INN News 12 March 2024

News

Published on 03/12/2024

In the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court two policemen and a clerk were arrested because they accepted a R700 bribe from a couple that was arrested for theft. Siyabulela Patric Klaas and Mzimasi Soji are from the Khayelitsha Police Station. The clerk Phumelele Victor Solani was stationed at Harare Police Station. They took the bribe in 2016.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila, says each accused was sentenced to “five years direct imprisonment”.

Social Development and Early Childhood Development departments of the City of Cape Town hosted the Valego Park Project Launch. This took place over the weekend at the Valhalla Park Multi-Purpose Centre. The goal is to reintroduce the Lego to adults and young children for social and educational reasons. Service provider and director for Evolving People, Nina Benjamin says that the initiative is to introduce a community to Lego.

They know Lego to be for early childhood development, but often our adults and seniors don’t realise the benefits that Lego has to offer so they have a workshop that introduces the seniors and adults to Lego and Lego play. Benjamin says that someone who experienced trauma in their life, often Lego can be a coping and healing mechanism because they learn patience and are able to break away.

For the seniors who suffer from stiff hands, it’s a way of exercising as well. Architect Bjarke Ingels says that the Danish word for design is "formgivning," which literally means to give form to that which has not yet been given form. In other words, to give form to the future.

And what I love about LEGO is that LEGO is not a toy. It's a tool that empowers the child to build his or her own world, and then to inhabit that world through play and to invite her friends to join her in cohabiting and cocreating that world. And that is exactly what formgivning is. As human beings, we have the power to give form to our future. Inspired by LEGO, we've built a social housing project in Copenhagen, where we stacked blocks of wood next to each other. Between them, they leave spaces with extra ceiling heights and balconies. And by gently wiggling the blocks, we can actually create curves or any organic form, adapting to any urban context. Because adaptability is probably one of the strongest drivers of architecture.

A 13-year-old girl from Wesbank has been safely returned to her family. Amylee Matysen went missing over the weekend and was found in Stellenbosch. She is Grade 6 at Wesbank No 1 Primary School. She was last seen at her paternal grandmother’s home in D Block where she left without telling anyone.

Rene Onverwacht says that her granddaughter was found by police in Stellenbosch. The grandmother says that she is still distraught, but they thank God that she is unharmed and safe because it can be anyone’s daughter. She says that Amylee will be getting professional help, each one will give their input so that this won’t happen again.

Police spokesperson Warrant officer Joseph Swartbooi confirmed that Matysen was found. Founder of the Western Cape Missing Persons Unit, Candice van der Rheede, says parents should seek help for children dealing with behavioral issues. Zimbabwean Dixon Chibanda is a psychiatrist who helped to develop a solution through grandmothers. The friendship bench program trains grandmothers in evidence-based talk therapy and brings care, and hope, to those in need.

So I thought, how about training grandmothers in evidence-based talk therapy, which they can deliver on a bench? Empower them with the skills to listen, to show empathy, all of that rooted in cognitive behavioral therapy; empower them with the skills to provide behavior activation, activity scheduling; and support them using digital technology. You know, mobile phone technology. Pretty much everyone in Africa has a mobile phone today.

And our results show that six months after receiving treatment from a grandmother, people were still symptom-free: no depression, suicidal ideation completely reduced. In fact, our results -- this was a clinical trial -- in fact, this clinical trial showed that grandmothers were more effective at treating depression than doctors.

Africa will once again premier the jazz celebration of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. The four stages will welcome back artists and festivalgoers alike. Head of Talent at CTIJF Lindsay Rhoda says that there will be an electrifying fusion of heritage and innovation that is sure to appeal to local and international audiences.

She says that we have worked hard over the past few months to compile a programme that pays homage to the heritage of our jazz roots, but also speaks to the exciting future of music that is embracing all jazz-related genres as anthems for a new tomorrow. Stars on the 2024 ‘reset-connect’ line-up include: