Why we should support social movements

This week I finally signed up as a donor to Equal Education. I'd been meaning to do it for a long time. Small as my contribution is I'd like to urge all who can afford even R20 per month to start supporting the social movements. Here's what motivated me to finally sign that debit order form.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 22 May 2013

Nyanga celebrates first gay pride march

On Saturday 18 March about 300 people gathered at NY1 Gugulethu and marched to the Nyanga Football Stadium in the first gay pride march in Nyanga.

Jonathan Dockney

News | 22 May 2013

Controversial youth website dodges censorship

“Outoilet” is an Afrikaans word meaning “old toilet”, but it also refers to a cellphone chat site, aimed mainly at Cape Flats youth. Its URLs are blocked by several service providers, but the site frequently re-emerges with different URLs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 22 May 2013

Gang killers suspected of targeting another boy

Last week, 17-year old Glenrico Martin was shot dead at his high school in Athlone. Natheer Abrahams is 16-years old and is being bullied and threatened by gangsters. He suspects they are the same ones that killed Glenrico.

Margo Fortune

News | 22 May 2013

How to buy your license

News | 22 May 2013

Opening up debates we need

The trade union movement is in a state of flux, with concepts such as centralised bargaining and the “winner takes all” approach of majority — 50 per cent plus one — unionism now being challenged. “Agency shop” agreements whereby majority unions take a slice of the subscriptions paid by members of smaller unions, let alone the much bigger question of party political alignments are also being seriously debated.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 21 May 2013

How to buy your driver’s license

Attempts to clean up corruption at the Lingelethu West Traffic Station in Khayelitsha appear to be failing. GroundUp went undercover and recorded an offer of a bribe by an outside operator, and also spoke to others who were either asked to pay a bribe or who did bribe their way to being allowed behind the wheel.

GroundUp Staff with assistance of the Cape Times

News | 21 May 2013

Get Up, Stand Up, Fight like Lerato

On Friday Judge Phalatsi ordered that 13-year old Lerato Radebe be immediately readmitted to her school in Welkom. Every morning since 26 February Lerato was removed from her classroom and marched to the staff-room where she was made to spend the school day sitting idly. This was done because Lerato, whose family is Rastafarian, wears dreadlocks in her hair.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 20 May 2013

Inflammatory language makes platinum belt even more volatile

At the best of times, grassroots democracy, without sound communications infrastructure and the distribution of accurate information, can be a messy business. Add to this, dollops of rumour, some perceptions bordering on paranoia, various interest groups promoting different agendas, a history of distrust and memories of recent bloodshed and you have Marikana and much of the platinum belt today.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 20 May 2013

Investigate and stop this mundane everyday corruption

Today GroundUp published a story, with the assistance of The Cape Times, of corruption at Lingelethu West Traffic Department in Khayelitsha. We tell how the buying of learner's and driver's licenses is commonplace and show that there is the perception, arguably a reasonable one in some areas, that a bribe is necessary to get a driver's license.

GroundUp Editor

News | 20 May 2013

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.

Fergus Turner

News | 16 May 2013

“ËśProdigal 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.

Terry Bell

News | 16 May 2013

Make it happen campaign

News | 16 May 2013

Small business

News | 15 May 2013

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?

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 15 May 2013

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.

Jonathan Dockney

News | 15 May 2013