Hope amid the horror of joblessness and exploitation

Hope springs eternal in the human breast. So wrote the much-quoted 18th Century English poet, Alexander Pope. And, although this has all too often described the
futility of chasing after rainbows and never finding a promised pot of gold, hope continues to sustain millions of people in situations that, to the more fortunate, might seem hopeless.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 25 July 2012

From bad boy to legitimate business owner: The Corner Lounge Story

Nkululeko Tuntubele is the owner of Corner Lounge, a cosy bar-lounge in the hub of Gugulethu at NY 138. Officially opened this year on 31 March, the lounge is a container previously used as a hair salon.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 July 2012

Feeding her family with a meat stand

Nonyameko Sowazi, also affectionately known to her customers as “Madlamini,” runs a “binnegoed” stand at the bottom of the Nonqubela station in Khayelitsha.

Mary-Jane Matsolo

News | 25 July 2012

Site B’s vetkoek hub

Makazi’s take away is a busy shack that constantly has a line of customers waiting outside to be served their vetkoek (fat cakes).

Mary-Jane Matsolo

News | 25 July 2012

Immigrants at work: Making ends meet as a cab driver

Tinashe Nhidza is a 35-year-old Zimbabwean taxi cab driver operating in Cape Town.

Veronica Washaya

News | 25 July 2012

Immigrants at work: Hair salon and cosmetics shop in Parow

Prince Ikenna came to South Africa from Nigeria in 2010 and has set up a successful salon and cosmetics business.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 25 July 2012

“I don’t do this for fun” - Road-side window cleaner

Many drivers get irritated with the youths who, without asking for permission first, wash their windscreens at traffic lights.

Nokubonga Yawa

News | 25 July 2012

Immigrants at work: IT repair shop in Gardens

Admire Siya is just 25-years old and from Zimbabwe. He has set up an IT shop in his home in Gardens.

Veronica Washaya

News | 25 July 2012

Khayelitsha’s first coffee shop opened

What do a fireman, an employee at a towel factory and a coffee barista have in common? They all make up the Department of Coffee (DOC), a new intimate coffee shop in Khayelitsha.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 19 July 2012

Delft RDP houses falling apart

Delft residents are left in the cold this winter as the recent bad weather is causing their houses to fall apart.

Janine Fortuin

News | 19 July 2012

Activists battle Novartis over cancer drug

South African activists are campaigning to get a multinational pharmaceutical company, Novartis, to drop a court case against the Indian government.

Mary-Jane Matsolo

News | 18 July 2012

Zimbabwean woman murdered on her way to Bellville

The brother of a Zimbabwean woman who was murdered last week is accusing her ex-boyfriend in a case that highlights violence against women.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 18 July 2012

GROW Academy bringing communities into the digital age

On Monday, a group of unemployed school-leavers gathered in Athlone for GROW Academy. This is an initiative by organisations in Cape Town to give people basic information technology skills through a five day training programme called a boot camp.

Veronica Washaya

News | 18 July 2012

The alternative Grahamstown festival

The Grahamstown Arts Festival is world famous for its many plays and music performances. But there's a lesser known alternative festival which takes place along side it, called the Rhini Festival of Resistance.

Nokubonga Yawa

Brief | 18 July 2012

Youths learn about the Constitution and the importance of activism

The Constitutional Literacy and Service Initiative (CLASI) ran a camp for learners from different schools about the Constitution at the District 6 Museum from 2 to 4 July.

Nokubonga Yawa

Brief | 18 July 2012

Satire and the spear

First we had the Spear, a painting by Brett Murray. Now we have the Dick, a cartoon by Jonathan — Zapiro — Shapiro. And this satire of a genital nature has, in both cases, caused the same polarised reaction: support or amused indifference on one side; expressions of outrage on the other.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 18 July 2012