‘A winner is a dreamer, who never gives up.’ – Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela former president of South Africa. On 100th anniversary of the birth of Nelson Mandela, former American president Barack Obama reminisced about how peacefully Mandela guided his nation through negotiation and reconciliation and how his generous attitude towards his former enemies saved the country from more violence and war.

For generations, across cultures and continents, people have used music as a form of protest. Lyrics and melodies transformed into mediums for communication that in any other context would be suppressed and unheard. Musical activism has cemented its crucial role in history as being a way to unite individuals in their common goal to end war or oppression.

The Dutch first settled in Table Bay in 1652 after a shipwreck. The survivors swam to shore, marooned in this new territory for a year. ‘In the time they were stranded here, they saw there was all this fresh water coming off Table Mountain, so they sent a positive report back to Holland,’ says Peter Wyk, a tour guide for Cape Town’s Free Walking Tours.The Dutch saw logistical and economic profit in this and started a business. Lead by Jan Van Riebeeck, a successful merchant and commander of the VOC (Vereenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie), or as the English called them, the Dutch East India Company. The business flourished.

Every year it is estimated that 3,500 children are abandoned and this figure refers to the children who survive. Of these survivors, 90% are under the age of one. They are left alone and defenceless. Although the issue of child abandonment is not often featured in the media, when it is, the blame tends to be given to the mother only. Fortunately, there are many organisations around Cape Town which support abandoned children but resources are tight and the industry is continuously stretched in order to accommodate growing numbers. So what happens to South Africa’s unwanted children?

On 27 July, former President Jacob Zuma was seen dancing and singing with supporters after his third appearance in court this year on charges including corruption, money laundering and fraud. The appearance in the Pietermaritzburg High Court, which was ultimately postponed until November, was almost ten years to the day since Zuma was first seen in court on corruption charges in August 2008.

South Africa’s Constitutional Court is once again being asked to deal with a highly politically charged matter that affects the government of the country. The last time was over the question of President Jacob Zuma’s failure to repay state money spent on his personal homestead at Nkandla. This time the government’s Minister for Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, is at the centre of a storm over the payment of 17 million social grants.

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.

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.

This year, Where Rainbows Meet (WRM) celebrates their 10-year anniversary. The organisation has come a long way in the last decade, but their values and commitment have stayed constant and they have impacted the lives of over 10,000 community members in Vrygrond and its surrounding areas. Founder and director Mymoena Scholtz explains how back in 2008 the organisation started from nothing with nothing. Slowly, with the right team, she has built the training and development centre into what it is today.

Over two decades after South Africa’s first democratic election, the realities facing young people remain as troubling as ever due to issues such as crime, poverty, unequal educational opportunities, unemployment and drug abuse. While the country’s annual Youth Day on 16 June commemorates the anniversary of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, the struggle for a better quality of life for the country’s youth continues – over 40 years later.

Have you ever thought to yourself: ‘Travelling is too expensive. How do I find the money to do it?’ Well, if so, you are not alone. The near universal reason people don’t travel is that they don’t have enough money. However, with a few tips and tricks, it is possible to save up enough for a low-budget trip.

As I set out for my fifth visit to South Africa, I was amazed to hear my friends ask the same odd questions as before. My approach to the journey was much like Ernest Hemingway, having never woken up in Africa feeling sad. My friends, on the other hand, were obsessed with unfounded fears. Although it might not be the first choice for many Europeans, travelling to South Africa is always an adventure and let me explain why.

The hardest part of travelling isn’t the plane ride 1,000 miles away by yourself, the foreign food, or the strange bed you sleep on. The hardest part of travelling is coming back home. It’s wonderful to explore the world, meet amazing new people, gain new experiences, and ultimately find yourself, but then reality hits when you return home. When you get back, it’s a high for about two weeks. Basically a celebrity, you are the revered person everyone wants to hang out with, and hear about your trip and your experiences, but what happens when you become just a regular person again?

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?