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A VISIT TO THE CAPE TOWN SOCIETY FOR THE BLIND
Issued by Christina Teichmann on behalf of the FW de Klerk Foundation on 06/07/2026
On Thursday, 2 July 2026, a delegation of the FW de Klerk Foundation comprising of Deputy Chairperson Christina Teichmann and Legacy Manager Brenda Steyn visited the Cape Town Society for the Blind (CTSB), a non-profit organisation offering education and training opportunities for Blind and Visually Impaired persons within a secure and supportive environment.
The CTSB is one of a few selected non-governmental organisations that received financial support from the FW de Klerk Foundation in recognition of the excellent work they are doing and the valuable contribution that they make towards fulfilling the constitutional rights of vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities. The funds dispersed in 2026 to these organisations were raised through the 2025 Nedbank SA Charity Golf Day, a yearly event of which President De Klerk is a Life Patron.
Founded in 1929, the CTSB aims to uplift Blind and Visually Impaired Persons through education, access to assistive resources and career development programmes. Clients have a number of training courses to choose from, such as Soft Skills and Braille Training, Cane and Material Loom Weaving, Re-Caning, International Computer Driving Licence Training as well as End-User Computing. Call Centre Training is the latest addition to the CTSB’s vocational course programme. “Internships during the training phase provide clients with an opportunity to get first workplace experience and make contact with potential employers”, explains Judith Coetzee, CEO of the CTSB. The overall objective of the training courses is to find suitable and long-term employment, which allows clients to generate income, take actively part in the economy, become more self-confident and live a more independent life.
While the vocational training programme is focussing on working age adults, the Low Vision Clinic, which assesses the degree of the vision impairment, caters for all age groups. The causes for sight loss differ greatly and range from stroke and cataracts to accidents and gang-related injuries.
With the financial support to the Cape Town Society for the Blind, the FW de Klerk Foundation aims to raise awareness for the needs of persons with disabilities, especially the Blind and Visually Impaired. To “make the Constitution a reality for all” is the Foundation’s mission. This goal can only be achieved if all sectors and actors of society work together.
For more information on the Cape Town Society for the Blind visit their website www.capetownsocietyfortheblind.co.za
MAY THE CAPE TOWN METROPOLITAN POLICE INVESTIGATE CRIME?
The ongoing crime crisis in South Africa, and particularly in Cape Town, has led to a constructive debate about the role and powers of municipal police services. While the South African Police Service (SAPS) is increasingly struggling to combat organized crime and violence effectively, the City of Cape Town has taken steps to establish its own investigative capacity.
INTRODUCING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPORT CARD 2026
The Local Government Report Card 2026 provides an independent assessment of 50 municipalities across all nine provinces, measuring performance against five pillars of constitutional local government. The findings reveal a sharply uneven picture, with strong institutional leadership and sound financial management consistently linked to better service delivery and public accountability. By presenting clear evidence of what works, what fails and where improvement is possible, the Report Card equips residents, councillors and policymakers to demand practical, measurable change.
MUNICIPAL FAILURE IS NOT INEVITABLE AND THIS REPORT PROVES IT
The FW de Klerk Foundation’s Local Government Report Card 2026 argues that municipal failure is not inevitable, but the result of identifiable institutional weaknesses that can be measured and addressed. Assessing 50 municipalities against 100 objective tests, the report highlights where local government is improving, where it is failing and what distinguishes high-performing municipalities from those in decline. It offers practical, evidence-based recommendations to strengthen constitutional governance, improve service delivery and make municipal recovery measurable.