Lee-Yandra Paulsen, Author at Voice of the Cape

Shumeez Scott Foundation spreads joy with toy drive

The Shumeez Scott Foundation has launched a festive season toy drive aimed at spreading joy and creating cherished memories for children this holiday season. Foundation Director Bahia Janodien shared her inspiration for the initiative, which began two years ago: “During outreach visits, especially to downtown areas, we noticed many young children playing with nothing but sand because they had no toys.” She recounted a memorable visit to Jamestown, where the […]

18 December 2024

International News

Israeli forces kill ‘soul of my soul’ grandad Khaled Nabhan in air strike on Gaza

A Palestinian grandfather, who grieved for his three-year-old granddaughter after she was killed in an Israeli air strike last year, was killed in another Israeli attack on central Gaza today. Khaled Nabhan won widespread recognition last November when his three-year-old granddaughter, Reem, and her five-year-old brother, Tariq, were killed in an attack in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Images of Nabhan made headlines as he embraced the lifeless […]

16 December 2024

Local

Land reform will be instrumental in growing the economy: Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa says land reform will be instrumental in growing the economy. The President was speaking at the official Reconciliation Day event taking place at a sports ground in Vredendal in the Western Cape. He says this year’s Day of Reconciliation is dedicated to “healing historical wounds and forging new futures”. Vredendal is an area where many of the residents are farmworkers. President Ramaphosa says the democratic dispensation has worked to […]

16 December 2024

International News

Israel’s bombing of municipality, school in Gaza ‘violation of international laws’: Palestinian National Council

The Palestinian National Council (PNC) on Saturday described the Israeli bombing of the Deir Al-Balah municipality building in central Gaza and a school sheltering displaced people as a “blatant violation of all international laws and norms and a deliberate targeting of defenseless civilians,” Anadolu Agency reports. “What is happening in Gaza is a major humanitarian crime that reflects the brutality of the occupation and the world’s silence over the suffering of an […]

15 December 2024

Local

Potential spaza shop owners urged to register before Tuesday deadline

The SA Spaza and the Township Economic Commission of South Africa (TECSA) has urged all citizens interested in the Spaza Shop industry to ensure that they register their spaza shops accordingly. TECSA together with SA Spaza hosted the inaugural SA Spaza Investment & Trade Expo in Johannesburg. The expo was aimed at educating people about the spaza registration process. This follows President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 21-day spaza shop registration process ending on Tuesday. […]

15 December 2024

Local

Action society calls for public access to national register for sex offenders

Action Society has called on the government to make the National register for sex offenders (NRSO) publicly accessible following, research revealing that over 16,000 South African teachers have criminal records. The criminal histories are not limited to sexual offences but also include crimes such as murder, theft, and shoplifting. As Action Society spokesperson Juanita du Preez stated, "A crime is a crime, regardless of its nature." Du Preez further elaborated […]

13 December 2024

Local

Spaza shop registration deadline looms

The deadline for spaza shop registration, initiated by President Cyril Ramaphosa’s 21-day directive, is fast approaching, with unregistered businesses facing potential penalties. Reports reveal that 540 spaza shops in Soweto have already been shut down, but the total number of spaza shops in Soweto and across South Africa far exceeds this figure. The registration process, which requires businesses to submit their documents, raises questions about the government’s next steps after […]

12 December 2024

Local

Business robbery suspects nabbed in Mfuleni

Four men, aged between 21 and 32, were arrested in Mfuleni on Wednesday (11 December 2024), in connection with a business robbery that took place in Elsies River. SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Pojie explained, “Members of the Maitland Flying Squad were conducting crime prevention duties in Mfuleni when they received information about the robbery. While on alert, they spotted a vehicle matching the description of one involved in the […]

12 December 2024

Local

Criminologist warns of rising child trafficking and kidnappings this holiday season

With the festive season underway, the Border Management Authority (BMA) has ramped up efforts to combat human and child trafficking. Recently, border guards at the Lebombo port of entry intercepted a minibus taxi attempting to smuggle 14 undocumented children from Mozambique into South Africa. Criminologist and National Coordinator for Missing Children South Africa, Bianca van Aswegen, highlighted the alarming rise in such cases during this period. "It’s not just child […]

10 December 2024

Lee-Yandra Paulsen

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