has been extremely satisfying I think you can only get bigger and better from here and we are ready to invest and create a future event that can only go from strength-to-strength,” Mackintosh said The results for both days can be accessed on the Speed Classic Cape Town website
Franco Scribante, was crowned King of the Mountain at the inaugral Speed Classic Cape Town.
People's
Post is distributed every Tuesday and reach an estimated 419 650 readers
Wp year where Capetonians
flock to Newlands and Boland Park for the SA20 cricket season, starting on Friday 26 December until Sunday 25 January next year
This is South Africa’s ultimate summer celebration and tickets are selling fast With world-class cricket, entertainment and lifestyle experiences
across six major cities, it’s shaping up to be an exciting time with fast bowling, cricket idols in action and family fun The momentum is building and now is the perfect time to spotlight this celebration of sport, style and summer fun
The Western Cape is spoiled with two teams participating in the competition, MI Cape Town at Newlands
p y
ferent franchises, many of them have their roots in the Western Cape
Some started their cricket careers at Boland of Western Province and were later contracted by other provinces where they thrived
MI Cape Town are the defending champions and they’ll have a target on their back
Newlands Cricket Ground will host the final, with Kingsmead, Centuri-
y, g g one more opportunity to experience incredible cricket on Wednesday 21 January
Centurion is setting the stage for the Eliminator on Thursday 22 January and the Wanderers serving the decider of the second finalist with Qualifier 2 on Friday 23 January
All SA20 champions have been crowned in front of a capacity crowd and the League Commissioner
y p champions, says Smith The squad for MI Cape Town: 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
SoftballatschoollevelgiveschildrenwingsinMetroCentral
AVRILFILLIES
Learners from Windsor High School, Pinelands North Primary, Bosmansdam High School, Norma Road Primary, Blossom Primary, Kewtown Primary and Athlone North Primary, launched the official Schools Summer Softball League on Friday 17 August, on the B field of Rondebosch Oval as the re-introduction and growth of softball at school level
This initiative was launched by the Cape Town Softball Association to develop young talent and revive the sport across the city
“As part of this structure, different zones have been established across Cape Town - and the Athlone Area, the Central Zone - represents schools within the Metro Central District The Central Zone Softball Union (CZSU) was formed to lead this effort in the district
“Our executive committee is made up of softball club representatives, school teachers and coaches who are
passionate about sports development and youth empowerment Together, we ’ ve partnered with schools in Metro Central, along with support from the Western Cape Educational Department (WCED) and Department
of Culture, Arts and Sport (DCAS), to officially launch a Schools Summer Softball League,” says Jamie Lakey, member of the Athlone Police Youth Desk and organiser of the event The structure is simple but effective,
where schools compete against one another during the week in friendly league matches
CZSU coaches and club representatives then identify players who show promise and enthusiasm for the game
“These learners receive additional training and mentorship through our local softball clubs in and around Athlone, where they continue to grow their skills and play in formal weekend leagues
“The long-term vision is to nurture young players from grassroots level all the way to provincial and national representation Our goal is to prepare these learners for prestigious tournaments such as the Western Cape Softball Association’s annual u-17 championship
“At the championship, they will have the chance to compete alongside some of the best young athletes in the province Beyond that, these opportunities open doors for travel, exposure
and even potential national selection - showing our youth that softball can take them far beyond their communities,” she says
The friendly at the launch was a fun, high-energy event designed to unite schools, introduce learners to the sport, and set the tone for a vibrant season of competition and development
“At its heart, this initiative is about creating opportunity, teaching teamwork, discipline and confidence through sport, while providing a platform for young players to dream bigger and aim higher,” she says Athlone Police Youth Desk has also been of tremendous assistance in establishing this league as they have already built relationships with schools in Athlone which allowed the union to partner with some of them and bring them on board on this great initiative
Learners from Bokmakierie who attended the launch of the Summer Softbal League are from left: Abdul Baree, Eli Carelse, Reece Williams, Jaydon Quickfall, Moses Molaba, Dante Armstrong, Tyrese Groenewald, Joshua Groenewald and Ishtiyaaq Salie. They attend different high and primary schools in the area PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Lionel Klink of Police wrestles Kirsten Hendricks of Elsies River RFC to the ground during a WPRU club rugby sevens tournament game played at City Park on Saturday 25 October Elsies won the qualifying game 17-12 PHOTO: RASHIED ISAACS
