Victims of the Masiphumelele fire that left thousands homeless marched with the sun shining on their faces to the office of ward councillor Felicity Purchase today.
News | 18 December 2015
South Africa is one of the most unequal nations in the world, and despite having the highest GDP on the continent, it boasts poor health indicators and faces a high burden of disease, both communicable like HIV and non-communicable like diabetes; high rates of violence and injury and mortality.
Kathryn Stinson and the Writing Group for the People’s Health Movement South Africa
Opinion | 18 December 2015
“I am sick and tired and wish I could be resettled to another country. They should not treat people like animals,” says a man trying to renew his refugee status. He is one of many complaining about the service at Home Affairs on Cape Town's foreshore.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 18 December 2015
Mfuleni community clinic turned away some patients on Friday as staff went to an end-of-the-year function.
Thembela Ntongana
News | 15 December 2015
Andile Tumana, Executive Director: Kingdom Change Agents Movement, responds to statements made by Councillor Benedicta van Minnen, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, about who represents the residents of Klipheuwel.
Andile Tumana
Opinion | 15 December 2015
The South African Presidency should be a site to advance the struggle for social equality, for the righting of historic crimes against black people, for jobs, houses, healthcare and education, for human rights globally and at home. This struggle can no longer be lead by a person as compromised, divisive and ineffective as President Jacob Zuma. He must be recalled by the ANC.
Tshepo Motsepe
Opinion | 14 December 2015
Barbara Hogan has called for ANC members to demand that President Zuma must go. Hogan, who has been a leading ANC member, spent nine years in prison for treason under the apartheid government. She served as Minister of Health (2008 to 2009) and Minister of Public Enterprises (2009 to 2010). She also chaired the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Finance from 1999 to 2004. She is credited with being the first Minister of Health in the post AIDS denialism period.
GroundUp staff
Brief | 11 December 2015
It has been almost two weeks since a fire burnt down over a 1,000 homes in Masiphumelele’s Section E and Section D. While efforts are underway to rebuild, many residents are encountering snags.
Thembela Ntongana
News | 11 December 2015
Activists have accused government officials of turning a blind eye to a pattern of environmental violations at the Tormin dune mine on the West Coast – including a “catastrophic” cliff collapse – after state departments failed to act on a string of letters, objections and a formal appeal.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
Feature | 11 December 2015
Police cases against three Tormin mine managers, one of whom was accused of driving into and knocking over a mineworker during a strike, have all been withdrawn.
Barbara Maregele
Feature | 11 December 2015
After four nights sleeping in the open, families in Military Heights informal settlement near Lavender Hill have started rebuilding the homes destroyed by a fire last weekend. Some were robbed by gangsters as they tried to salvage their belongings after the fire.
Siyavuya Khaya
Brief | 10 December 2015
The plight of the De Waal Drive families threatened with removal by the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements struck a chord with many Capetonians. But the same process is happening, away from public scrutiny, in other parts of the city, writes Daneel Knoetze of Ndifuna Ukwazi.
Analysis | 10 December 2015
The City of Cape Town is negotiating with a private owner to buy land in Klipheuwel and install services for families living in the informal settlement.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 10 December 2015
Mercia Kleinsmith has been the councillor of Ward 9, or Bellville South, since 2009. She won a by-election following the death of her husband Glen, the day after the DA won the province in April that year. Glen had been hailed in the press as the city’s “leading drugbuster”.
Steve Kretzmann
Feature | 9 December 2015
After years of complaining about water, electricity, sanitation, and roads, residents of KwaMsane in KwaZulu Natal say they got the attention of the authorities after their protest last month.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 9 December 2015
The National Rural Youth Service Corps (Narysec), set up to train unemployed young people in rural areas, seems to be in disarray in the Eastern Cape, where some students have given up hope of graduating while others say they have been given certificates for courses they did not complete.
Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and GroundUp staff
Feature | 8 December 2015