Articles for Tariro Washinyira

From Somali “Blast Furnace” to South African “Frying Pan”

Somalis marched to Parliament on 7 June in response to xenophobic violence against Somali refugees. About 500 people participated.

Tariro Washinyira

Brief | 12 June 2013

Immigrants establish support project for women

Evelyn Handiseni founded a support project called Divine Caring Hands in 2012. The idea was born from her desire to help women who face challenges similar to those she has faced in her own life.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 13 February 2013

Libertas Flats in Parow are a human pig sty

On Thursday morning I went to see Libertas Flats in Klosser Street, Parow. This block is a human pig sty. It is filthy and stinks. There are leaking ceilings and walls that seem to have been painted a century ago. Many flats are without water and electricity.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 6 February 2013

Man loses use of hand at work, but can’t get compensated

A Zimbabwean man, Farai Chawasema, who lost all use of his hand in an injury at work on 29 November last year, is accusing his employer, Patrick Pieterse, of Pat's Engineering and a medical practitioner, Ajmal Ikram, of Melomed Gatesville Medical Centre, of failing to get him workman's compensation.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 30 January 2013

Nightmarishly difficult for some refugee children to go to school

More than 20 refugees' children in Cape Town could not be enrolled in schools early this year due to the lack of asylum documents. The refugees have approached several schools in Western Cape but were turned down.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 23 January 2013

For Zimbabweans, festive season travel is no holiday

Two Zimbabweans who went home for the festive season explain how it was more challenging than they imagined, both financially and crossing the border.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 16 January 2013

Zimbabwean bystander sues cops for lost eye

A Zimbabwean man who lost an eye when police fired a rubber bullet towards him during the De Doorns farm worker protests is suing the South African Police Service (SAPS) for damages. 25 year old Passmore Mandhlaami, a Good Hope farm employee, said he was caught in the crossfire. He was not participating in the strike.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 19 December 2012

Patients without toilets at Tygerberg Hospital

Patients and visitors to one of the Western Cape's biggest referral hospitals, Tygerberg, were recently stranded as most of the toilets especially on the Ground floor and 6th floor were not working and locked. It was extremely difficult to find a toilet to relieve yourself.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 12 December 2012

High crime rate in Netreg and Bonteheuwel scares the community

Netreg and Bonteheuwel residents say they are terrorised by the high crime and killings rates in their communities. Police investigations into crime are hard to carry out since no one is brave enough to act as a witness or provide evidence.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 12 December 2012

Asylum seekers struggle as FNB freezes their accounts

Asylum seekers in Cape Town are struggling because their First National Bank (FNB) accounts have been frozen. The bank insists on seeing unexpired asylum documents every three to six months to keep bank accounts active. Many asylum seekers have to wait up to six months for their documents to be approved by Home Affairs and end up not being able to provide the documents FNB insists upon.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 5 December 2012

Farm conflict: thousands of people could not access medicines

During the farm violence in De Doorns and other parts of the Western Cape over the last few weeks, thousands of public health system users could not get their medicines because health facilities closed down.

Kate Stegeman and Tariro Washinyira

News | 21 November 2012

Local businesses move against Somali shops in Khayelitsha

Town Two Khayelitsha is the site of tension between a local business association and Somali shops. The Zanokhanyo Business Association (ZBA) is accusing Somali shop owners of not abiding by a 2008 agreement which says that no new foreign owned shops should operate in the townships following the May 2008 xenophobic attacks.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 7 November 2012

Zimbabwean musician calls Cape Town home

Zimbabwean Afro soul music artist Shamie Mabvudzi talks to GroundUp about the challenges he faces as an immigrant in South Africa. His third album African Dream is due out this month.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 7 November 2012

Zimbabwean lays complaint with police against Home Affairs official

A 25 years old asylum seeker lodged a complaint of bribery with the police against a Cape Town Foreshore Home Affairs official last week.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 24 October 2012

Stateless in South Africa

Love Mathobela was born in South Africa and has lived most of her life here, but she is not yet recognised as a citizen.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 17 October 2012

Husband accused of abuse ends up in hospital

A husband accused of abuse is fighting for his life in the intensive care unit of Eben Donges Hospital in Worcester. His wife alleges he sustained injuries when he intentionally burnt down her shack and property worth R10,000 a fortnight ago.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 10 October 2012