Articles for Mary-Anne Gontsana

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

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

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

Popular HIV magazine show back on SABC 1

New season, new presenter, same time, same channel. Education and health television programme Siyayinqoba Beat-It! will air its first episode of season 8 next week Thursday on SABC 1 at 1:30pm.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 March 2013

Department of Coffee burgled

Khayelitsha’s popular coffee shop, the Department of Coffee (DOC), was burgled in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 26 March 2013

Toilet mess in Khayelitsha - SJC demands service delivery contracts

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) is demanding access to information on service delivery agreements in Khayelitsha.This follows the breakdown of some outdoor toilets which the organisation fears is a result of the service delivery organisation contracted by the City failing to do its job.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 20 March 2013

“It’s tough getting employment in SA”

In this year’s budget speech, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan mentioned that allocations for employment programs would increase by 13.5 per cent a year for the next three years. Unemployment has always been a challenge for South Africans, but it is even harder for immigrants who flee their countries to look for employment here.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 13 March 2013

Gangs, a brotherhood-in-arms

Youth gangs have become a normal occurrence in Khayelitsha.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 February 2013

Residents in dangerous Gugs block of flats to be relocated

Temporary house structures are being built in Gugulethu to accommodate residents who are currently occupying Masonwabe hostels.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 20 February 2013

Nyanga residents march against man who posted nude pictures of woman on Facebook

A group of women marched to a house in Mau-Mau, Nyanga, to confront a man they accuse of posting nude pictures of a woman, his girlfriend, on Facebook.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 13 February 2013

Metrorail or Metrofail?

Metrorail is one of the three divisions of the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), the state-owned enterprise which is responsible for most passenger rail services in South Africa. It is also one of the most troublesome forms of public transport.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Feature | 6 February 2013

Government deregisters thousands of non-profit organisations without warning

The NPO Directorate, which is part of the Department of Social Development, has deregistered about 50 000 non-profit organsations (NPOs) who it has deemed as non-compliant. This is according to Inyathelo, a Cape Town based organisation that assists NPOs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 23 January 2013

Court gives go ahead for Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry

It took less than five minutes for Western Cape High Court Deputy Judge President Jeanette Traverso, to hand down judgement that an application for an interdict by police minister Nathi Mthethwa, against the commission of inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha was dismissed with costs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 15 January 2013

Radio presenter calls for Jews to be labelled with “mark of shame”

Ivor Blumenthal, the former station master and presenter of Chai FM, has written a tirade against Jews who are critical of Israel.

Nathan Geffen and Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 19 December 2012