As 2024 comes to an end, Northern News looks back at some of the stories that made headlines this year.

Schools in the northern suburbs came out tops when the results for the 2023 National Senior Certificate examinations were announced in January.

Reddam House Durbanville scored a 92% pass rate with 125 subject distinctions after 50 pupils sat for advanced subsidiary (AS) level exams in November last year.

Around mid-January police warned the public about criminals that were posing as municipal employees to steal from homes in Kraaifontein.

Later in January, a 40-year old man was arrested in Belmont Park, Kraaifontein for allegedly being in possession of more than 149 000 child-porn pictures and 5 000 videos.

The Kraaifontein police precinct remained at the top spot in the province for home burglaries for four quarters in a row, according to the SAPS crime stats that were released in February. The stats covered the beginning of October to the end of December last year.

The Step-Up Programme Bicycle Initiative, launched in February, sees an employee removing used needles from the streets. Picture: Supplied

Also in February, an initiative was launched that aimed to combat the prevalence of heroin drug injectors and the transmission of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis. The initiative saw an employee travelling by bike to pick up the used needles from the streets in Bellville.

In April, doctors at Tygerberg Hospital performed a groundbreaking procedure to repair a patient’s leaky heart valve.

A tabletop gaming festival was also launched in Durbanville in April whereby people from across Cape Town came together for some serious tabletop gaming.

An advanced Cone Beam CT machine was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Tygerberg Hospital. Picture: Sibulele Kasa

An advanced Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) machine was unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Tygerberg Hospital in May. The machine offered advanced technological dental imaging in terms of diagnosis and accuracy of dental treatment according to Professor Veerasamy Yengopal, a Dean of Dentistry at UWC.

Nine police officers were injured when their armoured vehicle overturned on a freeway in Kraaifontein.

Community Keepers, a non-profit organisation, opened their third Kraaifontein counselling office at Wallacedene Primary School in June.

Fourteen beds and more than 300 blankets were donated to the needy in Kraaifontein in June as part of a winter drive by a Windsor Park charity.

In July, Durbanville resident Danielle Cronje was named the Lion of the Year during an induction ceremony that was held in Brackenfell.

Bornface Banks, a Zimbabwean national, was charged with the illegal possession of a cellphone and moved to a maximum security prison after posting a video message about living the good life behind bars. The video went viral in July.

Techno Titans of the The Valhalla Park library won the first place. From left: Toriq Arnold, 14; Adiel Carsten, 14; Librarian and coach Randal Rousseau behind; Jeremiah Mathews 14; Aden Petersen, 17; Junaid Hendricks, 14 and Ward 70 Councillor Ronel Viljoen. Picture: Sibulele Kasa

The Valhalla Park library team won the first place followed by Belhar and Elsies River libraries’ teams, respectively, in the final leg of the coding tournament that was presented by the City of Cape Town Libraries and Information Service at the Goodwood library in August.

Also in August, the police seized various illegal goods such as clothes, shoes and watches worth R55m in an operation in the Bellville CBD.

In September, the Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis contributed R60 000 as part of the efforts to revitalise a container library in Scottsville that had been targeted by criminals.

The Trade Market “trading Incubator”, on the corner of Bill Bezuidenhout Avenue and Strand Road, was formally opened in October. Picture: Sibulele Kasa

Established by UWC’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation and a private company, the Trade Market “trading Incubator”, on the corner of Bill Bezuidenhout Avenue and Strand Road in Bellville, was formally opened Tuesday October 8.

Last month, the City had raised concerns about street lights being vandalised in Kraaifontein. This comes after technicians repaired 47 street light faults along the Botfontein Road alone, from Wednesday October 23 to Tuesday November 5, according to mayoral committee member for energy Xanthea Limberg.

Kraaifontein residents and Eskom staff came to witness the official opening of the De Novo sub-station on Tuesday November 19.

From left: GTP CEO Warren Hewitt, mayoral committee member for economic growth James Vos and eWASA national project manager Etienne Basson. Picture: Sibulele Kasa

Two weeks back we reported that The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) has received R600 000 and an electric trike van to boost its project collecting recyclable waste in Bellville.

Also, the Petunia Primary School, in, Kraaifontein, received a donation of 20 iPads from the Cheslin Kolbe Foundation, iSchoolAfrica Education Trust and a private company on Friday December 6.

Northern News would like to thank all our readers for their support this year. We look forward to telling your stories in 2025.

Have a safe and happy holiday.

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