Latest news with #GiftoftheGivers
28-05-2025
Over 500 foreign nationals flee Valencia amid deadly violence
More than 500 foreign nationals fled the Valencia community near Addo in the Eastern Cape after violent clashes killed three foreign nationals. The violence followed the fatal stabbing of 22-year-old Juanne September in the early hours of Saturday morning. Speaking to Daily Maverick , Juanne's father, Gerald September, said his son worked as an operator at a local fruit packhouse. 'He worked late on Friday. He didn't go out much, but his brother convinced him to join them at the tavern,' he said. According to September, a fight broke out in the early hours of Saturday morning. Some community members said the altercation started over a game of pool and involved a migrant labourer who was not a foreign national. Juanne reportedly tried to intervene, but a man with a knife chased him through the streets. 'He was shouting for help. He jumped into someone's yard and begged them to help him,' said September. His cousin, Shandre Adonis, was also stabbed during the incident. Community members said anger erupted after police released one of the murder suspects. On Sunday 25 May, residents retaliated by killing three foreign nationals living in Valencia. Authorities have not released their identities. Gerald September said the community had lived peacefully with migrant workers for years. 'This year, bad people came with the workers. Now we've decided we don't want one of them here anymore,' he said. Valencia lies in the Sundays River Valley, a key citrus-producing region. Thousands of migrant workers, most of them foreign nationals, travel there every year to help with the harvest. Many rent shacks or flats in the area during the season. Following the outbreak of violence, hundreds of foreign nationals fled Valencia. Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers stepped in to assist those displaced. 'Three foreign nationals were brutally murdered after the death of a local person, sparking xenophobic attacks,' said Ali Sablay from the organisation. 'Foreign nationals received 24-hour notice to leave Addo. Many escaped with only the clothes on their backs.' Sablay confirmed that more than 500 foreign nationals sought refuge at the local police station. The Eastern Cape Provincial Disaster Management team, SAPS, and local businesses called Gift of the Givers to help provide emergency relief. Situation Remains Volatile The area remains tense as police monitor the situation. Authorities have not confirmed any arrests in connection with the xenophobic attacks. The community continues to mourn Juanne September, while displaced foreign nationals face uncertainty and fear. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
Eyewitness News
22-05-2025
- General
- Eyewitness News
Water supply restored to Knysna
CAPE TOWN - Knysna's Municipality has confirmed that water supply has been restored to the town. It's been two weeks since failed water pumps caused the taps to run dry. During this time, residents were dependent on water tankers to deliver clean drinking water But the municipality said that reservoirs in the area had now recovered. Deputy mayor for Knysna, Morton Gericke, said that while the water may appear discoloured, samples tested remain fully compliant with the South African National Standards. "The joint operations centre (JOC) is pleased to report a notable improvement in our water infrastructure. System capacity is steadily stabilising, and targeted water carting efforts have successfully replenished key reservoirs. As a result, all areas should now have access to water." Gift of the Givers spokesperson in Knysna, Mario Ferreira, said that their teams had also since wrapped up their operations. "Due to the situation in Knysna at the moment, that looks so positive, we will be withdrawing tomorrow. We will be withdrawing from the area and go assist with our water tankers more into inland."
Eyewitness News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Progress in restoring water to affected residents in Knysna
CAPE TOWN - After 12 days without water, progress is finally on the horizon for the Knysna residents. The municipality has confirmed that new water pumps have been successfully installed at the Charlesford pump station. Testing is now underway to ensure the system is safe, stable and fully operational. ALSO READ: Gift of the Givers stand by as Knysna's water woes contiue Residents who do have access to running water are being urged to continue using it sparingly. The municipality has also advised residents to boil water before drinking it or using it for cooking. African National Congress (ANC) provincial spokesperson, Khalid Sayed, welcomed the progress, saying public resources and infrastructure should be protected, improved, and equitably shared. "This marks a significant step forward in restoring water to communities that have been without this basic necessity for over a week."
IOL News
19-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Authorities respond to ongoing water crisis in Knysna
A fire truck delivers water to Knysna residents amid the water shortage crisis Image: SANParks/Supplied The Knysna Municipality has activated its Joint Operations Centre (JOC) to coordinate a multi-agency response to the town's worsening water crisis, with thousands of residents in at least nine wards left with no or limited access to water for weeks. The JOC was formally established on Wednesday under the Disaster Management Act and remains operational as authorities scramble to stabilise supply and manage relief efforts. The coordinated response includes support from the provincial government, the Garden Route District Municipality Disaster Management, Knysna SAPS, Fire & Rescue Services, the Knysna Infrastructure Group, and civil organisations such as Gift of the Givers. Two water tankers are stationed in Rheenendal, while 14 trucks in total are operating across Knysna daily between 7am and 11pm, delivering water to residents in defined zones. A prototype water delivery schedule was implemented late on Thursday, assigning tankers to designated reservoir areas, each identified by registration number and monitored through daily check-ins at the Knysna Fire Station. These tankers are disinfected regularly as a safety measure. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading Despite intermittent access in certain green-highlighted zones, many areas including Hornlee, White Location, Rhobololo, Jood-se-Kamp, Dam-se-Bos, and 7de Laan remain dependent on tanker deliveries. Two trucks continue to serve Rheenendal, where overnight pumping is expected to bring stability to the local system. The municipality added that repairs are ongoing in the broader Knysna region, with the installation of new pumps scheduled for Saturday and full stabilisation anticipated within three days thereafter. SANParks, though not formally part of the JOC, has deployed two fire trucks from the Garden Route National Park to assist in water distribution. Gift of the Givers has responded to urgent calls from councillors and municipal officials, sending two water tankers from the Eastern Cape and 5000 bottles of drinking water from Cape Town to supply health clinics, schools, and old-age homes. According to reports, some communities have been without water for up to four weeks. Gift of the Givers project coordinator Ali Sablay said: "Desperate calls for assistance by community leaders, councillors, and the Knysna Local Municipality have been made for an urgent intervention as 9 of 11 wards have no or limited access to water supplies. "Gift of the Givers has deployed two water tankers from the Eastern Cape and an urgent delivery of 5000 bottles of water from Cape Town to health clinics, schools, and old age homes around the Knysna area." Knysna mayor Thando Matika thanked all partners involved in the emergency relief efforts, acknowledging the critical role played by government and private sector entities. 'We are grateful for the substantial support received from the Western Cape Government and the Garden Route District Municipality,' said Matika. 'We also wish to acknowledge the invaluable assistance from the Knysna Infrastructure Group and The Greater Knysna Business Chamber, who have both come in at a critical time to strengthen our response.' However, the crisis has drawn sharp political criticism. Democratic Alliance MP and Knysna Constituency Head, Ryan Smith, accused Matika and the ANC/EFF/PA/PBI coalition of gross negligence. Smith called for an immediate restoration timeline, a municipality-wide infrastructure audit, the reprioritisation of municipal funds, and the use of public-private partnerships to finance water infrastructure renewal. Cape Times
Daily Maverick
16-05-2025
- General
- Daily Maverick
Rebuilding an education system in crisis, one book donation at a time
For the fourth consecutive year, Daily Maverick and Maverick451 have partnered with non-profit Gift of the Givers to print and distribute more than 1,400 age-appropriate books to underprivileged schools across South Africa. This joint initiative attempts to combat the country's deepening illiteracy crisis by providing essential educational resources to learners and educators. It is no secret that South Africa faces a severe and deepening literacy divide. According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study and the 2030 Reading Panel, about 80% of the country's foundation phase pupils struggle to read for meaning in any language. This alarming statistic highlights a need for urgent intervention and access to impactful educational tools that support early childhood development. Four years ago, Daily Maverick 's head of growth, Fran Beighton, and Gift of the Givers, joined forces to launch MavericKids – a collaborative literacy project that seeks to make a real, measurable difference by delivering educational books directly to schools in need. What started as a small distribution to six schools in the Western Cape has expanded into a nationwide effort, reaching rural communities in the Eastern Cape (Tholeni, Butterworth) and Northern Cape (Keimoes, Upington, Calvinia), inspiring children who previously struggled to engage with literacy material. This year, 1,401 copies of MavericKids Activity Book Volume 4: Smart, Curious and Independent were donated as the result of books purchased by Daily Maverick readers, according to Gift of the Givers' administrator, Anele Ncetani. A partnership making a real difference 'The MavericKids partnership embodies the spirit of collaboration and social responsibility,' says Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers. 'Together, we've made a tangible impact on South Africa's literacy landscape and improved the lives of thousands of students. We look forward to continued growth and innovation.' MavericKids compiles the best educational content from DM168's MavericKids section into a comprehensive 240-page activity book. The book covers a wide range of topics, from artificial intelligence and career exploration to biology, geography and practical life skills, presented in accessible English. It is designed to be both educational and engaging, often serving as a valuable teaching resource. The collaboration stipulates that for every book sold, Daily Maverick donates an additional copy to Gift of the Givers for distribution, along with stationery packs to equip teachers and learners with the tools needed for success. Measuring success This year's book drop received overwhelmingly positive feedback, says Dr Sooliman. Teachers reportedly praised the quality and relevance of the books, noting that topics such as Planet Earth, how things work and the human body captivated students. 'Children enjoy the colourful illustrations and interactive activities,' he says, adding that the team received reports of increased student engagement and improved literacy skills. One teacher in rural Eastern Cape shared that previously disinterested readers now eagerly await each book drop, showing notable vocabulary growth. Similarly, Northern Cape learners, many of whom are Afrikaans speakers, found the English content easy to read and enjoyable, helping to bridge language barriers, says Dr Sooliman. A network of change MavericKids is more than just a book distribution project. It is part of a growing ecosystem that empowers teachers, inspires learners and fosters a culture of reading and curiosity. Many of today's learners are gaining confidence and knowledge that will enable them to mentor peers and younger students in the future, creating a ripple effect of literacy and empowerment across communities. With the fifth edition of MavericKids scheduled for release later this year, Daily Maverick and Gift of the Givers remain committed to expanding this impactful initiative. By focusing on early childhood education and resource accessibility, they hope to shift attitudes and improve literacy outcomes across South Africa. About Gift of the Givers The Gift of the Givers Foundation is Africa's largest disaster response non-governmental organisation of African origin. It has a strong track record of supporting education in South Africa, including providing school shoes, uniforms and technology to underprivileged and rural schools. Its interventions have reached communities such as Khayelitsha, Wellington and Esikawini, earning positive feedback from principals and local leaders. DM
