Cape Town is known for its vivid landscapes and vibrant architecture. During my walks through the Bo-Kaap area, Muizenberg and the townships, however, I realised that there is especially one element that reveals the true colours of the city: the people. It is hardly surprising that Archbishop Desmond Tutu coined the term ‘rainbow nation’ in order to describe South Africa’s multicultural diversity. It is a reflection of the assorted colours and animated personalities that make up the Mother City.

Since they first started in 1994, township tours have become extremely popular. A quick Google search will reveal plenty of township tourism companies all around Cape Town. However, although the tours promote cultural exchange, many critics describe them as ‘poverty porn’ – a sad reality of society looking in at another’s less fortunate life and leaving with little more than a few photos for Instagram.

Cheerful colours and chanting crowds once again greeted the Cape Town Carnival (CTC), reminding us how essential art can be as a form of communication. This kind of arts festival celebrates difference and brings people together. CTC not only relates to the politics of ethnicity and identity but also communicates the issues that affect Cape Town as a community. The theme of this year’s carnival, ‘Mother City, Mother Nature,’ reflected upon Cape Town’s latest concern: the drought.

Namibia is one of the most visited countries in Africa, and we quickly understood why. In a time where we are experiencing more and more Afro-enthusiasm and Afro-positivity, curiosity for Namibia has spread, with its incredible landscapes, fascinating wildlife and cultural traditions. Last January, I was lucky enough to embark on a 12-day trip with Nomad Tour that exceeded all my expectations.

Roughly 70% of our planet is covered by water; however, only 2.5% of that is freshwater. The majority of that small quantity is inaccessible, with 68% being found in icecaps and glaciers. Despite this, water is such an everyday part of our lives that we consume it instinctively. For this reason, it is only in its absence that we realise the impossibility of a life without it. Cape Town is experiencing this harsh reality with dam levels at a quarter of their capacity. A drought of this gravity is unprecedented for a major city, with the municipality scheduling to turn off the reticulation system on 9 July. If this happened, Capetonians would have to queue daily to collect their water from specific points.

Addressing the Cape Town Press Club on Sunday, Minister for Water & Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane reassured the Capetonian public saying that all levels of government are united and working hard to provide water for Cape Town. Overall, Mokonyane’s speech was optimistic, stating firmly that Day Zero could be avoided if we all work together to reduce consumption.

Is the Mother City vegan-friendly? According to The Vegan SA Directory, in Mother City there are about 60 vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants. We tried three of them to dispel the myth that vegan cuisine is ‘boring’ and to prove that being vegan is easy, with a little creativity and balance in your dishes.

So, you’re fond of someone. Perhaps you’ve been engaged for ten years, perhaps you have a friend you’ve got along with, but then they made you that disc set, shared a bottle of wine and some laughs with you late one night… I digress. Go and grab that person, that person you’re enamoured with, that person who makes you feel those oh-so-good feelings and ask them out on a date. Whether you plan to pop the question or rekindle the fire, Cape Town is THE city to fall in love in.

It is 10:30am, Muizenberg is slowly waking up. A strong southeastern swell surges. The sun still shining through slightly overcast skies, sending shimmers across the ocean. As the sun continues to rise, the wind has taken over the small town. Despite the beautiful scenery, shivers shoot down our spines as our small staff of four approached the Lifestyle Surf Shop in Muizenberg for our surf lesson. We were nervous – and cold.

A Blue Flag beach, Muizenberg stretches for 20km along the False Bay coast with colourful huts running along a strip of the beach known as Surfer’s Corner. Home to restaurants, cafes and niche surf shops that cater for all. Muizenberg was the birthplace of surfing in the Western Cape and is one of the best surf spots for beginners in South Africa. Elise Queru spent some time chatting with members of the surfing suburb to learn more about the surf lifestyle and what it means to embrace this enriching outdoor activity. In Muizenberg, surfing is not a sport, it is a way of life.

There is perhaps no animal as quintessentially African as the elephant. The largest of land animals, the elephant is a symbol of strength, intelligence and power. Southern Africa remains a stronghold of the continent in terms of total elephant population, however, these animals could face extinction in many parts of Africa within the next 50 years.

In September, Anne left her hometown in the Netherlands for a four-week visit to Ghana. This was the first stop in a series of countries she would visit as part of a six-month Global Gap volunteer experience with Projects Abroad. Wanting to remember this trip of a lifetime, she filmed the different places she visited, capturing the beautiful rich culture Ghana has to offer.

If Cape Town is to avoid Day Zero it will not be because of a silver bullet from the government. It will only happen if Capetonians completely change the way they use their water. These past few weeks I’ve been asking locals what they think about the water crisis and Day Zero. It’s easy to tune into what is happening in the news – but what is filtering through to the people?

Some people will give up right away. Others may wonder where they’ll end up. Of course you get scared. Even if you are brave and determined enough to get on, you will still find yourself praying that everything goes well. My first week using the train in Cape Town, there are many emotions running through my head. Despite being an experienced commuter back home in Rome, I feel completely out of my depth facing Metrorail in South Africa.