Looking back at the headlines of 2025

As 2025 comes to an end, Bolander looks back at some of the stories that made headlines this year.

The extension of Sir Lowry’s Pass cemetery brought additional space for new burials and gave residents peace of mind that, should a loved one die, they can be buried close to home. More than 500 new burials were accommodated in the area.

Statistics from last year's festive season showed an unfortunate increase in both fatal and non-fatal drownings at Strand Beach compared to 2023. The beach recorded three fatal drownings and four non-fatal incidents last season.

We reported in February that a team of mediators from Mediate Mzansi had recently registered a new non-profit company, based in Strand, with one mission in mind: to make mediation services available and accessible to all. Common cases or conflicts that they advised on ranged from family disputes, maintenance issues, divorce, labour issues, and tenant or landlord disputes.

They were especially passionate about cases involving family care and contact, where they could help draft parenting plans and support amicable, child-focused resolutions.

In May, the South African team led by botanist and landscape designer, Leon Kluge, from Franschhoek, won the RHS Chelsea Flower Show hosted in London.

After being awarded gold and the prestigious Lawrence medal, Mr Kluge said that it was an outstanding achievement and a major highlight for the team. 

Somerset West resident, Mark Pedersen, was recognised with I&J Lifesaving Cape Town Heroes Award at a ceremony held at the Two Oceans Aquarium on Saturday, June 21. He received the award after his actions during a rescue mission at Strand Beach, which resulted in him saving not one, but two people.

Carolyn Frost, the former editor of Bolander newspaper, announced sad news towards the end of June that she was parting ways with the publication.

Police recovered abalone estimated to be worth R130 760 following a collision in Gordon’s Bay on Friday, July 11. A white Mercedes-Benz and a white Daihatsu hatchback were involved in a collision at the Faure Marine Road around 6:40am, according to police spokesperson Anelisiwe Manyana.

Young faces glowed with excitement when they were entertained by poet-artist Eva van Belle during the Literacy Day celebration at Strand Public Library on Tuesday, September 9. The children’s librarian, Linda Bruwer, organised the book launch to celebrate the joy of reading.

A meeting held on Thursday, September 19, provided Eskom with an opportunity to give feedback to the community of Raithby Village and the surrounding farms in Stellenbosch about the power outages that residents said have been the case in the past two years.

Professor Deresh Ramjugernath was formally inaugurated as the 13th rector and vice-chancellor of Stellenbosch University on Wednesday, October 1.

Lana Schreuder, a teacher at Rhenish Girls' High School in Stellenbosch, was named the winner of the national Excellence in Teaching Physical Sciences Award, also in October.

A building of Stellenbosch University was certified by the Green Building Council of South Africa as the first net-zero carbon building on a university campus in South Africa. The certificate was handed over on Thursday, October 2.

Dr Bruce Webb of Somerset West sustained a chest injury last month when an unknown assailant hurled a brick at his vehicle, shattering the windscreen and damaging the steering wheel, as he was driving to the Cape Town International Airport. 

Somerset West young pianist Hermanus Schmidt won the National Youth Music Competition and walked away with R51 500 in prize money after a week-long contest that concluded on Saturday, December 6, at Stellenbosch University’s Endler Hall.