National

“I just want to go back to South Africa. I miss it so much.”

Two Mozambican sisters living in a Child and Youth Care Centre (care centre) since 2007 were deported to their home country in January despite nine years of growing up in South Africa.

Amanda Purtell

News | 17 April 2013

Activists march for state to improve TB diagnostic procedures

Civil society organisations led by the Treatment Action Campaign marched on 22 March to an event addressed by Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi at a school in Khayelitsha in anticipation of World Tuberculosis (TB) day.

Mary-Jane Matsolo

News | 29 March 2013

South Africa under construction: Give public works a chance

The Expanded Public Works Programme aims to create millions of short-term jobs every year while also providing the county with much needed infrastructure such as roads, hospitals and schools in areas that need it.

Amelia Midgley

Opinion | 13 March 2013

The Auditor-General Problem

The Auditor-General’s (AG) report on the use of consultants and contractors demonstrates some very important facts. It shows that government is operating in an environment where financial and other controls are lacking. This not only creates an atmosphere in which corruption blossoms, but also allows for those contractors appointed in good faith to take chances and not perform their contractual obligations properly.

Daniel Hofmeyr and Zackie Achmat

Opinion | 30 January 2013

Government deregisters thousands of non-profit organisations without warning

The NPO Directorate, which is part of the Department of Social Development, has deregistered about 50 000 non-profit organsations (NPOs) who it has deemed as non-compliant. This is according to Inyathelo, a Cape Town based organisation that assists NPOs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 23 January 2013

BM fire victims to be moved to Mfuleni

Fire left about 800 households destitute on new years day in BM Section, Khayelitsha. Many of these families are sheltering at the O.R Tambo hall a short distance from the scene of the fire.

Mary-Jane Matsolo

News | 23 January 2013

Pensioners queue from early hours

Getting a social grant is not for slackers. You have to be up early in the morning.

Margo Fortune

Brief | 16 January 2013

Court gives go ahead for Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry

It took less than five minutes for Western Cape High Court Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso, to hand down judgement that an application for an interdict by police minister Nathi Mthethwa, against the commission of inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha was dismissed with costs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 15 January 2013

SASSA wants single mother to pay back R25k

The South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) wants 38 year old Janice (not her real name) from Kewtown to pay back R25,760 in grants she received.

Margo Fortune

News | 19 December 2012

New law to control civil society?

National government is taking steps to exert more control over civil society. In July, the Department of Social Development published a policy document for discussion titled "Policy Framework on Nonprofit Organisations Law".

GroundUp Staff

News | 19 December 2012

Groups to protest in support of inquiry into police

Tomorrow the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) will host a People’s Commission of Inquiry outside the Cape High Court as a protest in support of the Commission of Inquiry into Khayelitsha policing.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 12 December 2012

South African students at forefront of massive astronomy project

Mpati Ramatsoku and Moses Mogotsi are two South African PhD students who are being funded to work on one of the most exciting science projects of the decade: the Square Kilometre Array.

Tessa Gooding

News | 4 December 2012

Vigil against information bill

Right2Know held a candlelight vigil outside Parliament on 22 November in protest against the Protection of State Information Bill.

Kate Stegeman and GroundUp Staff

Brief | 28 November 2012

Scuffles breaks out in Delft over SASSA meal vouchers

Hundreds of residents queued outside Delft library last week Wednesday in the hope of receiving one of 25 SASSA meal vouchers.

Mihle Pike

News | 14 November 2012

Understanding the two Commissions of Inquiry into the police

There are two Commissions of Inquiry underway in South Africa (SA) that involve the SA Police Service (SAPS), the Police Minister and Police Commissioner, that we should be interrogating, examining, monitoring, overseeing and following with equal vigour.

Fatima Hassan

Opinion | 14 November 2012

The unseemly hat of opposition: A time for self-reflection?

When I saw the TimesLIVE photograph of Premier Zille leading the Democratic Alliance in a march to President Zuma’s Nkandla homestead, I had a visceral reaction. To some, outrage might have been caused by Zille’s finger-pointing, or the gross abuse of state resources symbolised by the police line blocking her delegation’s access to a public road.

Dustin Kramer

Opinion | 7 November 2012