Latest news with #Philippi
News24
5 days ago
- Business
- News24
This Cape Town ‘village' hub on reimagined land gives township entrepreneurs a chance
In the heart of Philippi Village is an entrepreneurial community hub redefining the idea of transformation. Philippi Village, an entrepreneurial and community hub in Philippi, Cape Town, offers low-income households the opportunity to become self-sufficient in the urban economy. Since its inception in 2016, the model for Philippi Village has evolved from a business support centre into a community-focused development project, adapting according to the circumstances of the community that it serves. Twelve hectares of open land and an abandoned cement structure might now be perceived as an oasis in the chaos, madness and challenges of the wider Philippi area. The project questions the role of space in the developing urban Cape Flats. Originally conceptualised to house small businesses, it acted as a 'landlord' to township-based entrepreneurs who could rent workspaces and receive guidance to launch or grow small businesses. The financial model was dependent on small businesses paying rent, which ultimately failed due to a lack of occupancy and disposable income. Although Philippi Village managed to invite external tenants such as the Desmond Tutu Foundation, it couldn't retain them due to incidents of violent crime in the area. 'People's ideas of safety are different,' says Bushra Razack, CEO of Philippi Village. 'They often have a perceived safety – where safety is armed security with a baton. How do you shift that mindset?' Klara Robertson/News24 Klara Robertson/News24 Klara Robertson/News24 The organisation decided to put up a wall to protect the investment. 'Walls mean different things to different people, but at that moment we needed perimeter safety,' Razack explains. Razack emphasises that the long-term plan of Philippi Village is to eradicate the need for the wall and use landscape design as an integrated form of security. Tearing down walls created solutions Every time Philippi Village tried to build a wall around its property, the residents of Siyangena, an informal settlement on the outskirts of the Philippi Village border, would tear it down. When the team engaged with the community to find the reason for this, the residents of Siyangena said that they broke the wall down because they had no access to toilets and used the land to relieve themselves. For Razack and her team, this was powerful information: they realised that even with the best possible intention, it was essential to understand what is important to the community. There are opportunities for the youth at Philippi Village. Klara Robertson/News24 Klara Robertson/News24 As an NGO focused on building entrepreneurial spaces in Philippi, the team was sceptical about becoming responsible for basic amenities but understood that the lack of toilets in Siyangena directly affected the village's perimeter. The Philippi team appealed to the Western Cape government to provide toilets for Siyangena, but the government claimed it didn't have jurisdiction because the land was privately owned. The solution was for the team to build the wall as a zigzag, providing space for the toilets and giving the provincial government permission to build them on their land, which occurred four years later. 'The realities of township life, though not how you want to portray Philippi, is an important part of how one has to design the space,' says Razack. 'In South Africa we have an apartheid-style approach: bring out the guns, land invasion unit. In that moment, if we don't have an alternative in place, it's the easiest, safest, most convenient way to react to it. But we are only as healthy and safe as what is happening around us.' A 'conscious contract' with the community over land The model of Philippi Village is rooted in a community-centred approach, recognising that the spatial legacy of apartheid continues to shape township design – spaces historically not built to inspire dignity, health or opportunity. When residents of Waterfront informal settlement, driven by unliveable flooding conditions, began erecting homes on the Philippi Village premises, the team responded with a collaborative, rather than confrontational, approach. The settlement, situated on city-owned land and lacking basic services like sanitation and electricity, becomes inundated with sewage during the rainy season. In response, the Philippi Village team formed what they refer to as a 'conscious contract' with the Waterfront community. They agreed to prioritise Waterfront residents on their job seekers database in exchange for cooperation in managing the land occupation challenge. This mutual agreement laid the foundation for a unique partnership. Klara Robertson/News24 Seeing a tangible benefit, the community identified 40 individuals who were not originally from Waterfront but had joined the occupation. Simphiwe Nikani, the general manager at Philippi Village, converted unused shipping containers – typically reserved for tenants – into emergency housing overnight. The community agreed to use these emergency units exclusively during the rainy season. Remarkably, they also committed to taking down their own structures and vacating the space once the agreement's terms were met. 'I've never seen another example in South Africa where there is a land occupation that is illegal, and people willingly take their structures down, fulfill their side of the lease agreement, and exit,' remarks Razack. 'It comes from that relationship-building, seeing what's important. At that moment, employment was more important than temporary housing.' A developing model of sustainable development Razack explains that the journey of the Philippi Village project is far from perfect and still has a way to go. But its community-rooted, flexible approach offers vital insights into how urban spaces in low-income areas can be developed with the people they serve, not just around them. Razack ascertains that the organisation is operating in a place of complexity. 'We are not setting up the village in a place where every day is a little bit easier,' she says. Philippi Village hopes to remove its walls entirely and rely on design – not deterrence – for security. Until then, it remains a living example of how land, relationships and trust can form the foundation for a new kind of city building.
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Millennial Planning for 20th High School Reunion, Uncovers Viral 2005 Relic
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A candid lip-synch video captured during a student's last week of high school in 2005 has become a viral sensation on TikTok, after the now-38-year-old parent rediscovered the lighthearted footage and decided to share it online. The footage, shot by then-18-year-old Kyle Philippi (@kylephilippi), involves a range of senior-year students and teachers each lip-synching and dancing along to "Let's Get It Started" by The Black Eyed Peas, which had been released two years earlier in 2003. The 2000s backdrop, clothing and gadgets paired with the animated dance moves and gestures has left viewers online in hysterics. To date, the post has been viewed more than 617,000 times. "During my last week of senior year in 2005, I ran around the school, getting everyone to lip-synch to this song," Philippi, who is based in Tennessee, told Newsweek. "It was pretty unusual for a student to have a video camera back then, but everyone was happy to play along!" From left: Kyle Philippi, now 38, poses for a headshot outdoors; and a clip from the high school lip-synch video he shot in 2005. From left: Kyle Philippi, now 38, poses for a headshot outdoors; and a clip from the high school lip-synch video he shot in 2005. @kylephilippi The video, which featured the overlaid text "enjoy this millennial core," has sparked a wave of nostalgia among viewers, many of whom are younger that Philippi, as Gen Z continues to romanticize aspects of the 90s and 2000s. "Remember when people used to be fun?" one viewer commented, while another added: "Can we bring back not being called cringe just for having fun." "The most millennial part of this is people not being too cool for fun," a third viewer posted. "Remember when we had light in our eyes?" one added, while a different viewer commented: "Genuinely the last time life was good." "This is real millennial core," one said. "The world just isn't like this anymore," another added. Philippi reflected on the joy the short clip has brought to viewers across the world, two decades after it was filmed at his high school. "It is fun to see this video have a second life," Philippi said. "When I made it during my senior year, everyone geeked out over it—we even sold DVDs of it, and it was featured on the local news. "Then it sat buried for 20 years!" he added. As his 20-year high school reunion approached, Philippi, who now has two children, decided to post it on social media for the first time. "Back in 2005, there was no way to share a video like that online, so it only circulated on DVDs," he said. "To see it get this kind of reaction 20 years later is really exciting. "I think there is something really special that millennials share in our upbringing, because our memories were not shared on the internet until college, with Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube all emerging in our adulthood." Philippi's love for cameras and filming as a teenager has paid off. He now enjoys a successful career as a content creator and nonprofit director. Do you have any funny or adorable videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them to life@ and they could appear on our site.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Yahoo
19-year-old drowns while swimming in Tygart Lake
Jun. 30—PHILIPPI — A Clarksburg man is dead in a reported drowning incident Sunday evening. Dustin Lee Dixon, 19, drowned in Tygart Lake, according to West Virginia Natural Resources Police personnel. Nixon was with a group of friends when he attempted to swim across a cove to the lake's backwaters. At the halfway point, Nixon apparently became exhausted and went under. His friends and other people nearby attempted to rescue him, but Nixon did not resurface, police said. No foul play or alcohol use played a part in the incident, according to a press release. Local EMS and fire departments assisted in the recovery effort.
News24
27-06-2025
- News24
Three people shot dead after hijacking delivery van in Cape Town
Three people who hijacked a delivery vehicle in Browns Farm, Philippi, on Thursday, were gunned down moments later at an intersection. According to Western Cape police spokesperson, Colonel Andrè Traut, the three people attacked two men at gunpoint before forcing them into the back of the delivery vehicle they had been driving, and speeding off. 'As the vehicle approached the intersection of Sheffield and Monwood Roads, it came under gunfire from unknown assailants. The shooting resulted in the deaths of three of the alleged hijackers. Their identities and ages are yet to be confirmed,' said Traut. Traut said detectives attached to the Provincial Serious and Violent Crime Unit were following all leads in connection with the triple murder. The Nyanga Community Policing Forum was approached for comment, which will be added once received. Anyone with information that could assist the investigation can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
Local Germany
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
INTERVIEW: 'Don't let fear deter you from new life in Germany,' minister urges
A decade ago in 2015, as the civil war in Syria grew into even more brutal and bloody conflict, Germany opened its door to hundreds of thousands of refugees. At train stations in cities like Munich and Berlin, groups of people waited to greet the new arrivals, bearing offers of support and shelter, along with water and chocolate bars. For Dr. Andreas Philippi, Lower Saxony's Minister for Labour and Integration and chair of the German Integration Ministers' Conference, this moment marked a high point for Germany. Faced with those fleeing war and persecution, he said, the country experienced a collective "wave of empathy". "You may remember the Chancellor (Angela Merkel) saying, 'We can do this,' and it worked wonderfully because we were a strong country that had built itself up over decades," he told The Local. "We had many resources, we embraced the situation, and we also had a history." Ten years later, however, the tone on immigration has shifted dramatically. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved record results in February's election, and the public debate is dominated by anger, resentment and fear. This is despite the fact that the demographics in Germany are shifting, and around 26 percent of the population now has a migration background. "Fear in people's minds remains," said Philippi. "Fear of foreigners, fear of change. Before the federal election, there were several attacks involving migrants - some were mentally ill, some stateless - and the media coverage reinforced this primal fear of the 'other'." According to the SPD politician, the attacks and their subsequent media coverage has whipped up a far more widespread distrust of migrants - despite the fact that the perpetrators represent just a tiny proportion of foreigners in Germany. "It results in the entire group being judged by the actions of a minuscule few - something like '0.00003' percent. That's one reason why we've struggled, for example, to convince people in Eastern Germany that the AfD's fear-based policies are wrongfully targeted at minorities and newcomers,' Philippi added. 'As we saw during the election campaign, the focus wasn't on unity, but rather on spreading fear. Politicians like Friedrich Merz took clear positions - even getting support from the AfD at one point - despite knowing their demands weren't compatible with European or international law.' READ ALSO: How German media reveals its bias when foreigners commit crimes In contrast to Merkel's famous phrase - "Wir schaffen das" - the current CDU-led government has focused on pulling up the drawbridge to stop the influx of migrants. Just days after taking office, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) ordered police to step up checks at all of Germany's land borders and reject almost all asylum seekers trying to enter the country. Advertisement Vital for prosperity When Germany's state integration ministers gathered in Göttingen in April for the annual Integration Ministers Conference, they were swimming against this anti-migrant tide. The ministers looked at measures to help foreigners find their feet in the country, learn German and enter the workplace successfully. Andreas Philippi (SPD) is seen behind a globe placed on the table at a press conference at the end of the two-day Integration Ministers' Conference (IntMK). Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd Wüstneck According to the Institute for Labour Research (IAB), Germany requires at least 400,000 workers to move to the country per year in order to maintain its supply of labour. This will be vital for ensuring growth and shoring up the country's welfare and pensions system. "From a labour market perspective, we see that the balance between working and non-working populations only remains stable because of immigration," said Philippi. "Without it, we'll face a shortage of 33 percent of the workforce in the next 20 to 30 years. That would mean Germany will no longer be able to maintain its prosperity as we have done, through work and through taxation." Currently, the most urgent need for workers is in four key sectors: healthcare, logistics, construction and hospitality. However, the Lower Saxony Labour Minister says there is a demand for workers everywhere. With such an urgent need for new talent, integrating foreigners into work and society becomes a vital part of Germany's economic success. Advertisement As part of this long-term goal, Germany rolled out its new digital visa portal at the start of the year, with the aim of making the application process far quicker and more efficient. In places like India and Indonesia, where waiting times for an appointment can stretch up to nine months, this work is still ongoing. However, for Philippi, the most important part of the process begins after arrival. "Integration doesn't begin with the journey here; it starts once people are here, once they have their papers and decide to stay,' he explained. That was one of the primary lessons of the Syrian refugee crisis, he added. Concrete steps Despite the perceptible lurch to the right in German politics, there have been several steps forward over the last decade when it comes to welcoming foreigners. Among the most significant was the traffic-light coalition's landmark reform of citizenship, reducing residence requirements to five years from eight and ending a ban on dual nationality. This, along with the introduction of new language and integration courses and moves to speed up recognition of qualifications, was seen as major win for the integration ministers. READ ALSO: Germany's dual citizenship law to remain under future CDU/SPD coalition But Philippi believes there's still work to do. Advertisement One concrete example of this work is Adelante Colombia : a collaborative project between Lower Saxony's Work and Social Ministry and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce. The initial goal is to recruit 50 young people from Colombia, where the unemployment rate is 25 percent, to train in Germany's struggling healthcare and life sciences industries. "We've selected young people who are learning German and are motivated to train in healthcare-related jobs," Philippi explained. "We'll ensure they get passports, visas, and places to continue their training here in Germany. They'll arrive in communities where there are already Spanish-speaking networks, which will ease integration. We call the concept: work together, live together." Beyond projects to recruit workers from abroad, integration ministers also want to dismantle hurdles that workers can face on arrival. This includes expanding Welcome Centres - a first port of call to help foreigners navigate German bureaucracy and settle into the country. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visits a welcome centre for Ukrainian refugees in Romania which shows what such centres in Germany could looks like. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd von Jutrczenka It also involves improving the clunky and fragmented process of getting foreign qualifications recognised - not only by speeding up administration but also by lowering the bar. "Our goal is quick recognition," said Philippi. "In less complex professions, it's better to get people into companies early, where they'll learn the language faster. "We should also reconsider how difficult the exams are. German is a tough language - I met four Moroccan men who were great practical workers but failed because the test questions were too hard. We might need to ease up in some areas." Another way of simplifying the process is to apply less-rigid criteria, he added: "Not just checking curriculums or exam results, but also conducting competency assessments to see what applicants actually know." Advertisement Speeding up processes In future, the goal is to give applicants a preliminary decision within four weeks, with the vast majority receiving full recognition within three months - or six in the most complicated cases. This would mark a major improvement on current waiting times, which can stretch up to a year. Philippi believes a similar goal should be in place for citizenship applications, which can take a notoriously long time to process. With naturalisation offices chronically understaffed and overwhelmed with applications - many of them from former Syrian refugees - eligible candidates can find themselves waiting years to finally receive an answer. READ ALSO: Which German cities have the longest waiting times for citizenship? "As politicians, we have a strong interest in improving bureaucratic efficiency - either by hiring more staff or reducing bureaucracy itself," he said. "If someone has submitted everything and is eligible, it absolutely shouldn't take two years. Once everything is in order, it should not take longer than three months to make a decision - and even that feels too long." Despite the integration ministers' best efforts, however, some fear that the anti-immigrant tone in Germany will still be off-putting to foreigners. While pulling up the drawbridge for asylum seekers, the very skilled workers Germany wants to attract may well decide to go elsewhere. READ ALSO: 'Slap in the face' - Applicants blast Germany's plan to scrap citizenship reform "Of course, some will choose a liberal country like Canada over a right-leaning Germany, especially if they fear discrimination because of their skin colour - that worries me deeply," Philippi said. "But we can only urge people: don't let fear deter you." Advertisement While the headlines may be dominated by anti-migrant rhetoric, the work of making it easier to settle in Germany will continue quietly in the background - with local leaders like Philippi striving to improve the system step by step. READ ALSO: 'A fifth of voters hate me' - How do foreigners in Germany feel about far-right surge?
