Looking back at 2025

As the year draws to a close, we look back at some of the stories that made headlines in Tabletalk during 2025.

In January, Sunningdale Private School, Elkanah House, Parklands College, and Tafelberg School all achieved 100% pass rates for the 2024 academic year.

Sinenjongo High School in Joe Slovo Park recorded an 88.2% pass rate, slightly lower than the previous year’s 88.7%. ("Matrics celebrate record 87.3% pass rate," Tabletalk, Wednesday, January 29).

February brought tragedy. Zimbabwean national Talent Gono, 34, a soon-to-be father, was stabbed to death on Ncanda Avenue in Joe Slovo before his wife gave birth on Thursday, February 20.

Community members launched a crowdfunding initiative and raised R140 000 for his family. Provincial police spokesperson Warrant Officer Joseph Swartbooi said the motive was believed to be robbery and that the investigation remains ongoing ("Joe Slovo man slain as wife gives birth," Tabletalk Wednesday, February 26).

In March, families living in Communicare-owned homes and social housing complexes in Brooklyn and Rugby received eviction notices due to long-overdue rental payments.

At least four women, all over the age of 70, spoke to Tabletalk about their fears of being put out on the street (“Dozens of families face eviction,” Wednesday, March 19). A follow-up this week found that while some families have since moved out, others - including one of the women we interviewed - remain in their homes.

April was marked by heartbreak when a fire destroyed hundreds of homes in Joe Slovo. In the early hours of Sunday, April 6, residents were woken by the smell of smoke as neighbours called out for help while their homes burned (“Fire wrecks lives in Joe Slovo Park,” Wednesday, April 9).

In May, protesters blocked Malibongwe Drive and Potsdam Road with burning tyres after the City’s Law Enforcement allegedly demolished a brick structure used as a business in the Ezihagwinie informal settlement in Dunoon on Monday, May 12 (“Dunoon erupts after demolition of structure used as shop,” Wednesday, May 14).

In July, a group of 38 travellers went to Spain to participate in the Donosti Cup. After the tournament, 10 returned home independently while the remaining 28 - mostly children and three coaches- stranded without return flights. Their situation sparked widespread concern and efforts to bring them home (“Stranded soccer players and coaches return home after emotional ordeal,” July 30).

August saw celebrations for Women’s Month at the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel, where TLC Outreach Projects and Rachel Kolisi hosted a gathering focused on courage, resilience, and the value of sisterhood on Saturday, August 9 (“Resilience served at Women’s Day breakfast,” Wednesday, August 13).

In September, Brooklyn residents welcomed the removal of long-time squatters from Kuala Street. After more than four years of illegal occupation in Vasco Park, the City intervened with a clean-up operation in the area (“City acts on Brooklyn squatters,” Wednesday, September 17).

October brought protests outside Milnerton High School after a viral video showed a Grade 10 boy being assaulted by older pupils (“Violence erupts at Milnerton High School,” Wednesday, October 22). The case has been postponed to Tuesday, January 20 next year, according to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila.

In November, the Milnerton Golf Links Club, a non-profit organisation, celebrated its 100th anniversary from Monday, November 3 to Sunday, November 9 (“Milnerton Golf Club turns 100,” Wednesday, November 5).

Earlier this month, the City of Cape Town rejected claims that proposed low-cost housing on Erf 1117 in Blouberg would have “catastrophic” consequences, stating that no development application currently exists (“City faces pushback on Erf 1117,” Wednesday, December 3).

This was followed by a protest in which around 40 residents from Table View and surrounding suburbs gathered at the site on Saturday, December 6 (“Erf 1117 protest: Residents voice concerns over nuclear safety and environmental risks,” Wednesday, December 10).