Climate scientists agree: Global warming is man-made

A recent analysis of over 12 000 research papers shows that the overwhelming majority of climate scientists agree that climate change is influenced by human activity.

Kerry Gordon

News | 5 June 2013

The ANC-Alliance soap opera trundles on

“Confusion hath made his masterpiece.” That quote from Shakespeare’s Macbeth seems perfectly to sum up the statements, comments, reports and machinations surrounding the Cosatu executive committee meeting last week.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 5 June 2013

Violence against women mural unveiled in Khayelitsha

A mural has been unveiled in Khayelitsha to highlight the need for the state and communities to improve their response to violence against women.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 5 June 2013

The People’s Paper: Reflections on another world, not so long ago

The offices of a community newspaper were burned to the ground in October 1985. It was situated opposite the Grand Parade and next to Cape Town’s historic City Hall. A few weeks earlier three of the newspaper’s employees were taken into detention by apartheid security police who swooped on their homes in the dead of night, armed to the teeth.

Mansoor Jaffer

News | 5 June 2013

Are we ready for the next pandemic?

Flu infections follow seasons, typically rising in winter and dropping in summer. As it moves, a virus mutates, with the risk that with every new flu season, a highly infectious virus could come back more deadly than before. We struggle between the hype of a new disease and the potential threat it imposes.

Kerry Gordon

News | 30 May 2013

Disabled and waiting for a house since 1992

While Thembisa Maso, a KTC resident still waits for her house to be completed, Mbuyiselo Vena, her neighbour, is struggling day in and day out in a wheelchair after being on a housing waiting list for the past 20 years.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 29 May 2013

Debunking Jeremy Cronin on civil society

“Join our hands to fight the drug companies, join our hands to raise money from the private sector, join our hands in raising money from each of us who will contribute to save lives of everyone who needs to be saved.” With these words Zackie Achmat launched the Treatment Action Campaign in 1998.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 29 May 2013

Organisational rights and democracy

Potentially turbulent and conflicting currents among trade union federations have been exposed following an attempt by deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe to calm troubled labour relations waters.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 29 May 2013

Battle over Barcelona’s Buckets

Residents of Barcelona informal settlement are living a sanitation nightmare. The company contracted to remove the bucket toilets, Sannicare, has been hit by industrial action and no resolution is in sight.

GroundUp Staff with assistance from Tebello Mzamoand Fergus Turner

News | 29 May 2013

Freedom of liberty award

News | 29 May 2013

MyCiTi: brilliant service delivery or irresponsible public planning?

Policy makers hail the MyCiTi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as the solution to Cape Town's public transport. MyCiTi has been lauded for its service quality. But it has also been criticised for its drain on public funds, and the system is also being questioned by existing operators.

Martin Eichhorn

Opinion | 29 May 2013

More and more people, less and less work

In recent columns I have mentioned the frightening statistic from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that, on a global level, more than 120 million men and women are now without work — and will probably never work again. This week, an updated figure arrived from the ILO: there are now more than 200 million people who are jobless and with little hope of their circumstances changing.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 27 May 2013

Chippa United’s Goldman hopes to stay in the PSL

What a challenging weekend it was for Cape Town's PSL teams. Ajax played Golden Arrows at Cape Town stadium needing three points to stay in the PSL. Mabhuti Khenyeza scored the opening goal followed by Toriq Losper and Khenyeza again, saving Ajax from relegation. But Chippa United's fate is still unclear.

Margo Fortune

News | 22 May 2013