Articles for GroundUp Staff

Showdown over what medicals schemes must cover

A high-profile court showdown is looming between a medical scheme and the patient activist group, Treatment Action Campaign, as well as about a dozen other organisations. Its outcome will have significant repercussions for what schemes offer their members.

Shadi Garman and GroundUp Staff

News | 19 June 2015

Bringing Omar al-Bashir to justice

Omar Hassan Ahmad al-Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC). The court’s prosecutor alleges that al-Bashir has "criminal responsibility for the crime of genocide … killing members of the Fur, Masalit and Zaghawa ethnic groups … causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of those groups, and deliberately inflicting on those groups conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction in part”.

GroundUp Staff

Analysis | 15 June 2015

SAPS twice as lethal as US police

In a feature titled The Counted, The Guardian is keeping track of the number of people killed by police action in the United States. “US police kill more in days than other countries do in years,” says The Guardian. We wondered how the police in South Africa compare.

GroundUp Staff

Analysis | 10 June 2015

Fireworks at AIDS conference

Benny Malakoane, MEC for Health in the Free State, came under fire while sitting in the audience at the opening of the 7th South African AIDS Conference in Durban on Tuesday evening. Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) chairperson, Nkhensani Mavasa, delivering one of the opening speeches, called for him to be dismissed.

GroundUp Staff

Brief | 10 June 2015

Philippi: What’s behind the violence?

Philippi has been struck by violence this past week. At least three people have died, including 68-year-old Karel Dilgee who was struck by a stone while driving. There have also been five attempted murders and two houses destroyed by fire. Several cars and at least one Golden Arrow bus have been set alight. Ten people have been arrested, charged with public violence. Residents from neighbouring areas, Marikana and Lower Crossroads, have been fighting with each other. What is causing the violence between these communities?

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and GroundUp Staff

News | 1 June 2015

UCT and transformation

In April and May 2015 we published a five-part series on UCT and transformation:

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Feature | 1 June 2015

Conflict in Stellenbosch mars housing development

Stellenbosch shack fire survivors have expressed anxiety about the involvement of the ANC dominated Kayamandi Development Forum (KDF) in their new government housing development project.

Mandla Mnyakama and GroundUp Staff

News | 25 May 2015

When will the trains run on time?

City Press reported on Sunday the names of some people involved in a R51 billion PRASA tender for new train coaches. These included businessmen with close ties to the ANC, such as Thalente Myeni, son of Dudu Myeni who is the chairperson of SAA, as well as Pearl Zuma, a distant cousin of the president.

Text by GroundUp Staff. Photos by Masixole Feni.

News | 19 May 2015

UCT and transformation part five: fees and finances

Studying at UCT is expensive and many students struggle to pay the fees, though both the university and the state do try to support students. In the fifth and final part of our series on UCT and transformation we look at fees and finances.

GroundUp Staff

Feature | 14 May 2015

Legalise pot, demand protestors

A few hundred people marched through Cape Town this morning, demanding that dagga be legalised.

Photos: Bernard Chiguvare. Text: GroundUp Staff.

News | 9 May 2015

UCT and transformation part four: the academic staff

The racial composition of lecturers and researchers at UCT is one of the most heated topics of debate when it comes to the university’s transformation. In the fourth article in our series, we report the statistics and arguments concerning transformation of UCT’s academic staff.

GroundUp Staff

Feature | 5 May 2015

How you can help the Sibhozo brothers

Last week we published the story of the Sibhozo brothers. Many readers asked how they could help. Here is how.

GroundUp Staff

News | 30 April 2015

Thousands march against xenophobia in Johannesburg

Thousands of people marched against xenophobia in Johannesburg on Thursday 24 April. The march proceeded through Constitutional Hill, Hillbrow, the CBD and Newtown. Here is a selection of photos.

GroundUp Staff

News | 23 April 2015

UCT and transformation part three: the debate over what is taught

What should and what should not be taught at our universities? The demands of the Rhodes Must Fall students include calls for major changes to the content of courses at UCT. In the third article in our series we report on some of the debates over what students are taught.

GroundUp Staff

Feature | 23 April 2015

UCT and transformation part two: the students

Is the University of Cape Town (UCT) transforming? In this, the second article in our series, we look at how the student body is changing.

GroundUp Staff

Feature | 16 April 2015

UCT and transformation: Part one

Is the University of Cape Town (UCT) transforming? What does transformation mean? In a series of articles GroundUp provides the key facts and arguments on the main points of contention facing South Africa’s oldest tertiary institution.

GroundUp Staff

Feature | 9 April 2015