South Africa’s 2026 National Senior Certificate exams began on Tuesday, 13 October, with more than a million candidates expected to write papers through to 26 November. If a learner becomes sick before an exam, the first step is to contact the school or exam centre as soon as possible rather than simply missing the paper.

Learners who are unable to write because of illness will generally need a medical certificate from a registered doctor or clinic confirming the illness and relevant dates. Those who are only mildly unwell are usually still expected to write, although exam centres may make reasonable arrangements such as allowing prescribed medication or supervised breaks. Extra writing time is not normally given for ordinary illness.

For more serious illnesses, provincial education departments may approve arrangements for a learner to write under supervision at home or in hospital. If a learner cannot write at all, they may have to complete the missed paper during the May/June supplementary examination period the following year. Exact procedures can vary between provinces, so families should confirm the process directly with their school or provincial education department.

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Two pupils from Gordon’s Bay Primary School have taken the top two places in the Lions District 410W International Peace Poster Contest for 2026/27. The competition featured entries from children aged 11 to 13 across the Western Cape and Namibia, with this year’s theme being “Harmony in Humanity.”

Leah Roman won first prize, while fellow Gordon’s Bay Primary pupil Liyana Alexander finished as runner-up. Third place went to Kaylana Shiloh Padayachee from Generations School in Table View. Merit awards were also presented to Cassidy Botha, Delarn Gara and Alessandro Mazzoni.

The annual competition is now in its 37th year and encourages young people to express ideas around peace, kindness and understanding through art. Winning entries can progress through further stages of the international competition, where the overall grand prize is US$5,000.

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The owner of Broadlands Manor in Sir Lowry’s Pass has been arrested after a 14-year-old boy was seriously injured in a dog attack on the property on Wednesday, 7 October. The man appeared in the Somerset West Magistrates’ Court on 13 October, with police investigating charges of attempted murder and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Police allege that the owner incited his dogs towards the group of teenagers, with the other boys managing to run away before the 14-year-old fell and was attacked. The owner has disputed that version, saying his two young Rottweilers chased the boys after they began running and that he pulled the dogs away once they pinned the teenager down.

The teenager suffered serious bite wounds, facial fractures and bleeding on the brain and was transferred to Tygerberg Hospital. His mother says he underwent successful surgery on 9 October and is now recovering well. The accused’s case was postponed to 14 October.

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ACE Models Helderberg has been named Franchise of the Year at the annual ACE Models National Conference for the second consecutive year. The Somerset West-based branch opened in July 2024 under the leadership of Yvette Muller and has quickly grown within the national network.

A total of 17 local models attended this year’s conference at Emerald Resort and Casino in Vanderbijlpark, with 15 participating for the first time. The Helderberg team also secured several category wins and top-five placements during the event.

The branch’s models have also achieved success beyond the conference, including a national Royal International Miss South Africa title, an appearance at Paris Fashion Week, and opportunities for three models to walk at SA Kids’ Fashion Week 2026. ACE Models International now has 30 franchises across South Africa, Namibia and Australia, combining modelling training with confidence and personal-development programmes.

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