Family of four die in Hangberg fire

A family of four was killed and eleven bungalows burned to the ground in a Hangberg shack fire early on Sunday morning.

Kimon de Greef

News | 21 April 2015

Crossroads woman accuses social worker of keeping her pension

A grandmother from Crossroads has accused a social worker of keeping back part of her old age grant of R1,350 per month.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 21 April 2015

Love and marriage in the midst of hateful xenophobia

Not even a series of xenophobic attacks in the city of Pietermaritzburg could stop the preparations for an Ethiopian man and South African woman to tie the knot. 27-year-old Thandeka Mkhwanazi and Mali Wondawock, 26, hosted neighbours and residents at their home in Cinderella Park at their Umembeso ceremony on Saturday.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 20 April 2015

Some light amid the labour gloom

News on the labour front over the recent past — and the past week — has involved ongoing infighting, death threats, an assassination, and the petrol bombing of a union president’s house. Little wonder then that an important labour law development has gone largely unnoticed.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 20 April 2015

EFF and Denel battle over land

While land occupiers lose their materials and possessions after being evicted, state defence manufacturer Denel accuses the EFF of manipulating the poor when instigating occupations of land it owns.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 17 April 2015

Living in constant fear of attack in Pietermaritzburg

Foreign nationals in the townships of Greater Edendale in Pietermaritzburg have closed their shops as xenophobic attacks spread. Shops were looted during the day and again at night on Wednesday.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 17 April 2015

Langa restaurant on show at Africa’s biggest tourism event

Six years ago, 51-year-old Nomonde Siyaka transformed her family's home in Langa into a two-storey traditional African food restaurant.

Barbara Maregele

News | 16 April 2015

Cape Town foreigners uneasy after Durban attacks

Authorities in Cape Town will “not just stand by” and watch if xenophobia spreads to the city again, says J P Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security. But foreigners living in the city are nervous.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 16 April 2015

UCT and transformation part two: the students

Is the University of Cape Town (UCT) transforming? In this, the second article in our series, we look at how the student body is changing.

GroundUp Staff

Feature | 16 April 2015

Will Phiyega survive? Parliament refuses to approve SAPS budget

Craig Oosthuizen describes the dramatic events in Parliament over the past two days that have put Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega's position under severe pressure.

Craig Oosthuizen

Opinion | 16 April 2015

Manenberg gogo complains of police violence

A 70-year-old Tambo Village resident says men wearing police uniforms and balaclavas twice forced their way into her house looking for guns and drugs.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 15 April 2015

Mbekweni Rasta’s five storey wooden house

A Rastafarian in Mbekweni has spent 20 years building himself a five storey wooden house - and he plans to add two more storeys.

Michael Nkalane

News | 15 April 2015

Defrauded Nyanga man refunded after GroundUp reports his story

After having half his salary deducted every month for over a year to pay for furniture which he did not buy, a Nyanga man has now been refunded.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 15 April 2015

No running water and toilets for Kayamandi hostel residents

A large grey plastic bucket stands nearby one of several doorways in a derelict hostel in Kayamandi near Stellenbosch where Mhlangabezi Jobela has lived for more than 20 years.

Barbara Maregele

News | 15 April 2015

Residents demand clarity on R60 million Langa Junction complex

Management of the R60 million Langa Junction complex has promised to make information available to angry residents who have complained about a lack of transparency in the building and leasing of the 5,000 square metre space.

Pharie Sefali and Nombulelo Damba

News | 14 April 2015

South Africa’s questionable silence about human rights violations in Swaziland

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), campaigning groups and labour supporting members of the European parliament this month launched protests about the continued harassment and jailing of trade unionists and democracy campaigners in Swaziland. ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow has noted that, in Swaziland, “Violations against the fundamental rights of workers have become systemic.”

Terry Bell

Opinion | 13 April 2015