A growing number of people, including some surprising names, such as Max du Preez, and others more predictable, such as FW de Klerk, seem to believe that Eugene De Kock, head of the Vlakplaas torture camp and death squad, should be released from prison. Here is why I disagree.
Brent Meersman
Opinion | 22 July 2014
This week thousands of activists, scientists and government officials will troop to Melbourne, Australia, to participate in the 20th International AIDS Conference.
Mark Heywood
Opinion | 21 July 2014
On 10 July 2014 the Minister of Justice, Michael Masutha, conveyed his decision to refuse Eugene de Kock’s application for parole to the public. His decision, although unsurprising, is unusual for having gone against the respective recommendations of the National Council for Correctional Services and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board, who, in November 2013, recommended that de Dock be released on parole.
Clare Ballard
Opinion | 21 July 2014
Official statistics note that South African household borrowings have declined slightly. However, we remain a nation wallowing in debt. And this applies from the government down to the humblest of families.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 21 July 2014
The Seriti Commission's approach is undermining the public's right to know, explains Kholiswa Tyiki, a journalist and researcher with Right2Know.
Kholiswa Tyiki
Opinion | 18 July 2014
Last Wednesday, Langa erupted into massive protest that locked down the area with no way in or out of the township. To many, it seemed like the anger came from nowhere – yet frustration has been simmering here for months if not years.
Jared Sacks
Opinion | 17 July 2014
Recent articles in GroundUp by Gilad Isaacs on the conclusions to be drawn from the long platinum strike have prompted a vigorous debate about the nature of inequality in South Africa. Here economist Mike Schussler argues that demands for higher wages will lead to more inequality, not less.
Mike Schussler
Opinion | 15 July 2014
“The misery of people here is very great, with beggars innumerable and increasing every day....pigs and calves live better than they.” That rhyming comment could apply to the legions of the poor in many parts of the world today. And South Africa is no exception.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 14 July 2014
Are Cape Town city strip joints filled with sex slaves? Marlise Richter investigates.
Marlise Richter
Opinion | 11 July 2014
Activist-cum-political contender Mametlwe Sebei says news editors are actively excluding socialist issues from the public discourse. Jane Duncan of Rhodes says editors squash or are threatened by socialist ideas. Mandy de Waal looked into their claims.
Mandy de Waal
Analysis | 10 July 2014
Counsellor Ernest Sonnenberg has written an open letter to Phumeza Mlungwana, General Secretary of the Social Justice Coalition (SJC). This follows the report published by GroundUp on the SJC's toilet mapping initiative.
Ernest Sonnenberg
Opinion | 10 July 2014
Civil society activists in Johannesburg are usually associated with protest marches, t-shirts with cool slogans, and Braamfontein. As an employee of the South African Human Rights Commission, I attend meetings instead of protest marches and wear suits instead of cool t-shirts.
Kayum Ahmed
Opinion | 10 July 2014
There seems to be renewed confidence and determination abroad among organised workers at rank and file level. Increasingly, there are fresh demands for a “living wage”, for the historic wage gap to be closed, and for the voices of the members to be heard.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 7 July 2014
The timing, duration and intensity of the long strike on the platinum belt were fuelled by a familiar South African problem: persistent and very high inequality.
Gilad Isaacs
Opinion | 1 July 2014
Breathing air that does not damage health is one of the most important constitutional rights. But some municipalities on the polluted Mpumalanga Highveld are battling to enforce the Air Quality Act, writes Robyn Hugo.
Robyn Hugo
Opinion | 1 July 2014
Gilad Isaacs underestimates the scale of AMCU's victory. His analysis offers an indicator of winner/loser based on contrasting the final settlement with the initial demand and initial offer. But this is arbitrary.
Peter Alexander
Opinion | 30 June 2014