As the curtain comes down on 2024, Sentinel News revisits some of our stories that made headlines this year.

The year kicked off on a sombre note with families needing assistance after devastating fires destroyed several homes in Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg (“IY fire leaves misery in its wake”, January 12); (“Animal-rescue man needs help to rebuild after fire”, Sentinel, January 26).

Up to 10 houses and five shacks were destroyed in fire that left more than 30 people displaced.

That same month many residents grew frustrated over Hout Bay’s decrepit water pipes after two major pipe bursts left large parts of the community high and dry for several days (“Double pipe burst leaves Hout Bay high and dry”, Sentinel, January 19).

Municipal workers had to remove a tree in Harbour Road on Saturday to fix a burst water pipe.

On a more positive note, two new Ward 74 ambassadors, Pamela Sofika and Ruzicka Nanika Kriel, were appointed and said they were both looking forward to tackling issues and serving the Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg communities (“New ward ambassadors to serve Hangberg, IY”, January 19).

Ward 74’s new ambassadors, Ruzicka Nanika Kriel and Pamela Sofika, with ward councillor Roberto Quintas.

The following month, a Hout Bay Primary School in Imizamo Yethu had been left without hot water and were appealing for help with repairs following a break-in over the December holidays (“School crippled by theft, vandalism”, Sentinel, February 2).

Geyser fittings were stolen from Hout Bay Primary School’s kitchen during a December holiday break-in.

The following week it was reported that Main Road traffic circle, just meters from the Hout Bay police station, is a mugging hot spot (“Crime hot spot next to cop shop”, Sentinel, February 9).

The traffic circle near Hout Bay police station is a hot spot for robberies, say police.

An ongoing issue for Hangberg beneficiaries reared its ugly head with many calling on the City of Cape Town to provide them with a fixed date as to when they can expect phase 2 of Hangberg housing project to be built (“Residents demand answers on Hangberg housing”, Sentinel, February 16).

Many residents are demanding answers as to when a date will be set by the City for when the next phase of houses will be built.

In March, a Hout Bay brother and sister, Holly, 17, and Ryley Smith, 15, qualified to represent South Africa at an international lifesaving competition in Durban the following month (’Siblings to represent SA at lifesaving champs’, Sentinel, March 1).

Holly Smith in action at a lifesaving competition in 2022.

That same month, the family of a Malawian man who was reported missing for a week say they found him injured and confused and unable to say what had happened to him (“Missing Malawian man found injured, confused”, Sentinel, March 1).

A few weeks later, the City announced that the second phase of a R7 million project to replace 3.3km of water pipes in Hout Bay was well under way (“City replacing ageing water pipes”, Sentinel, March 22).

In April, a Hout Bay Primary School in Imizamo Yethu was once again appealing for help with repairs after it was burgled and vandalised for the second time in four months (“More theft, vandalism at IY school”, Sentinel, April 5).

Hout Bay Primary School’s toilets were vandalised during the second break-in in four months.

That same month, 9-year-old go-kart racer and Grade 4 Llandudno Primary School pupil Michael O’Mahoney from Hout Bay was selected to compete at a world championship in Italy later this year. (“Go-kart racer, 9, to compete in Italy”, Sentinel April 12).

Michael O’Mahoney, 9, with his trophies from the Cape Town National Race and the Africa Open in the Micro Max class.

Later that month, six local women helped crochet 580 audio tapes donated by the public into a kelp sculpture to promote the importance of recycling (“Women turn 580 audio tapes into art”, Sentinel, April 26).

Some of the Re.Bag.Re.Use women who worked on the sea kelp sculpture. At the back are Joanna Mnisi, left, and Sakile Ndlovu with Patience Liyema and Betty Masamba in front. Pictures: Regine le Roux.

In May, the Sea Harvest fishing trawler that sank off the coast of Hout Bay, taking with it the lives of 11 fishermen, was allegedly a 63-year-old “rust bucket”, according to the Food and Allied Workers Union (Fawu) (“Doomed trawler was a ‘rust bucket’, says union”, Sentinel, May 24).

Sea Harvest’s MFV Lepanto sank off Hout Bay’s coast on Friday. Picture: SAMA.

The month of May ended on a cathartic note six years after a Hangberg mother of four was doused in petrol and set alight. Her family could finally breathe a sigh of relief after a court reached a guilty verdict for her murder (“Six years is a long time to put somebody to rest”, Sentinel, May 31).

The late Miscah Fakier’s family at Wynberg Regional Court when the guilty verdict was delivered on Friday May 24. They are Malika Fakier, Alice Williams (Miscah’s mother), Fadwa Fakier and Nuran Fakier. Picture: Genevieve Serra.

In June, the City said they were considering sites to build new sewage plants to treat effluent discharged from its three marine outfalls at Hout Bay, Green Point and Camps Bay (“Sewage plant planned for Hout Bay”, Sentinel, June 7).

In October last year, about 30 residents and representatives from various organisations attended a meeting at the Hangberg Recreation Centre to discuss sewage disposal from marine outfalls. Picture: Karen Watkins.

Later that month the City confirmed there were now five confirmed cases of rabies in Cape fur seals, with the earliest of the current cases being that of a seal in October last year (“Five confirmed rabies cases in seals, says City”, Sentinel, June 28).

This picture was taken at Hout Bay Harbour on Saturday June 15.

Later that month we reported on two Hangberg woman who said they have struggled in vain for almost three years to get the City to repair damage to their homes, which they claim was caused by a municipal construction project (“Water keeps streaming into my house”, Sentinel, June 21).

The cracked floor in the lounge of Deidre Strauss’s home in Salamander Road, Hangberg.

As June drew to a close, The Workshop, a popular Hout Bay watering hole, called last rounds for good after 24 years (“Last rounds at The Workshop”, Sentinel, June 28).

The Workshop pub in Hout Bay closed its doors.

In July, a proposal to build a shopping mall on a floodplain wetland some 100 metres from the Hout Bay River was slammed by an environmental group (“Plan for mall on wetland slammed”, Sentinel July 19).

A southward view of the proposed site for the mall on Erf666.

Then we reported on members of a Hout Bay Harbour steering committee saying they have been left in the dark about the national government’s project to renovate the harbour (“Harbour renovations must involve the community”, Sentinel, July 26).

In September, we reported on a Hout Bay dance teacher, Ricardo Koopman, saying he is using dance to help people overcome drug addiction (“Using dance to combat drug addiction”, Sentinel, September 11).

Dancers at the Hangberg Dream Recovery programme, from left, Akeel Warner, Octillia van Rooyen, Ashley Mapiye, Amaarah Davids and Aubrey Braaf with Cassidy Moggee at the back.

Later that month, a group of frustrated residents reminded government representatives that the community should be involved in the renovations during a tour of Hout Bay Harbour’s derelict buildings. (“Residents voice concerns during harbour tour”, Sentinel, September 25).

The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, left, and mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, middle, conducting their tour of the derelict state-owned buildings at Hout Bay harbour on Friday September 20.

In November we reported that after almost 40 years in the community, a Hout Bay preschool embroiled in a legal battle with the City has confirmed it will close at the end of the year (“Preschool to close after clash with City”, Sentinel November 15).

The Best Buddies Educare Centre in Albert Road in Hout Bay.

Later that month we reported that the City of Cape Town was facing possible criminal charges for allegedly pumping excessive amounts of sewage into the sea from the Hout Bay marine outfall (“City faces criminal charges over sewage”, Sentinel, November 21).