Tributes are pouring in following the passing of a highly respected member of the Blouberg community, John Flanigan, following an incident at sea while kayaking on Saturday, 31 January.

Just three weeks ago, Flanigan, aged 80, became the oldest person ever to complete the Robben Island swim crossing.

According to NSRI Melkbosstrand station commander Rowan Marais, rescue crews were alerted at 7:45 am on Saturday after eyewitnesses reported an unmanned sea kayak that appeared to have capsized offshore, south of On-the-Rocks at Bloubergstrand.

Community coast watchers helped spot the scene, while NSRI rescue swimmers and crew responded. A rescue boat (JetRIB) was launched from Small Bay.

When crews arrived, they found swimmers with the kayak. They said a man who had been paddling it was further offshore. He was being helped by a woman on a stand-up paddle board (SUP) and other swimmers, but he was unresponsive.

NSRI rushed to them and brought the man onto their rescue boat, starting CPR immediately. He was taken ashore at Small Bay, where NSRI medics and paramedics from several emergency services continued resuscitation efforts.

Despite all attempts to save him, he was declared dead at the scene.

Police and forensic services took over, and an inquest has been opened to determine exactly what happened.

It is believed Flanigan had paddled out on his regular morning kayak and stopped to greet a group of swimmers during their usual swim when the incident occurred. The exact cause is still under investigation.

NSRI praised the paddleboarder and swimmers for trying to help before rescuers arrived, as well as the efforts of all emergency personnel.

The NSRI has conveyed its condolences to the family and friends of Flanigan.

A literary giant, Diana Ferrus, has died. She has also been referred to by many as a cultural icon. Tributes are flowing in following the passing of Ferrus. The University of the Western Cape says Ferrus was more than a poet; she was a moral compass, a voice for the silenced, and a healer who transformed pain into purpose through language.

Balfour says , “As an alumna and staff member of the University of the Western Cape, Diana nurtured students, mentored emerging writers, and championed voices from marginalised communities.”

A literary giant, Diana Ferrus, has died

The University’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Robert John Balfour, announced the news with profound sadness, saying Ferrus was a cherished member of the University of the Western Cape community. He says Diana was more than a poet. Balfour says her work carried the power to restore dignity, to confront injustice, and to inspire healing across generations.

“Writing in both English and Afrikaans, she bridged cultures and affirmed the depth and beauty of our multilingual heritage, ” Balfour added.

Ferrus’s poem I’ve Come to Take You Home

“Her commitment to grassroots writers, women poets, and community storytelling reflected her lifelong belief in the power of narrative to heal and empower,” he said.

May her soul rest in peace, and may her words continue to light our path.

IN HER POETIC STYLE, WE SAY: “REST IN PEACE, DIANA. YOUR WORDS STILL WALK AMONG US.

Your voice still guides us. Your spirit still sings.”

A dispute over the future of Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann has intensified, with sharply differing accounts emerging from education activists and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) following Labour Court proceedings on 30 January 2026.

The Special Action Committee – Education (SAC-E), speaking on behalf of Neumann, said a ruling had gone against the WCED, claiming the department’s legal objections had been dismissed and accusing it of using technical tactics to delay the enforcement of a previous Labour Court order, reinstating Neumann.

However, the WCED has rejected that version of events.

Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said the court process on the day in question involved an application brought by Neumann, not the department, and that the matter was postponed rather than decided.

The WCED is appealing the initial Labour Court ruling, which reinstated Neumann.

“In terms of section 18(1) of the Superior Courts Act, the Labour Court judgment is suspended, which means the order to reinstate is suspended,” Maynier said.

“He has now applied for an exception to this rule, and the judge has postponed the matter because Mr Neumann’s attorney bungled their application. So he will not be able to return to his position next week.”

Maynier said the WCED’s priority was the well-being of learners at Heathfield High School and expressed concern about the actions by Neumann’s supporters at the school on Friday morning.

“We are deeply concerned that a group of Wesley Neumann’s supporters handed out pamphlets to learners announcing his return to the school. The group’s actions caused distress and disruption, and clearly demonstrate that they don’t care about the best interests of learners.”

The MEC said a complaint will be laid with the South African Police Service, and counselling support has been arranged for affected learners and staff.

“The school is recovering and flourishing, and we will not tolerate the disruption of teaching and learning at Heathfield High School,” Maynier added.

The WCED emphasised that no judgment dismissing an application had been handed down on 30 January, and that the matter had been postponed until mid-February for further proceedings.

SAC-E, meanwhile, maintains that the department has a pattern of resisting court processes related to Neumann’s case and says it will continue to support him. The dispute is now set to return to the Labour Court next month, where the legal questions around enforcement and reinstatement are expected to be argued further.