{"id":271188,"date":"2025-07-25T09:09:43","date_gmt":"2025-07-25T07:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/?p=271188"},"modified":"2026-03-11T10:25:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T08:25:06","slug":"watch-reclaims-public-spaces-for-mandela-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/watch-reclaims-public-spaces-for-mandela-month\/","title":{"rendered":"Watch ‘reclaims’ public spaces for Mandela Month"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Eastridge Neighbourhood Watch used Mandela Day<\/a> as an opportunity to send a message to gangs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The watch members painted over gang tag graffiti in Don Carlos Road as part of their outreach activities on Friday 18 July. They also partnered with the provincial departments of health and social development, the police, and the Cape Flats YMCA to check the health statuses of residents at the Eastridge Community Centre.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

YMCA nurse Michelle Abrahams said they tested residents’ blood pressure, sugar levels and also did HIV testing.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“One woman had a sugar reading of 23,” she said. “And she hadn’t been to the doctor in three years.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eastridge
Eastridge Neighbourhood Watch, in partnership with the Western Cape Department of Health and the Cape Flats YMCA held a Message of Hope event at Eastridge Community Centre. Residents were given free health checks and Jars of Hope and speakers encouraged residents with messages of hope. Here Azrah Eckerode tests Candice Phili\u2019s blood pressure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Residents were referred for follow-up care where needed, she said.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several children were also found to have missed immunisation appointments, Abrahams added, and they too were referred for follow-up care.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The residents were also given jars of hope and sandwiches on the day.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further down the road, watch members covered gang tags with paint that was sponsored by the City of Cape Town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The
The wall in Don Carlos Road before it was repainted on Mandela Day.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Watch chairperson Dierdre Petersen said the wall was one of several spaces in the area that had been tagged to denote gang territory and they were painting it as a sign that they were reclaiming the area.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Law
Law enforcement officers stop by briefly to help neighbourhood watch members paint over gang tags in Eastridge.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

She said that the focus of both events was to “restore hope” and Mitchells Plain station commander Brig Brian Muller gave a “message of hope” as the keynote speaker.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Children from the area later painted their hand prints on the wall.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“This is a message to gangs,” said the City’s safety liaison officer, Rhelton Jooste. “Hands off our children.”\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Children
Children added their handprints to a wall that had been painted to cover gang tags.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A busy day of outreach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The neighbourhood watch outreach was one of several others on the day.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Strandfontein, Advance Edukos held a Back to School fun day for children from their afterschool programmes at the YMCA Campsite.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Programme leader Wendy Pekeur said children played games, took part in a five-a-side soccer tournament and did arts and crafts, as a fun way to close the school holidays.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Children
Children skip in the parking area of the YMCA Campsite in Strandfontein. The campsite hosted Advance Edokus volunteers who held a Back to School fun day with the children. The children played five-a-side soccer, did arts and crafts and listened to motivational talks.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Several speakers also gave the youth motivational talks, she said.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firefighters from the Mitchell’s Plain Fire Station also found their way to Strandfontein, to the Sewende Laan informal settlement. Platoon commander Julian Milton said it was the last stop for the firefighters who had visited several other informal settlements in Mitchell’s Plain to hand out meals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Firefighters
Firefighters from Mitchell’s Plain Fire Station hand out cups of soup and bread at Sewende Laan informal settlement in Strandfontein.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lentegeur Police Station staff on the other hand visited the Montclair Communicare Centre. Const Navon van Houten said the station’s staff cleaned the facility and picked up litter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lentegeur
Lentegeur police members celebrated Mandela Day at the Montclair Communicare Centre where they picked up trash and cleaned the facility. Pictured are police station staff in their cleaning gear.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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\"Children
Children make name bracelets at Advance Edukos’s Mandela Day Programme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"86
86 children and youth attended Advance Edukos’s Mandela Day Programme<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Activities
Activities included 5-a-side soccer, a puzzle competition, skipping competition, dancing, painting, crafts and more<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Children explore a Mandela Day exhibition at Portland Primary School<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
The school’s volunteer librarian Elizabeth English hosted the exhibition<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Children explore a Mandela Day exhibition at Portland Primary School<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Some
Some of the articles, photographs and art on display<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Children
Children create some of their own Mandela Day art<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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