Midweek - Community News

Bullying rampant in South African schools

Klerksdorp Midweek, Klerksdorp - In playgrounds, WhatsApp groups and school corridors across South Africa, bullying is leaving devastating emotional scars on children. Bullying, long dismissed as a “rite of passage,” is now an entrenched crisis, one that schools, families and government can no longer afford to ignore.

Victims become survivors

The aim of the Kosh Crisis Centre is to turn victims into survivors. The Klerksdorp Methodist Women’s Auxiliary visited the Kosh Crisis Centre at Tshepong Hospital recently, and donated much-needed supplies. The centre offers counselling services and short-term accommodation to victims.

Volunteer for Cansa

Klerksdorp Midweek, Klerksdorp - The Cancer Association of South Africa announced its first Cansa Volunteer Day (July 26), and it will be celebrated annually in July going forward.
This new tradition is dedicated to honouring Cansa’s incredible volunteers who selflessly serve those affected by cancer, their families, and communities across South Africa. While International Volunteer Day is commemorated globally in December, Cansa recognised that many of its volunteers are unavailable during this time. As a result, they established its own celebration in July to ensure more volunteers can participate in the festivities and receive the recognition they so richly deserve.

On the bookshelf: Bringing it home

On the Railway - The Great South African Train Story

by David Williams - NB Publishers

Experience South Africa’s rich railway heritage - from the luxurious presidential White Train and the dining cars, to the goods trains that once served as the economic lifeblood of the country. South African author and journalist, David Williams shares the story of Africa’s most extensive rail network, enriched with his own anecdotes and being a lifelong rail enthusiast. He recounts stories from his childhood, where the whistle of passing trains and steam locomotives were a daily part of life. Our railway network, with its engineering marvels that overcame challenging terrains, was for years the pride of the continent and the country’s biggest employer.

New books: A breath of fresh air in women’s fiction

Not Another Samoosa Run!

By Nadia Cassim’ - NB Publishers

Johannesburg author Nadia Cassim is sassy and rebellious and her debut novel Not Another Samoosa Run! is a breath of fresh air in women fiction. The novel is about a 27-year-old psychology student struggling under the stigma of divorce in her close-knit Muslim Indian community. Her mother insists on finding her a new husband - even if it means orchestrating a traditional ‘samoosa run’. She strikes a deal with a young man: a pretend engagement to keep their families off their backs. But this simple ruse soon grows complicated because one of them is hiding a life-changing secret…

With a twinkle in her dark eyes and a swish of her shoulder-length hair, Nadia will tell you that there are things in her community that she is not pleased about.