Hangberg voices concerns over lack of school holiday programmes

With the September school holidays around the corner, Hangberg residents say they feel let down by the City of Cape Town after no holiday programmes were offered during the last break.

Parents and activists fear that without structured activities, children will be left vulnerable to boredom, gangs, and crime.

Community activist Roscoe Jacobs said he raised the matter with the City but was not satisfied with the response. 

He wrote: "I am writing to register my disapproval and concern regarding the absence of holiday programs at both the Hangberg Sport Centre and the Hout Bay Sport Complex during the last school holidays."

"I am deeply disappointed that these key facilities - which serve as vital recreational hubs for our youth - are not being utilised to offer structured, safe, and meaningful activities during this critical period. The lack of programming at the Hangberg Sport Centre affects the Hangberg community, and similarly, the absence of any program at the Hout Bay Sport Complex directly impacts the youth of Imizamo Yethu."

Celeste Moodie, a mother from Hangberg, said far too many children were loitering around the community during the holidays.

"When these kids are bored and they have nothing to do, this is ideal for these gangs to recruit them, and that is when it becomes dangerous," Ms Moodie said, who has two sons aged 9 and 13.

"When their minds are not occupied with something for children, they try and fill them with something else, and most of the time, it's not good."

In Imizamo Yethu, residents echoed the same concerns.

Kenny Tokwe said the lack of programmes left children exposed to “all sorts of things, mostly illegal activities.” 

Another resident, Nonkuhle Ndumiso, added that many organisations had tried to run holiday programmes in the past but failed to sustain them. “Now when there are people who come, the kids don’t want to go because they know these people won’t come back,” she said. "Some do, some remain very committed to the children, but there has been plenty over the years who just used and abused our community," she said.

Ms Ndumiso called on the City to open up public spaces during holidays and ensure programmes are held to prevent children from going astray.

"When they have things to do, you will notice very few of them getting up to nonsense, so these are signs that we must continue providing these opportunities and perhaps our kids won't ever want to turn to crime and gangs," Ms Ndumiso said. 

According to Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham, holiday programmes were designed to expose participants to various recreational activities during the scheduled school holidays, but added that they did not replace the "responsibility of the parents and guardians of children’s care and behaviour management".

Ms Higham confirmed that the City was well aware of the concerns raised about the lack of holiday programmes out in the Hangberg community.

She said due to a current staffing challenge, the City were unable to carry out the programmes, but after some talks with the Recreation and Parks Department, they started seeking alternative means for delivering the service in the area.

"The Department is currently engaging with representatives of organisations in Hangberg, to collaborate about future holiday programmes," Ms Higham said.

A community engagement session has now been scheduled to discuss.

"This will be communicated once logistics have been finalised," Ms Higham said.

The last holiday programme held in Hangberg was in March 2024, when activities included soccer, basketball, and board games. Holiday programmes are usually run in the June/July and December holidays.