Gugulethu boy fulfilling his dream in Sweden

Sive Pekezela from Gugulethu plays right-wing for Swedish team Gefle IF. He is just 20 years old.

Margo Fortune

News | 30 April 2013

Metrorail security beats up commuter

Luke Turner was beaten up by Metrorail security guards last Monday for not having a ticket.

Margo Fortune

News | 30 April 2013

Responding to criticism

The Democratic Alliance markets itself as an efficient and un-corrupt alternative to the ANC. It never hesitates to point out serious service delivery failures by the ANC. So it is interesting to see its responses to the Social Justice Coalition's criticisms of the City of Cape Town's handling of a major toilet supply contract in Khayelitsha.

Nathan Geffen

News | 30 April 2013

Khayelitsha toilet contractors not delivering

"The toilets are not very good. They are unstable and fall over a lot," says Nomtheto Ndzime, a Khayelitsha resident, about the toilets provided by the City of Cape Town.

Fergus Turner

News | 30 April 2013

Writers and leaders talk about terrible conditions in schools

Last week GroundUp's Mary-Anne Gontsana reported the terrible state of schools in the Eastern Cape she saw on the "solidarity visit" organised by Equal Education. Today she describes the impressions of some of the well-known South Africans who also participated.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 29 April 2013

Why do learners have to use toilets that look like this?

Equal Education has organised a two-day "solidarity visit" of schools in the Eastern Cape. GroundUp journalist Mary-Anne Gontsana is reporting what she sees. Here is her second report.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 26 April 2013

110 learners in one class in Eastern Cape school

Equal Education has organised a two-day "solidarity visit" of schools in the Eastern Cape. Well-known South Africans, including Archbishop Thabo Makgoba and constitutional law blogger Pierre De Vos, are participating. GroundUp journalist Mary-Anne Gontsana is also taking part, reporting what she sees. Here is her first report.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 April 2013

MDR-TB

News | 24 April 2013

Venezuela: Lessons for South Africa

Hugo Chavez’s chosen successor Nicolas Maduro, has scraped through with a lead of 240,000 votes against the opposition of Henrique Capriles. Maduro is to lead the Venezuelan state in continuing the program of social reforms known as the Bolivarian Missions, where the state after nationalising the oil company, used that revenue for the betterment of the poorest sectors of society. Health care, housing and education are made available through the Missions.

Selby Nomnganga

Opinion | 24 April 2013

Suicidal from the stress of being unemployed

I am Sfiso Nkala. I am 40 years old and I live in Stanger in Kwazulu-Natal. I have been unemployed since 2008. As I write this I am at home thinking about how I will get to town to apply for the job I saw advertised in the newspaper. I know that once I ask someone to lend me money for transport then I have to pay it back.

Sfiso Nkala

Opinion | 24 April 2013

How do you look after an autistic child when you live in a shack?

“I have to tie his leg to the couch. If I don’t he wanders away and I have to run around the whole of RR section in search of him, giving people a description of him and asking if anyone has seen a boy resembling my son.”

Mary-Jane Matsolo

News | 24 April 2013

How Henrietta Lacks became immortal

In 1951, Henrietta Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer. She had an aggressive tumour that quickly took over her body. Less than a year after being diagnosed, she died; leaving behind a devastated husband and 6 children. She was 31 years old. But even in her death, some of her cells lived on; dividing and growing, making trillions more cells than ever existed in her body. The combined weight of these cells is now over 400 times what Henrietta Lacks weighed when she was alive.

Kerry Gordon

News | 24 April 2013

Joe Slovo High School toilets still broken

Nearly a year since we told the story of the state of toilets at Joe Slovo High School in Khayelitsha, the toilets remain broken.

Nokubonga Yawa

News | 24 April 2013

Bayhill tournament is “great” for Cape Town

The Bayhill soccer tournament took place over Easter weekend lasting from 28 March to 1 April 2013. The under 19 tournament was played at Erica Park by teams from different provinces. The overall tournament winners were Ajax Cape Town.

Margo Fortune

News | 24 April 2013

My School

Today GroundUp received this short message from Palesa Faith, a high school learner in the Eastern Cape.

Palesa Faith

Opinion | 17 April 2013

City says violence prevention efforts working, but activists sceptical

In 2006, to tackle crime in Khayelitsha, the City of Cape Town launched the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) project.

Fergus Turner and GroundUp Staff

News | 17 April 2013