Taking a look back at the news that made headlines in the Plainsman in 2022, reflecting on the year that was and the things that may have affected us or encouraged us.
In January, the year started off with pupils going to class part-time, on a rotational basis with alert level 1 for the Covid-19 pandemic (“Classes to continue on rotation”, Plainsman January 19).
Parents however raised their concerns and said being plunged into full-time school suddenly after two years of part-time schooling has been a big change that has affected everyone – teachers, parents, children and even non-parents (“Back to full-time school not cool”, Plainsman March 2).
However some pupils raised their concern at a safety meeting, encouraging school safety committees to be safer within schools on issues affecting pupils (“Schools form safety cluster”, Plainsman August 10).
Mitchell’s plain and Strandfontein community safety structures urged the community to stay safe after two bodies were found respectively along Baden Powell (“Street lights needed on Baden Powell”, Plainsman July 27).
Mitchell’s Plain residents have also refuted the number of shootings listed on the City’s database for recent months after the City say they received three calls about shootings (“Residents shoot down City’s report”, Plainsman October 26).
Mitchell’s Plain civil safety groups called on all spheres of government to prioritise addressing gang violence in the area and this conversation is constantly developing (“Gang violence needs investigation”, Plainsman November 9).
We remember those who’ve passed such as the late deputy principal Edna Fritz of Springdale Primary School (“Deputy principal has ‘left a mark’”, Plainsman July 27).
A man who died a hero was a Tafelsig father, Reza Yon, 48, who drowned after saving three teenage boys (“Father dies saving three teens”, Plainsman October 5).
The beloved late principal of Woodville Primary School, Keith Riddles, also passed on in June (“Retired Woodville Primary principal mourned”, Plainsman July 13).
We also remember father Adrian McGear who donated a portion of his liver to save the life of his baby daughter, Stella (“Dad’s liver gives baby Stella new life”, Plainsman August 24).
A proud moment for former Beacon Valley resident Amy Jephta who walked away winning a SAFTA (South African Film and Television Awards) for best director and best feature film Barakat (“Amy named best director at SAFTAs”, Plainsman September 14).
We also had former principal of Hillside Primary Bernard Meyer say his last goodbyes in September, (“Hillside Primary principal retires”, Plainsman October 12) as well as retired deputy principal from Ridgeville Primary School Percy Atkins, (“‘Legendary’ Ridgeville deputy principal retires”, Plainsman August 3); and Liesbeeck Primary School’s senior admin clerk Evelyn MacPherson also put a full stop at the end of her career (“Liesbeeck Primary’s ‘guiding light’ retires”, Plainsman September 7), to name a few.
Some of the retirements for this year was former station commander of Mitchell’s Plain Police Station Brigadier Cass Goolam (“Don’t hand country to gangs, says retiring cop”, Plainsman October 12) with former Brigadier Lindiwe Dyantyi sitting in the hot seat from Monday October 24 (“New station commander by December”, Plainsman October 12) when Brigadier Jan Alexander took the position of station commander since Tuesday November 29 (“Police station gets a new commander… again”, Plainsman December 7).
Crime stats for 2022 showed that Mitchell’s Plain Police Station was first place among the top 30 police stations in South Africa for sexual offences cases, with Lentegeur following in 4th place (“’Plain sexual assault cases top in crime stats”, Plainsman November 30). CPF representatives say that the crime stats are not a true reflection as crime goes unreported (“‘Crime stats not a true reflection’”, Plainsman December 14).
The Plainsman has been happy to journey with you this 2022, celebrating your achievements and grieving your losses. Here’s to another journey in 2023.
