Walk for a worthy cause
Are you ready to step up and say no to childhood hunger? Then the annual Blisters for Bread Charity Family Fun Walk is just the thing for you
Amid high unemployment rate and alarming poverty in the country, the Peninsula School Feeding Association (PSFA) in association with Lucky Star is thrilled to announce the return of Blisters for Bread
PSFA is a 67-year-old registered non-profit organisation (NPO) that addresses hunger among young learners attending primary, secondary and special-needs schools, OVC Safe Parks, ECDs and TVET colleges in the Western Cape Now celebrating 57 years of walking with purpose, the Blisters for Bread Charity Family Fun Walk has grown into one of the Mother City’s most beloved fundraising events It raises vital funds to provide daily nutritious meals to learners in need across the province
This year ’ s event will be on Sunday 31 August at the Green Point Common Sports Ground Online entries are now open, and participation is limited to 8 000 walkers
Flexible registration options are available for individuals and groups
Registration closes at midnight
BLISTERS FOR BREAD IS A MOST BELOVED EVENT IN THE MOTHER CITY.
on Sunday 17 August
Every participant will be presented with a commemorative medal as a token of PSFA’s appreciation Complimentary refreshments from Peninsula Beverages will be available to all walkers, ensuring everyone stays refreshed and energised throughout the day There will also be live music
performances from Cape Town’s top local artists, family-friendly entertainment, food stalls and loads of activities for kids and grown-ups alike
Whether you ’ re walking with your school, workplace, friends or family, this event is the ultimate combo of purpose and play
Petrina Pakoe, director of PSFA, says Blisters for Bread is more than just an event; it’s a heartfelt movement
“Every rand raised and every kilometre walked helps us ensure no child has to learn on an empty stomach We invite everyone –young and old – to walk with pur-
pose and be part of this extraordinary cause ”
The R100 entry fee will enable PSFA to provide both breakfast and lunch to 20 hungry schoolchildren for a day
Official event T-shirts are available at R150
Starting in Stephan Way, the event offers two scenic route options along Cape Town’s iconic Sea Point Promenade
The 10km walk starts at 07:30, while the 5km walk kicks of at 08:00 . To register, visit www psfa org za For enquiries, Top Events: info@topevents co za, or WhatsApp 066 139 4210
Drivetocollectmorethan1milsouppackets
With the winter cold and chilly days fast approaching vulnerable people will be most affected In light of this Pick n Pay Hypermarket is partnering with Feed the Nation to collect over 1 million packets of soup for vulnerable communities
The Soup for SA initiative, launched across all the retailer’s Hypermarkets nationwide, encourages customers to donate a packet of soup costing just R5
Seventy-five percent of the donated soup will be distributed to 2 675 Pick n Pay School Club-registered primary schools, while the remaining soup will be allocated to local civil-society organisations surrounding each Hypermarket
The schools run feeding schemes for learners who often rely on
these meals as their main source of nutrition
Customers can purchase any quantity of soup packets, swipe their Smart Shopper card and donate the packets at the designated vehicle trailer parked near the store entrance before Sunday 29 June As an incentive for customers 21 winners will be selected to win a trailer (one from each hypermarket)
Deirdre Mullins, National CSI Manager at Pick n Pay, said every contribution, no matter how small, can bring some relief through a warm, nourishing meal
“As winter sets in and temperatures drop more feeding schemes seek to prepare soup for those in need, placing increased strain on food supplies and heightening the need for food support Feed the Nation has always stood alongside customers and partners to help meet this increased demand “This
A JOURNO’S VOICE
“Senzeni na? What have we done?” This is a song I often find myself singing in the office, much to the amusement of my colleagues Here I am, a woman in South Africa today, writing this and find myself singing it yet again
But this time these lyrics hold so much pain and heartache I am singing this song on behalf of yet another woman who was murdered in our beloved country
According to police, Olorato Mongale left her home in Athol, Johannesburg on Sunday 25 May with a man she had planned to go out on a date with
“The man collected Olorato from her residential complex around 15:00,” read the police report “He drove the victim to the township
of Alexandra, proceeded to Kew afterwards, and between Alexandra and Lombardy West allegedly murdered Olorato and dumped her body ”
She was picked up from her home Just two hours later, she was dumped somewhere as if her life meant nothing Her only crime was trusting the person she got into the vehicle with This incident, as horrific as it is, is not an isolated case
Olorato isn’t the first Her name unfortunately joins a long-bloodied list So many others have been killed, some raped, then killed and others burnt to death, all at the hands of someone they knew and trusted
Some went to school, some went to the post office, some never even left their homes, some were lured outside Some were asked out on a date Once-vibrant and -bubbling personalities have been silenced To the perpetrators of these hei-
nous crimes I ask, “Senzeni na?”
What have we (women) done?”
Why can’t we trust you? Why do we have to wear certain attire so we don’t look as if we want to be sexually assaulted? Why can’t we drive or walk the street alone not only at night, but at any time of the day?
Women for Change (WFC), an organisation advocating against gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), says the rate of femicide in South Africa is six times higher than the global average At least 15 women are murdered daily, with 5 578 women murdered in 2023-’24, a 33,8% increase from the year before
As women we are being brutalised and our constitutional rights violated, yet not much is being done to mitigate this
Women brave enough to report such crimes committed towards them at police stations have, in many instances, been treated like
the perpetrator
Mounting calls for the names of sexual offenders and murderers to be released should be adhered to Name and shame them It should be their names up on a flyer, not the face of a missing woman or child
To the thousands of women and girls who have brutally lost their lives I am sorry Sorry your lives were cut short by these callous monsters Sorry your school, home, the post office, the street, even the police station was not safe
Your voices have been silenced, but may your cries from six feet under echo through the corridors of the Union Buildings and Parliament I pray our political leaders refrain from making lengthy speeches about how they are making strides in the fight against GBV and femicide and do the work Until then my question remains: “Senzeni na?” What have we (women) done?”
KAYLYNNE BANTOM
Blisters for Bread returns on Sunday 31 August at the Green Point Common Sports Ground
Seal cont
The popular roaming elephant seal was an astonishing sight for visitors when the sea mammal stopped by at Kalk Bay Harbour on Wednesday morning 28 May
The adult male was previously spotted wandering on Sir Lowry’s Pass Road in Gordon’s Bay a day earlier
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA received a call at 06:00 that morning and their staff arrived to assess the situation The timeframe to ensure that the seal was safely returned became a ninehour rescue operation involving a well-coordinated effort across multiple agencies to ensure the sub-adult male’s safety and eventual return to a more suitable coastal environment
Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are the world’s largest seal species and are usually found in sub-Antarctic regions
“While sightings in South Africa are rare, occasional lone individuals, typically young males, do haul out along our coastline during moulting or rest phases But making it inland and into a neighbourhood is, by all accounts, highly unusual,” the Cape of Good Hope SPCA wrote on their website
The seal was barricaded by vehicles at the corner of Avondrust Street and Sir Lowry’s Pass Road, the City confirmed
Officials placed a wildlife trailer and attempted to “walk” the animal to the trailer, but after several attempts, it became clear that this was not going to work Two attending wildlife veterinarians successfully sedated the animal
Once given the go-ahead by the vets, the animal was carefully rolled onto a stretcher and with a combination of many hands and a well-coordinated effort the almost 1,2 ton animal was carefully and quickly loaded into the trailer without a hitch The animal’s welfare was checked by the vets before travelling to the selected release site at the Steenbras Nature Reserve coastal area along Clarens Drive
FROMPAGE1
“In May last year when the team from Global Heritage Afrika visited the museum to do 3D scans of our stone tools, the whale bones and some of the other displays, they also did a scan of the museum building itself and of the inside of Peers Cave It is these scans that we are now trying to develop into the digital museum
“We have set up a virtual walkthrough of the museum and are now busy putting ‘hotspots’ on some of the displays so that the visitor can explore the rooms of the museum and learn more when they click on the hotspot We are still adding to these hotspots,” explains Maude Volunteer Brian Martin has been scanning all the Museum’s photographs and documents to create a digital archive for several years
He also made contact with Bruce McDonald, a Deputy Chief Scientist for GDHA and a Fish Hoek local, with his vision for a complete digital archive of the Museum’s collection
There was much excitement amongst the museum volunteers watching this cutting-edge digitisation process underway
Curator Sally Britten said: “This is an opportunity not to be missed, opening our collection to the world Peers Cave is a remarkable site with a fascinating history and we are pleased that it will be freely available for anyone to view ”
The team will also digitise a selection of the other historical artefacts housed in the museum and will also go out and scan Peers Cave itself
Martin says: “We are still working on more ideas of mine for taking the museum into the future ”
The museum has also acquired a Google Cardboard VR headset which turns visitors smartphones into a cheap VR viewing device
This device can be used for viewing the 3D stone tools and artefacts in the museum
“The Peers Cave walkthrough is also being set up and we hope to have this ready later in the year I am excited for this launch as people will be able to visit Peers Cave from their computer or smartphone The Cave is a very significant historical place in the valley as it has been used by the ancestors of early humans for many thousands of years Once the virtual museums are working, the next step is to ‘add’ new rooms to the display For this we will involve the community to fill in the gaps that are missing from the existing physical museum ”
“The Fish Hoek Valley
Juniorcouncillorreadytogiveback
Ap y g y and abroad,” she says Kaka is also tasked with covering the events for the City as a media representative for the
, , g “I’m inspired every day by the 49 other junior councillors and the amazing team leaders and councillors who guide us, ” she said
Councillor Donovan Nelson, the custodian of the Junior City Council (JCC), is flanked by some of the recently elected members From left they are: Matthew Kriel, Michael-Daniel Bam, Mizero Hope Munyandekwe and Luniko Nokhepeyi PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Volunteers gather for beach clean-up
KEANANHARMSE
Agroup of volunteers rolled their sleeves up and removed 25 kg of plastic waste from Muizenberg Beach on Saturday morning 24 May
The clean-up was conducted by the Litterboom Project, said organiser Casey Pratt Litterboom Project is a non-profit company (NPC) that tackles plastic pollution, intercepting waste in rivers, raising awareness through education and driving innovation to turn discarded plastic into opportunity
The event was a collaboration between Back 2 Nature and the City Pratt told People’s Post that the beach-clean up was an opportunity for locals and volunteers to “reconnect with the ocean ” and reflect on the need to protect it
Volunteers removed 25 kg of plastic waste from the beach, intercepting it before it could reach the ocean The most common types of litter that were collected were cigarette butts “A waste audit is currently underway, with early findings showing an overwhelming number of cigarette butts, the most littered item
THERE’S A DRIVE TO EDUCATE AND TURN DISCARDED PLASTIC INTO OPPORTUNITY.
globally Often mistaken for biodegradable paper, cigarette filters are made of plastic and can take up to 10 years to break down, leaking toxic chemicals into the environment,” he said Many stayed on to visit the NPC’s pop-up
stand, which showcased a range of products made from recovered plastic, demonstrating how waste can be reimagined into practical and creative items
NPC project manager Megan Swart said she was honoured to be part of the clean-up “We’re really excited at bringing events such as this to life, ones that mix environmental action with community spirit It’s not just about removing plastic, but also shifting how we see and deal with it ” The next event will be on Saturday 7 June, at Lagoon Beach, to celebrate World Oceans Day on Sunday 8 June
Litterboom Project volunteer and river warden Nicole Jacobs
Litterboom Project volunteer, Abduragmaan Martin PHOTOS: SUPPLIED
Spaza up-charges anger residents
NAMHLAMONAKALI
Spaza shops have long been a vital part of communities, providing affordable and convenient access to everyday goods But recent reports from consumers reveal a troubling trend: many spaza shops are allegedly charging excessive card-payment surcharges, in some cases as high as R5 per item, a practice that is unlawful under South Africa’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
At the heart of this issue is Section 23 of the Act, which clearly states all prices must be displayed and honoured at checkout Importantly, it prohibits suppliers and merchants from charging any additional surcharges at the point of sale
Liaquat (Lee) Soobrathi, ombudsman for Consumer Goods and Services, emphasises: “As a supplier or merchant one is not allowed to charge a surcharge This is not allowed in South Africa ”
He urged consumers to report such violations, adding “the more complaints we receive the easier it is to identify a pattern Once trends emerge we investigate the practices behind
them ”
For many South Africans spaza shops are more than just shops; they are often family-run and deeply embedded in the local economy Yet the introduction of these unlawful fees has left many feeling exploited
A resident of Samora Machel voiced a common frustration: “It’s not about the R5 It’s the principle We’re already struggling to put food on the table, and now we ’ re being penalised just for using a card ”
To understand how spaza shops are regulated, People’s Post contacted the City of Cape Town’s Media Office Since November last year, the City has issued Certificates of Acceptability under health legislation to 1 269 spaza-shop premises Applicants must register via the City’s e-Services platform, with no fees involved, and certificates do not require renewal
Francine Higham, Mayco member for community services and health, explained: “The City of Cape Town is committed to ensuring public-health compliance, especially where food retail is concerned
“These certificates help ensure businesses, including informal spaza shops, meet minimum health standards Residents who have concerns
Bird enthusiasts meeting
PAYMENT ABUSES DON’T SIT WELL WITH THE CONSUMER GOODS AND SERVICES OMBUDSMAN.
are encouraged to report them to their local Environmental Health Office ” However, when it comes to enforcing compliance on payment methods and pricing transparency the City clarifies that this responsibility does not fall within its mandate This leaves a regulatory gap that really frustrates many consumers
Soobrathi highlighted the importance of public participation “Consumers need to be aware of their rights and exercise them Reporting unlawful surcharges is key; that’s how we create accountability and protect vulnerable consumers ”
People who have been charged an unlawful card payment surcharge ,or suspect unfair practices in any spaza shop, are urged to complain to the National Consumer Commission or the Consumer Goods and Services Ombud via www
cgso org za
Community members across Cape Town have taken to social media and consumer platforms alleging they are being charged as much as R5 per item when paying with a debit or credit card These fees, they say, are often not disclosed beforehand and add up quickly for households already grappling with rising food prices and high unemployment
According to Soobrathi, these charges violate the CPA, and specifically Section 23, which governs product pricing and transparency
“Suppliers are required to display the price of goods clearly and charge the consumer that price Merchants are not allowed to impose surcharges on card payments It’s simply not permitted under South African law ” He urged consumers to report such practices to the National Consumer Commission (NCC)
“Every complaint counts The more people speak up the better the commission can identify national trends and take action against exploitative retailers ”
The NCC can be reached on 012 428 7000 Complaints should include the shop’s name, location, the amount charged and any proof of payment, if possible
With the spotlight firmly placed on spaza shops and their ownership, People’s Post spoke to some residents to get their thoughts and feelings about having them in their communities
. Agnes Daames said: “It is very taxing, especially if you are in a home where the income is not so great and also if you are a pensioner Most owners of spaza shops are foreigners who just come to enrich themselves in our country Recently, someone had to pay R5 extra They don’t pay tax in our country, we already pay tax, then we still get taxed by them too I feel this is not on ”
. Natalie Wyngaard believes it is unfair, but added: “How else will the spaza shops make a profit for themselves? I think that extra R2 is for the printing of the paper anyway They should give buyers an option to write the
electricity tokens or airtime voucher down, remember it, or print the receipt ”
. Levene Mitchell said: “Spaza shops have the right to request a small fee as they are not like a bank institution, which makes thousands of rands in bank fees I don’t think we should come down on them so hard for they offer a very convenient service from early morning to late evening ”
. Sonia Douglas said they are daylight robbery: “As as pensioner it is really beyond our income as daily necessities become more expensive Our Sassa grant lasts only for a few days, although we work carefully with it We need electricity every day Why not just give me my R20 or R10 electricity, or airtime, without adding a fee to it? It may look like little, but for those living below the breadline it means more food on the table ”
Levene Mitchell spazas offer convenience
Sonia Douglas says there is no need for extra costs
Natalie Wyngaard calls for options
Agnes Daames says spazas are taxing
