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What do the big banks offer low-income earners?
Low-income earners are people who are unemployed or those making just enough to get by on a single or joint monthly income. What do banks really offer these South Africans?
News
Activist group accuses City of failing to monitor toilet contracts
On 27 April the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) held a meeting in Khayelitsha to report the results of an audit of toilets provided by a supplier contracted to the City of Cape Town. On 10 May the SJC released a written report of the audit's findings.
‘Prodigal daughters' speak out at Franschoek literary festival
The exile experience of women in the liberation movements — a largely neglected aspect of recent South African history — will feature this year at the Franschhoek Literary Festival in a discussion involving the octogenarian feminist writer, Lauretta Ngcobo.
Paul Kasonkomona fights for fair trial
Paul Kasonkomona, an HIV/Aids activist based in Zambia, appeared in the Lusaka Magistrate's Court today (15 May) on charges of idle and disorderly behaviour. He was arrested last month after calling on the Zambian government to decriminalise homosexuality and to respect the human rights of gay people, prisoners, and sex workers. Kasonkomona's case was postponed today after his defence attorneys, SBN Legal Practitioners, filed a constitutional application on two grounds.
Struggle for disabled people to use Cape Town's transport
On Monday Cape Town bus drivers ended their strike after 25 days. They had asked for a wage increase of 18% but settled for a preliminary increase of 9.5% which will increase to 10% from October. What does the strike reveal about how poor people get around in Cape Town, particularly for disabled people?
Interview with Lauren Beukes
Cape Town-based writer Lauren Beukes won the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award for her novel Zoo City. Her new novel, The Shining Girls, is receiving rave reviews and is set to make best-seller lists around the world. Marcus Low talked to her about her writing and about the links between speculative fiction and real-world social issues.
The challenges of running a business in a poor community
There are many challenges when starting a business. Planning and marketing the business, determining prices, and managing the day to day running are not simple tasks. But entrepreneurs in low-income communities face additional challenges when starting out.
Creating the Cape Cultural Collective
The Cape Cultural Collective (CCC) is as strange and unusual as it is interesting and inspirational. It began in 2007 when a small group of anti-apartheid activists, musicians, and poets decided to start a movement promoting social change in communities through artistic projects. Since then, it has grown into a large network of talented performers discussing important South African issues through song, dance, poetry, or whatever art engages and entertains their audiences.
Opinion
![By ChrisO [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIsrael_and_occupied_territories_map.png.](http://groundup.org.za/sites/default/files/styles/footer_news_thumb/public/field/image/occupied-territories.png "By ChrisO [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AIsrael_and_occupied_territories_map.png.")
South Africa ruffled political feathers in April this year, after it made it unlawful for Israeli settlement products sold locally to be labelled as "made in Israel". All products made by Israeli businesses operating illegally in the settlements must now be labelled according to where they were produced in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This is in accordance with international law and South African foreign policy.Opinion
South Africa devotes significant resources to youth development, with 20% of the national government's budget going towards education alone. However, a recent survey reveals that the youth are being increasingly forced to deal with a range of issues such as substance abuse, exposure to crime and violence, inequality and poverty. As a consequence, mental and behavioural issues are becoming more and more evident among learners.Opinion
That private club of super-rich men, the World Economic Forum (WEF), was back in town this week. In Cape Town to be exact, to persuade, buy up and bully politicians and opinion makers to adopt policies that many trade unionists say are based on the myth that there is no alternative to the present crisis-ridden economic system.Sport
GroundUp speaks to Keagan Buchanan, 22-year-old football player for FC Cape Town.