Civil Society

Massive march to Parliament to demand Shabangu does more to end violence

“No more lip services, we want action. No more boardroom activism, no more!” shouted thousands of activists as they marched to parliament today.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 27 November 2014

Criminal justice system at fault, Peter’s defence tells court

The criminal justice system had failed by releasing Rowan du Preez, the court heard yesterday in the trial of Angy Peter and three others for du Preez’s murder.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 27 November 2014

Sentence hearing for Angy Peter begins

This week, witnesses began testifying in the sentencing hearing of Angy Peter, Isaac Mbadu, Azola Dayimani and Christopher Dina.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 25 November 2014

Amidst acrimony, Somerset West soup kitchen to be replaced by transport hub

The Helderberg Street People’s Centre (HSPC), a soup kitchen for the poor in Somerset West, has been given notice by the City to quit its premises by 31 January 2015.

Katy Scott

News | 24 November 2014

Ebola: the difficult return from the front

The health care workers who put their lives at risk to fight Ebola should be honoured, not quarantined, writes Kathryn Stinson, who recently returned from Sierra Leone.

Kathryn Stinson

Opinion | 20 November 2014

Link between poor housing, traffic deaths and education outcomes

The 7th annual Irene Grootboom Memorial Dialogues, which explore the continuation of Cape Town’s “spatial apartheid”, are underway. On Tuesday night, the focus was on the spate of shack evictions around the city this year, and the correlation between poor, densely populated areas and traffic deaths and education outcomes.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 19 November 2014

Farm workers union Csaawu should be saved

Csaawu is facing bankruptcy for supporting farm workers dismissed after the sector’s historic strikes in 2012/13 - arguably the strongest challenge to rural labour exploitation in recent South African history. This is the story of why it is important for the union to be saved.

Daneel Knoetze

Opinion | 17 November 2014

Real art makes the privileged uncomfortable

Several Cape Town landmarks have been defaced in recent weeks. Here members of The Tokolos Stencil Collective explain why they have done this.

Members of the Tokolos Stencil Collective

Opinion | 13 November 2014

Poor sanitation and lousy maps contribute to Khayelitsha’s crime problems

Following the Khayelitsha Inquiry into Policing, a series of meetings are being organised between SAPS and the Khayelitsha community. One took place at the University of Cape Town's middle campus on the weekend.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 11 November 2014

ArcelorMittal and environmental groups battle it out in court

Can civil society organisations compel private companies to provide documents about their impact on the environment? This is the central question in a court battle that reached the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) in Bloemfontein yesterday.

GroundUp staff

News | 7 November 2014

Ses’khona and ANC trade accusations

Ses’khona Peoples Rights Movement has given the Western Cape regional office of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa seven working days to respond to its memorandum of demands.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 6 November 2014

Students demand an end to unequal education

“In my school we have two main problems. The first one is a lack of water. Our taps are not working properly,” said Phila Biyongo, a grade 9 student at Simanyene High School in Strand, as she marched through Cape Town city centre yesterday afternoon in a protest organised by Equal Education.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 1 November 2014

City rally against inequality in schools

On Friday 31 October around 2,000 Equal Education members and supporters are expected to gather on the Grand Parade for a rally against inequality in the schooling system.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 October 2014

Battle over stipends in public works programme

Bambanani is an organisation that provides community safety. It operates as a public works programme under the auspices of the Department of Community and Safety. But some of their employees --or volunteers, depending on your perspective-- are frustrated with the stipends they receive.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 27 October 2014

Police: the facts behind the Commissioner’s “good story”

Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Policing should ask police management some tough questions, writes Zackie Achmat in the second in a series of articles on policing.

Zackie Achmat

Opinion | 24 October 2014

Residents march for essential services

The City of Cape Town has been given 14 working days to respond to a memorandum of demands from the residents of Marikana, Rolihlahla Park and Klipfontein informal settlements.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 24 October 2014