Worshipers of the Muslim faith gathered in their numbers at vantage points from Sea Point to Bantry Bay and Three Anchor Bay even at the top of Signal Hill to view the crescent of the moon that heralded the start of the Holy month of Ramadaan.
Excitement grew as the setting sun unveiled the silver crescent between the clouds above the horizon.
Ramadaan is a time of fasting and spiritual renewal for local Muslims. Fasting is the practice of the abstinence of indulgence, be it eating, drinking and being mindful of what one says.
The fast lasts for 29 or 30 days and on the last evening Muslims return to their places of observation to get a glimpse of the moon that once again signals the end of the fast and the celebration of “Eid al Fitr”. Eid starts with morning prayers followed by a festive celebration.
On this day it is not uncommon to see Muslim children taking food to the neighbours in the community.
An oasis of giving Nakhlistan’s incredible Eid feed
Muslim Charity organizations ensure that meals and clothing is distributed in the poorer communities, this is a sight to see as the meals are cooked in huge pots overs open fires, soup kitchens are established and the needy clothed.
Cape Town has a large Muslim community; some arrived as tradesmen and skilled workers at establishment of the European settlement at the Cape while others arrived as political prisoners or slaves.
They came as tailors, philosophers, teachers, tanners, carpenters, cobblers, cooks and builders; settling above the City in what is known as the Bo-Kaap also known as the “Malay Quarter”.
The Malay Quarter is famous for its brightly coloured semi-detached homes and cobbled streets. As the Muslim community established themselves in the area they built Cape Town’s first Mosque, the Auwal Mosque in 1798.
As the Muslim community grew a second Mosque was built in 1820, the Palm Tree Mosque in Long Street followed by a third in 1844, the Nurul Islam Mosque.
Cape Town in Colour wishes the Muslim community a happy and blessed month of Ramadaan, may your homes be graced with warmth and peace and may you be gifted with many blessings during the Holy month.
The current cold snap caught many Capetonians by surprise; it’s not that they were not expecting the temperatures to drop, it just that it was all so sudden.
One moment it was autumn, leaves changing from green to shades of brown, gold and red as they blanketed the ground with children running through as they played.
The next moment storm clouds gathered bringing with it rain, sleet and snow. Yes I said snow.
Snow on the Ceres Mountains
Even though residents living in the Cape Peninsula could not see the snow, the effects of the icy winds as it blew off the Hottentots Mountain and high plateau of the South Western Cape could be felt across the City, forcing locals to pack out the winter woollies, scarves, jerseys, thermal gloves, jackets etc…
The snow fell across the Cape from Sutherland and Ceres to the peaks of the mountain in Worcester providing a wonderful scene for residents and visitors alike.
Huge waves off Dungeons, Hout Bay pic Brenton Geach
Meanwhile surfers took advantage of the stormy conditions as they monitored the heavy swells around the Cape Peninsula, especially at Dungeons in Hout Bay, some waves reaching three metres or more in height and with only the brave took to the waters to ride the “Dragon”.
Winter is here and we adapt as we always do.
While some people prefer to stay indoors, the adventurers brave the weather conditions and head out taking to the mountains to witness the awesome snow-capped views or head to the beach to see the spectacular sights of the waves battering the promenade off Sea Point or the harbour wall at Kalk Bay or hike into the forests to see the streams in full flow.
No matter what the weather conditions or your preference, the City of Cape Town is on the go all year round come rain or shine.
Cape Town Is abuzz with visitors as One Direction heads to the Mother City for their much anticipated concert on Wednesday April 01, 2015 at the Cape Town Stadium.
One Direction in concert
“One Direction feva” hit Cape Town last year when it was announced that the boy band will be coming to Cape Town, a One Direction pop-up shop at the V&A Waterfront that had the boy-band’s fans queuing overnight for treasured merchandise, they subsequent slept-over at the Cape Town International Airport last night to catch a glimpse of the band.
The Cape Town Stadium is going to be packed to the rafters with screaming teenage girls and some not so young members of the female gender. With mothers and/or even father’s on-tow it’s going to be a memorable occasion. The 1D concert is most sought after ticket in the Mother City, the tickets were sold-out with hours of becoming available as 1D fans snapped them up irrespective of pricing.
Cape Town Stadium concert plan – Big Concerts
The Cape Town Stadium precinct is going to be a no-go area for traffic as the City’s management team activates the popular “Fan Walk” from the City centre to the Stadium. Road Closures will impact the transport system to and from town on Wednesday however it’s heard by word of mouth that staff who work in the CBD will be making an early exit from the City Centre to evade the incoming 1D fans streaming into the Mother City.
MyCiTi info:
The MyCiti rapid bus service will provide event transport services for the 1D concert at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday, 1 April 2015.
A 1D Stadium shuttle service will operate Free on presentation of a valid concert ticket, between the Civic Centre and Cape Town Stadium MyCiti stations.
Shuttle buses will depart every 5 minutes or when full from 16:00 until the start of the event, as well as after the event with the last bus returning from Stadium station at 23:30. Buses will operate every 15 minutes during the event.
Existing services will be extended after the concert. These trips will need to be paid for with amyconnect card. (Please note – Every passenger needs their own myconnect card loaded with money, except for children under four years old and less than 1m tall, who travel free.)
T01 from Civic Centre to Table View and Usasaza
Buses will depart Civic Centre every 10 minutes from 22:30 until 23:45.
Table View routes 213 , 214 , 215 and 216
Depending on demand, buses will depart from Table View and Wood stations at 23:15, 23:45 and 00:15.
City routes 101 , 102 , 103
Depending on demand, buses will depart from Civic Centre station at 22:30, 23:00 and 23:30.
Hout Bay service (routes 108 and 109 )
Buses will depart from the Wigtown stop, near the Stadium station, at 22:15, 22:45 and 23:15.
N2 Express service (routes D01 and D03)
Buses will depart from Civic Centre station at 23:00 and 23:45.
ROAD CLOSURES:
The following roads around the stadium will be closed, and only to be used by permitted drivers, from 06h00 the day before the concert on March 31, until after midnight on April 01:
Fort Wynyard Road, Fritz Sonnenberg Road (between the Metropolitan Golf Club and the entrance to McDonald’s)
Granger Bay Boulevard
Stephan’s Way
Vlei Road.
ROAD CLOSURES on April , 01, 2015 for the 1D concert, the following closures will take effect:
Portswood Road and Beach Road (between Haul Road and Portswood Road) – closed from 16h00 until 02h30
Beach Road (between Fritz Sonnenberg Road and Haul Road) – local access only
Vehicles exiting the V&A Waterfront towards Mouille Point can only access Beach Road via Haul Road
The Fritz Sonnenberg Road access to McDonald’s – closed from 06h00 and 02h30 the following morning
From 16h30, there will be no general access to Hertzog Boulevard between Civic Avenue and Heerengracht, on Hans Strijdom or along Adderley Street (between Strand Street and Hertzog Boulevard)
Western Boulevard – closed between the Buitengracht Street and Beach Road intersection at Three Anchor Bay in both directions from 16h00
Sea Point-bound carriageway of Somerset Road – closed between Buitengracht and De Smit streets from 16h00
The CBD-bound carriageway of Main Road (between De Smit Street and Glengariff Road) will also be closed and two-way traffic is to be accommodated on the Sea Point-bound carriageway of Main Road (between De Smit Street and Glengariff Road ) – local access only
Signal Hill Road – closed between 14h00 and midnight
Concert Info:
Don’t forget to bring with you on the day: your tickets, ID (if you have one), a fully charged mobile phone, cash (NO ATMs on site) or a debit/credit card, and appropriate clothes for all weather conditions.
All fans attending the concerts that are younger than 14 years of age must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
No camping will be allowed outside the venue.
No persons will be allowed to queue outside the venue until 10am on the day of the show.
No one under 13 years, or anyone that is shorter than 1.2 metres, will be permitted onto the Golden Circle and General Admission field standing areas for safety and security reasons.
No disabled persons will be allowed on the field for safety and security reasons.
Children between the ages of 14-18 years of age who are not accompanied by a parent / guardian must have an emergency contact number for their parent / guardian saved under the name ICE on their mobile phones.
No Public Parking available at the stadium.
Concert Management has set up aLost and Found hub at the venue. This is located on the podium between Block 117 and Block 116 at the information centre and have set up a dedicated call centre number which can be reached on 011 759 7215 (this is our call centre number that is in direct contact with the Cape Town health and safety team) should you need to contact the Lost and Found hub.
Stay hydrated; eat properly before and throughout the concert.
All flags/ posters/ banners must be detached from sticks / poles.
All banners and flags will be checked by security for profanity or inappropriate wording/statements.
Large flags, banners and other objects that may obstruct the view of others will not be permitted.
Entrances: –
Golden Circle Standing West enter through Vlei Road into Athletics Stadium West Entrance.
General Admission Standing West enter through Vlei Road into Athletics Stadium West Entrance.
Golden Circle Standing East enter through South Entrance at Granger Bay Boulevard.
General Admission Standing East enter through South Entrance at Granger Bay Boulevard.
Seated tickets enter through Fritz Sonnenberg Road. Turnstile 1-11 or North Turnstiles off Beach rd (no armband required).
Suite Tickets: If you purchased suite tickets you must enter through Fritz Sonnenberg Road. Turnstile 1-11. Once inside enter through the Foyer indicated on your ticket which will either be Foyer A, E or F.
Prohibited items:
Professional cameras or professional recording devices are NOT permitted. Selfie sticks are allowed but if you use it in a way that poses a danger to yourself or others it will be confiscated.
Glass bottles or containers or other heavy and/or sharp objects , which could potentially be used as projectiles (excluding sunglasses, binoculars and prescription or reading glasses)
Any illegal drugs
Skateboards, scooters, roller blades or bicycles
Knives, weapons of any nature or fireworks
Any object that could be used to distract, hinder or interfere with any performer including laser pointers and flashlights
Flags with poles, large flags or banners that may obstruct the view of other patrons
Any whistle, horn, musical instrument, loud hailer, public address system
Digital, electronic or other recording or broadcast device
Any item that you intend to distribute, hawk, sell, offer, expose for sale or display for marketing or promotional purposes
No animals apart from authorised guide/companion dogs
Any dangerous goods and any other items by management to be dangerous or capable of causing a public nuisance
Professional cameras or video recorders
Umbrellas
Braais
Camping Chairs
Cooler Boxes
Food and refreshments (including soft drinks and alcohol) which will be available for sale inside the concert.
The scar on the slopes of the southern side of Table Mountain above the CBD serves as a grim reminder of that fateful day when the bulldozers rolled into District Six and by government decree, destroyed a thriving community.
District Six demolitions in progress on 11 February 1966
February 11, 1966 is etched forever in the annuls of South Africa’s history, the day residents of the “Six” were forcibly removed from their homes and scattered across the dusty plains of the Cape Flats.
It was an emotional moment for many families and the community of District Six as a whole, the brute force of having to gather-up all they owned and leave on the back of vans and trucks; in fact any form of transport available as the bulldozers razed their homes.
Elderly District Six resident Isabel Hutton holds her 1978 eviction order from the then Department of Community Development. (pic Cape Argus )
In fact between 1957 and 1985, more than 150 000 Capetonians classified as non-white was forcibly removed under the apartheid government’s Group Areas Act.
Forty-nine years later, members of the once-proud District Six community returned to the area and gathered at the Homecoming Centre in Buitenkant Street where the “Cairn of Remembrance” is located, to commemorate that fateful day.
Some of these folks never recovered from the injustice, some folks grew more resilient making a life for themselves in the far reaches of the sprawling flats of the Cape, while some have returned to new homes in District as a result of a successful land claim.
For others, they were not so lucky; losing their papers in the carnage of the forced removal while some have passed on. Remaining relatives have gathered annually at the cairn vowing never to forget.
New homes in District Six
The area once known as District Six has a few new buildings but a large tract of land remains bare, a stark reminder of the destruction of a South Africa’s first township.
Notes; District Six (Afrikaans Distrik Ses) is the name of a former inner-city residential area in Cape Town, South Africa. Over 60,000 of its inhabitants were forcibly removed during the 1970s by the apartheid regime.
The area of District Six is now partly divided between the suburbs of Walmer Estate, Zonnebloem, and Lower Vrede, while the rest is undeveloped land.
The area was named in 1867 as the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town. The District Six neighbourhood is bounded by Sir Lowry Road on the north, Tennant Road to the west, De Waal Drive on the south and Cambridge Street to the east. By the turn of the century it was already a lively community made up of former slaves, artisans, merchants and other immigrants, as well as many Malay people brought to South Africa by the Dutch East India Company during its administration of the Cape Colony. It was home to almost a tenth of the city of Cape Town’s population, which numbered over 1,700–1,900 families. (Wikipedia)
The Homecoming Centre in Buitenkant Street – The D6M Homecoming Centre is a place from which information will be disseminated, and also where visitors can experience in micro-form, some of the potential encounters possible as part of the broader District Six city experience. There will be opportunities to engage with films from the archive as well as promotional footage on the Museum, storytelling, cultural performances, to have a meal, purchase gifts and books, or lounge around and read, and in future even book tours and tickets for other partner sites. Soon Wi-Fi facilities will be available to the general public. Further research and partnerships are needed to create this vibrant space in the city. (http://www.districtsix.co.za/Content/Museum/About/HomecomingCentre/index.php )
The District Six Museum – Physical Address, 25A Buitenkant Street Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. http://www.districtsix.co.za/
For information about the Museum:-Tel/Fax: +27 21 466 7200 email: info@districtsix.co.za
Open daily – ADULTS: R30 per person (self-guided visits), R45 per person (with an ex-resident / guide), R5 per scholar (SA & African), R15 per scholar (International)
FREE ENTRANCE: – Ex-residents of District Six & other areas of forced removals; SA pensioners
The Group Areas Act – Government officials gave four primary reasons for the removals. In accordance with apartheid philosophy, it stated that interracial interaction bred conflict, necessitating the separation of the races. They deemed District Six a slum, fit only for clearance, not rehabilitation. They also portrayed the area as crime-ridden and dangerous; they claimed that the district was a vice den, full of immoral activities like gambling, drinking, and prostitution. Though these were the official reasons, most residents believed that the government sought the land because of its proximity to the city centre, Table Mountain and the harbour.
On 11 February 1966, the government declared District Six a whites-only area under the Group Areas Act, with removals starting in 1968. By 1982, more than 60,000 people had been relocated to the sandy, bleak Cape Flats township complex some 25 kilometres away.
The old houses were bulldozed. The only buildings left standing was places of worship. International and local pressure made redevelopment difficult for the government, however. The Cape Technikon (now Cape Peninsula University of Technology) was built on a portion of District Six which the government renamed Zonnebloem. Apart from this and some police housing units, the area was left undeveloped.
Since the fall of apartheid in 1994, the South African government has recognised the older claims of former residents to the area, and pledged to support rebuilding. (Wikipedia)
In Cape Town affected areas include District Six, Claremont, Constantia, Harfield Village, Steurof, Diep River, Kalk Bay, St James, Millers Point, Simonstown, Kirstenbosch, Mowbray, Plumstead, Newlands, Sea Point, Windemere and Wingfield (all Cape Town).
eaSummertime in Cape Town is an ideal time for a number of outdoor activities, one such activity is a favourite for a number of Capetonians hoping to enjoy the fine summer days and dusky evenings.
Spier picnic basket
I know a number of you would be thinking going to the beach, spending time with the family at the movies or even hosting a family braai (barbecue), but it’s neither of these… it is however, a picnic.
A picnic in any of Cape Town’s scenic spots is a firm favourite for locals and tourists alike, fine weather and great views make for a fine outdoor activity.
The humble picnic allows you to fill your basket with food to suit any occasion; salads, cold cuts, yoghurt, fruit, crackers, pate’s, breads, jams, cheeses, fruit kebabs, chocolate, champagne and orange juice make for a perfect picnic meal.
Whether it’s a morning breakfast picnic at one of the many nature reserves that ring the Cape, an afternoon picnic at a local wine estate or an evening sunset picnic on the western side of Table Mountain, Cape Town has a picnic venue for e very occasion.
Beach Picnics
Top picnic spots in Cape Town include; Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Table Mountain, Lions Head, Tokai Forest, Silvermine Nature Reserve, Paarl Mountain, Zeekoevlei, Wynberg Park, Zandvlei, Signal Hill and Green Point Urban Park.
Beaches famous for sunset picnics include Oudekraal, Sea Point, Camps Bay, Clifton Beach and Blouberg beaches.
Sunset from Signal Hill
Many wine farms around the Cape like Groot Constantia and Buitenverwachting in Constantia, Boschendal Wine Estate between Franschoek and Stellenbosch, as well as Blaauwklippen and Spier in Stellenbosch offer great options for a picnic.
No matter what your picnic option, Cape Town has a venue for every picnic occasion so grab the picnic basket, fill it with tasty goodies and head for your picnic spot of choice.
Please note: – No alcoholic beverages are allowed on Cape Town’s beaches.
Top Tips to make your picnic hassle free:
Pick your spot to ensure your picnic can be accessible and safe especially at night.
Keep it simple.
Pack only the food you will eat, ensure that allergies are noted.
Pack the essentials.
Make sure you’re fully equipped for your adventure.
Here’s a list of essentials for your outdoor excursion:
Picnic basket and/or cooler box
Bottled water (freeze overnight and use as an ice pack)
Outdoor dinnerware, plates, cups, cutlery
Napkins
Corkscrew and/or bottle opener
Tablecloth and/or a picnic blanket
Sunscreen
Bug spray
citronella candles or battery powered lamps
Warm clothing should the weather take a turn for the worst
Make sure someone knows where you are going
Ensure that your mobile phone battery is fully charged and that there is mobile phone reception
Avoid any risk of food poisoning
Avoid ice cream as it will melt before you reach your picnic spot
Avoid sticky puddings, and sweet cakes as they attract insects
Trash bags.
Make sure you leave only your footprints at the picnic spot.
Cape Town in Colour promotes the Mother City, its people, art, culture, events, music and cuisine.
Excitement grew as the setting sun unveiled the silver crescent between the clouds above the horizon.
Cape Town in Colour 