Articles for Mary-Anne Gontsana

Rats and rubbish: Somafho Flats in Gugs

Rubbish piles, rats and no electricity. This is the site of Somafho, a block of flats in Gugulethu’s NY 121.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 1 August 2012

From bad boy to legitimate business owner: The Corner Lounge Story

Nkululeko Tuntubele is the owner of Corner Lounge, a cosy bar-lounge in the hub of Gugulethu at NY 138. Officially opened this year on 31 March, the lounge is a container previously used as a hair salon.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 July 2012

A spaza shop “just to keep busy”

For most people, opening a spaza shop is a small business venture to earn an income. For Richard Handel, it is just to keep busy.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 July 2012

Khayelitsha’s first coffee shop opened

What do a fireman, an employee at a towel factory and a coffee barista have in common? They all make up the Department of Coffee (DOC), a new intimate coffee shop in Khayelitsha.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 19 July 2012

Khayelitsha leader murdered

Mnoneleli Ngubo, a leading member of Equal Education in Khayelitsha, was stabbed to death in his Khayelitsha home on Tuesday 3 July.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 11 July 2012

Man in Gugs flat: “Living here is not life”

Kholekile Tisana is partially blind and has lived in a block of flats called Somafu in Gugulethu for the past year. He says living there is the same as living in a shack.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 11 July 2012

Taking Cape Town’s transport into the future: an interview with Brett Herron

GroundUp interviewed Mayoral Committee (Mayco) Member responsible for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, Brett Herron, about the city's transport system plans.

Veronica Washaya and Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 4 July 2012

From Gugs to Rondebosch in 60 minutes

Mary-Anne Gontsana describes the complicated, slow route from her home to work.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 4 July 2012

Night vigil against mob justice

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) held a candlelight vigil in Khayelitsha on Thursday to highlight the problem of vigilante murders in the township.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 4 July 2012

Controversy over Jooste Hospital closure

The Western Cape Department of Health intends to demolish GF Jooste Hospital and spend R550 million reconstructing it. This means the hospital will close. The South African Medical Association (SAMA) and health activists are worried that the closure will affect patients badly.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 June 2012

Nyanga housing delays anger residents

"Every time we think we are getting somewhere, we just go right back to square one." These are the words of Thembisa Maso, a KTC resident and mother of three who has been waiting for her house to be completed.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 27 June 2012

Public meeting on gangsterism in schools

The spotlight was on gangsterism in the Western Cape again on Tuesday when community safety MEC Dan Plato and conflict resolution practitioner Irvin Kinnes held a public dialogue on the issue.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 7 June 2012

Man on hunger strike in protest against vigilante killings

Nkwame Cedile, a Western Cape organiser for the Right2Know campaign, is fasting for nine days in protest against vigilante killings in Khayelitsha. He is calling his campaign 8+1.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 31 May 2012

Gugulethu man arrested in possession of R1.8 million worth of dagga

A Gugulethu man will appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s court on Monday after he was arrested in possession of dagga worth R1.8 million.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 May 2012

Police minister visits Gugulethu to address increasing gang problem

Tension and frustration ran high yesterday, when hundreds of Gugulethu residents packed the township’s Civic Hall to vent at Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa about the gangster problem.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 23 May 2012

City starts janitorial service in informal settlements

About 200 Social Justice Coalition (SJC) representatives in more than 10 taxis descended outside Cape Town’s Civic Centre on Wednesday afternoon to listen to the long awaited announcement of the launch of the janitorial service.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 17 May 2012