Looking back at the stories that made headlines in 2025

As the curtain closes on another year in Hout Bay, speeding battles among the poo, housing issues, and several other community news stories made the headlines.

In January, Hout Bay matrics had reason to celebrate after they achieved some of their highest-ever matric results. Hout Bay High School’s class of 2024 scored a 93.6% pass rate, up from 87% for 2023. Silikamva High School scored a 94.3% pass rate, up from 93%, and Bachelor’s passes increased from 54% to 65%. It’s a far cry from the 40% pass rate the school managed for 2019 ("Class of 2024 raises the bar", February 2025).

In March, noise from speeding and revving cars continued to plague Hout Bay residents, with cars found racing down Victoria and Harbour roads since 2022 with a long history of complaints to the City that have gone nowhere, residents claim ("Speedsters still plague Hout Bay", March 2025).

In April, Hout Bay battled with several pipe bursts in various areas, which prompted the City of Cape Town to unveil projects planned to upgrade Hout Bay's pipe network and halt the frequent pipe bursts plaguing the area.

During a public meeting held at the library in March, the City presented detailed plans of high-pressure pipeline upgrades, scheduled to start in October next year ("Pipe project valued at R56 million to quell Hout Bay leaks", April 2025.)

In May, sewerage spills affected recreational spaces. A well-used basketball court at the Hout Bay Sports Complex was littered with faeces and used toilet paper, forcing children to use the streets to play ("Hout Bay basketballers dodge poo between passes," May 2025).

In August, the dirt problems in Imizamo Yethu started getting out of hand. Dirt sites were attracting rodents and other pests, which then brought about the idea for dirt cages ("Caging the dirt problems in IY", August 2025).

In September, a shooting incident rocked Hout Bay, which led to the arrest of 7 suspects. The seven suspects were arrested for the mass shooting that claimed the lives of two people and wounded five others in Imizamo Yethu. Hout Bay police confirmed that two counts of murder and five attempted murders were registered, with the suspects aged between 19 and 31. The incident sent a shockwave through the area, leaving many residents living in fear ("Mass shooting leaves IY shocked", September 2025).

November focused on gender-based violence (GBV), and Hout Bay got behind the cause. This year’s campaign marked the 27th anniversary of its adoption. The campaign has, over the years, raised awareness of the devastating impact that GBV has on women and children, and the social fabric of society. Schools, organisations, businesses, and residents got behind the campaign ("Hout Bay gets behind GBV campaign," November 2025).

Earlier this month, Hout Bay's Neighbourhood Watch put out a call for residents to join the watch and assist with the patrols on the beach during the busy summer months ("Help keep Hout Bay safe this festive season," December 2025).