Athlone News takes a look back at the news that made headlines in 2023, reflecting on the moments worth remembering.
In January, the Western Cape Education Department delivered R62 million of school supplies, including textbooks, stationery and furniture, to schools across the province (“Province prepares for reopening of schools,” Athlone News, January 13).
In February, Devonte Terry, 5, lost his life in a gang shooting in Manenberg. A 17-year-old was also injured in the shooting (“Witnesses sought in fatal Manenberg shooting,” Athlone News, February 15).
In March, the derelict building at the Athlone train station once again made headlines with residents claiming that drugs were used and sold from there and that people coming from work were being robbed by vagrants occupying the property (“Derelict station a crime hot spot”, Athlone News, March 22)
In April, Cypress Primary School received a new library, which was sponsored by a non-profit organisation, Living Through Learning, and a company (“Cypress pupils get new library,” Athlone News, April 26).
In May, 37 teachers from 20 schools attended an astronomy training session at Portia Primary School. It was the third of four intermediate- and senior-phase natural science training sessions held by Advancing Knowledge, a non-profit company, in collaboration with Garden Cities Archway Foundation and the Western Cape Education Department (“Teachers learn how to spice up science for pupils,” Athlone News, May 17).
In June, a taxi hit Heideveld Primary School 6th grader Charmaine Dzvokora, 12, as she crossed Robert Sobukwe Road on her way to school. She died at the scene. Charmaine was killed on the same morning that five other primary school children died and several others were injured when the bakkie they were travelling in crashed into a bus on AZ Berman Drive, in Mitchell’s Plain (“‘We cannot forever bury our children,’” Athlone News, June 7).
In July, Tiano Anthony, 9, died after being hit by a bullet fired from an illegal gun that was being cleaned by a 34-year-old man in a Manenberg house, according to police. They said a woman who lived in the house had lied to them about how and who shot the boy (“Lies clouded shooting of Tiano, 9, say cops,“ Athlone News, July 19)
In August, Athlone author Bernadatte Nyman handed over a copy of her book, Life’s Soiled Red Earth, to Mount View Secondary School in Hanover Park (“Children carry the wounds of the past, says author,” Athlone News, August 30). The book is about three children torn away from their home during apartheid. They end up in a place far from home, struggling to come to terms with their new surroundings.
In September, three people died when a bus overturned on Jakes Gerwel Drive on a wet and windy Monday morning (“Three die in Cape Flats bus crash,” Athlone News, September 27). Police opened a culpable homicide case to investigate the three deaths.
In October, three men were arrested for the murder of 6-year-old Zakariyah Noble, who was shot dead in Hanover Park while playing outside (“Three men arrested for murder of boy, 6,” Athlone News, October 26).
In November, Manenberg SAPS, together with Manenberg religious leaders and the community police forum, held a men’s march as part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign (“Men march against abuse,” Athlone News, November 29).
In December, Newfields Primary School Grade 5 pupils exhibited their art at the Rylands library. An art project started at the school last year when the pupils, who were then in Grade 4, were taught by teachers from the Children’s Art Centre in Zonnebloem (“Children’s art brightens up Rylands library,” Athlone News, December 13).