South Africans looking for a more affordable holiday option can currently find short cruises from Durban starting from around R5,458 per person. One of the cheapest options is a four-night Mozambique cruise, while a two-night round trip from Durban starts from around R5,534 and a three-night one-way trip to Cape Town from roughly R5,889.

Cape Town also offers several options, although generally at higher prices. A three-night Cape Town-to-Durban cruise starts from around R6,401 per person, while a five-night round trip to Walvis Bay in Namibia starts at approximately R12,235. Longer international voyages are also available, including a 26-day Durban-to-Italy cruise departing in April 2027 from around R37,441 per person.

Travellers looking to keep costs down may benefit from last-minute bookings, with some cruise fares dropping by as much as 30% when booked around a month before departure. Shorter cruises can also be a useful way for first-time passengers to try cruising before committing to a longer and more expensive trip.

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Choices Crisis Pregnancy Centre in Somerset West is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having supported women and families facing crisis pregnancies since opening in October 1996. The organisation will mark the milestone with a thanksgiving brunch at Urban Voice Church on Saturday, 24 October, bringing together past and present volunteers, staff and donors.

Choices began in a small storeroom after three local women approached their church for help establishing a pregnancy-support service. Today, the centre offers counselling, free ultrasound scans, prenatal and postnatal support, post-abortion counselling and information about pregnancy, adoption and abortion. It also operates a baby clothing and equipment bank for mothers who need additional support.

The organisation says it has counselled around 750 women, while its Undiluted school education programme has reached about 500 learners. Choices operates as a non-profit with three paid staff members and 17 volunteers, relying entirely on community donations to continue its work across the Helderberg and surrounding areas.

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Local runners took part in the Richard’s Racers 3 km and 5 km fun run at Beaumont Primary School on Saturday, 17 October, raising money for Helderberg Hospice. The Somerset West-based initiative was founded by siblings Liam McCulley and Kayla Peacocke in memory of their father, Richard, who died of brain cancer in 2012.

The group had set a fundraising target of R25,000, but managed to surpass it through ticket and raffle sales before the event. Despite the rainy weather, local residents still turned out to participate and support the cause. Last year, Richard’s Racers raised about R28,000 for Care for Cancer through the Winelands Marathon.

This year’s funds will support Helderberg Hospice’s palliative and hospice care services, which have served the local community for more than 40 years. Richard’s Racers is also preparing to take part in the Winelands Marathon on 7 November as part of its ongoing fundraising efforts.

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Around 269 pupils in Strand are taking part in School Health Week activities focused on helping young people make healthier choices. The programme, running from 12 to 16 October, includes Grade 7 and senior-phase pupils at local schools, including Rusthof School for learners with special educational needs.

Health teams are covering topics such as reproductive health, hand hygiene, cough etiquette and measles prevention, while pupils are also being encouraged to ask questions about their health and make use of resources such as the B-Wise app. The initiative is being run by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness, the Department of Education and Phambili NPO.

The programme also includes health screenings and vaccinations where required, including Tdap vaccinations for six- and 12-year-old pupils and measles vaccinations. Teachers at Rusthof are also receiving sessions covering inclusive education, workplace mental health and exercise.

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