Articles for Mary-Anne Gontsana

Stellenbosch farm communities to march against eviction notices

Families living in five state farms in Stellenbosch say they refuse to go anywhere after being handed eviction notices last month from the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, saying they should leave their homes by end of August. The families are planning to march today to air their grievances.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 6 August 2015

Children without homes: referrals up for Cape Town centre

Just this week alone six children have been referred to the Fikelela Children's Centre in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha. The institution’s head social worker, Kate Brydon, says the number of abandoned children being referred to Fikelela has risen.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 July 2015

Juggling for Jack: How the Zip Zap circus helped a six-year-old boy

The Zip Zap Circus School dome in the city centre was packed on Saturday afternoon as the circus put on a show to raise funds for severely disabled six-year-old Jack Bain.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 28 July 2015

Perhaps it’s time you cleaned your tackies?

Because two brothers hated getting their sneakers dirty and could not bear wearing dirty shoes, they came up with the unique idea of opening a tackie laundry.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 July 2015

City and Blikkiesdorp residents fail to see eye-to-eye

“Residents of Blikkiesdorp do not trust the City [of Cape Town government],” says a Blikkiesdorp leader, Jerome Daniels. A meeting on Thursday night highlighted the ongoing tensions between this community and the City.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 July 2015

Mother of two disabled children barely coping

Nomahlubi Mbulu is 47. She lives in a house in Old Crossroads. She has three children, a 12-year-old girl, a 17-year-old daughter and a 20-year-old son. Her last born, Lilitha, and her eldest, Sibusiso, are both disabled. She is struggling to cope.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 21 July 2015

Sesfikile ,“ the women’s winery

Even though she once despised wine because her brother would get drunk, Nondumiso Pikashe from Gugulethu has made a success of her own handcrafted wines. She thinks more people could tap into the industry.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 14 July 2015

Ambitious plans for Philippi

Starting in September, the Philippi Economic Development Initiative has plans to turn the Philippi area into a “vibrant urban hub”.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 8 July 2015

Is it the end for popular Cape Town circus?

As part of the City of Cape Town's plans to rationalise municipal facilities, the South African National Circus School (SAN Circus) will have to vacate their premises in Observatory, after their lease was terminated before it was set to expire.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Feature | 3 July 2015

One of the world’s oldest toys is a township craze

Spinning tops have been around for years and this is one of the toys that has been keeping township kids busy for decades, especially during school holidays.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Brief | 1 July 2015

Counselling on wheels to come to Khayelitsha

“It will be like an emotional ambulance.” This is the vision of 28-year-old Banetsi Mphunga: a mobile psychology clinic in Khayelitsha which will see kids in the township receive free help dealing with psychological trauma.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 26 June 2015

Yew Street Market gets its permit back

Saturday will see the park in Salt River buzzing with excitement when stall owners reopen for business, after the Yew Street Market was re-issued with its permit by the City of Cape Town.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 23 June 2015

Tattoos - township style

Since the age of 16, Peter Webb from Mfuleni has had an obsession with tattoos after seeing many movie stars with bodies splashed with ink designs. Finally with his first salary, he managed to buy a tattoo machine and started his own business in the township.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 18 June 2015

City withdraws Salt River market’s permit

What was supposed to be an upliftment project for the Salt River community has turned into a nightmare for market organiser Kim van Lingen. The permit for her market was withdrawn days before the second one was to take place.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 12 June 2015

Gun shots any time of day in Manenberg

This past weekend in gang-plagued Manenberg, a number of shootings took place once again in what community members refer to as one of those “worse weekends”.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 8 June 2015

Mfuleni school kids taught in a shack

As Cape Town weather gets worse, some Grade R learners from Mfuleni are being taught in a cold leaking shack with just one toilet, because there is insufficient space for them in a proper school.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 3 June 2015