Nkanini People expend their community

Nkanini people are hoping to expend their little community.  The community was founded by few community members who were renting at the backyards of the school crescent and Snake Valley and others were staying with their families in the hostels.

It hasn’t been easy for these community members since at the beginning they had no electricity and no running water because Stellenbosch municipality wanted them gone. One of the residents who started this small community Josephsaid it wasn’t easy building this community because the odds were against them. “We had to fight with the municipality and the neighboring communities because they both wanted us gone, but we fought as we are still fighting even today”, said Joseph.

The community has grown a lot in the past few years and now they are hoping to make it bigger.  Younger people are seeking independence and they see Nkanini as their stepping stone to a bigger house and perhaps see it as a waiting room to a bigger RDP house.

This past weekend the Kayamandi community woken by the noise of zinks and hummers, people building and others expanding their homes. The crowed moved to start building under the police station where Paarl police officers claimed that it belong to a private owner not to the Cape Winelands District.

Municipality came and demolished them but the community members who were building said they will not give up because similar situation happened before when the first Nkanini dwellers build the first houses that made what we call Nkanini today.

The mayor office said the community agreed to have a meeting with them to resolve this issue.

The area is one of the areas in the Western Cape who were against 2014 elections because of the tribulations they are facing. The person who spark the insanity is still unknown.

Township kids enthused to make movies

The film school Africa is gearing up for another exciting year, according to their former students.

The school is starting their level one class at the beginning of June. The former FSA student and the Cape Peninsula graduate Nosisi Sithole has been busy since the announcement of the new classes because she will be working with the Director of the school Katie Taylor and the school’s own editor Marie  Midcalf.

Taylor said the classes are free of charge “the classes are free of charge but we do require your consistency “said Taylor.

The school had their annual festival, where they show case student films.

The Executive International and Film School Africa’ s Director Taylor said the students did their best ,  and she mentioned the boy who she said his movies were the worse when he started. “We didn’t show Cwenga’s level one films because they were that bad, “but look at him now, the best editor, said Taylor with excitement.

She continue saying that “Hard work pays because this kid who didn’t know how to even edit the movies by the end of his level one.” Said Taylor.

The school started way back in 2008 by Katie Taylor, who was working at Hollywood back then. She started everything from scratch, she thought her students how to tell their own stories on camera, how to pitch their story ideas and how to shoot. Know almost eight years later the school has spread in Strand. And they added some more film levels; they also added Art, Photography and acting classes.

The highlight of the school is always the film festival which happened every year at the end of the years. The students invite their friends and family to attend the community and also attend. The students walk in red carpet, families, friends and the school taking their picture.

One of the former students said film festival is the proof that you make it and you can do whatever you put your mind on it because it’s a lot of work, but it’s all worth it. 

Some of the awards winners from last year were given to the best actor, best improved Editor and audience’s choice. The other film makers who went home with awards was Thando Dynatyi ( who currently studying film at AFDA), Azola Anita, Manna Benny Tshengele and Pretty Mcetywa who went home with the best improved director.

Mcetywa said she is happy with her ward, the award inspired her to follow her dreams in Film making industry as she is currently doing grade 12.