Articles for Mary-Anne Gontsana

Constitutional Court to hear if Khayelitsha police inquiry should proceed

Next month, the Constitutional Court will hear the appeal by Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa after his application for an interdict to stop the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into policing in Khayelitsha was unsuccessful.The case is set for 6 August.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 July 2013

Police target homeless in Somerset West

Last year GroundUp ran a story about the Helderberg Street People’s Centre (HSPC), a soup kitchen in Somerset West. They were being forced to close down. The situation “has since gotten worse” according to chairman of the centre, Ian Greer.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 24 July 2013

Electricity increases make life harder for poor people

With the winter in full effect, people are queuing in petrol stations for paraffin, filling up their gas tanks but most importantly using even more electricity in their homes.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 10 July 2013

“I need an electric wheelchair”

“I’m Selina Lehloo from Khuma. I’m using a wheelchair. I was born like this. I’m 25-years-old. I failed matric in 2011, but I didn’t give up”.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 2 July 2013

Sick janitor claims City endangered health

Monica Gotshana, is a single mother of five children from Khayelitsha’s Site B. Today is her last day working as a janitor for the City of Cape Town because her six month contract comes to an end. She talked about her experience working as a toilet cleaner.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 26 June 2013

Portable flush toilets: What are they and why the fuss?

The public spats over portable toilets have been at the forefront of the news. But what exactly are portable toilets? How do they work? What is good and what is bad about them?

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 12 June 2013

Violence against women mural unveiled in Khayelitsha

A mural has been unveiled in Khayelitsha to highlight the need for the state and communities to improve their response to violence against women.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 5 June 2013

Disabled and waiting for a house since 1992

While Thembisa Maso, a KTC resident still waits for her house to be completed, Mbuyiselo Vena, her neighbour, is struggling day in and day out in a wheelchair after being on a housing waiting list for the past 20 years.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 29 May 2013

Controversial youth website dodges censorship

“Outoilet” is an Afrikaans word meaning “old toilet”, but it also refers to a cellphone chat site, aimed mainly at Cape Flats youth. Its URLs are blocked by several service providers, but the site frequently re-emerges with different URLs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 22 May 2013

What do the big banks offer low-income earners?

Low-income earners are people who are unemployed or those making just enough to get by on a single or joint monthly income. What do banks really offer these South Africans?

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 15 May 2013

Writers and leaders talk about terrible conditions in schools

Last week GroundUp's Mary-Anne Gontsana reported the terrible state of schools in the Eastern Cape she saw on the "solidarity visit" organised by Equal Education. Today she describes the impressions of some of the well-known South Africans who also participated.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 29 April 2013

Why do learners have to use toilets that look like this?

Equal Education has organised a two-day "solidarity visit" of schools in the Eastern Cape. GroundUp journalist Mary-Anne Gontsana is reporting what she sees. Here is her second report.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 26 April 2013

110 learners in one class in Eastern Cape school

Equal Education has organised a two-day "solidarity visit" of schools in the Eastern Cape. Well-known South Africans, including Archbishop Thabo Makgoba and constitutional law blogger Pierre De Vos, are participating. GroundUp journalist Mary-Anne Gontsana is also taking part, reporting what she sees. Here is her first report.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 April 2013

Popular HIV magazine show back on SABC 1

New season, new presenter, same time, same channel. Education and health television programme Siyayinqoba Beat-It! will air its first episode of season 8 next week Thursday on SABC 1 at 1:30pm.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 March 2013

Department of Coffee burgled

Khayelitsha’s popular coffee shop, the Department of Coffee (DOC), was burgled in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 26 March 2013

Toilet mess in Khayelitsha - SJC demands service delivery contracts

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) is demanding access to information on service delivery agreements in Khayelitsha.This follows the breakdown of some outdoor toilets which the organisation fears is a result of the service delivery organisation contracted by the City failing to do its job.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 20 March 2013