News

Station Commander’s job comes under fire at the Khayelitsha Commission

Advocate Peter Hathorn has said his clients will recommend that Colonel Michael Reitz be removed from his post as the Lingelethu West Station Commander in Khayelitsha.

Adam Armstrong

News | 17 February 2014

Rights organisations contest reasons for Home Affairs directive

Director General of Home Affairs, Mkuseli Apleni, has given reasons why no new asylum seekers will be accepted at the Refugee Reception Office (RRO) in Cape Town.

Tariro Washinyira and GroundUp staff

News | 14 February 2014

Are SAPS top brass shifting blame to station commanders?

Colonel Michael Reitz, station commander of Lingelethu West, one of Khayelitsha’s three police stations took the stand at the inquiry into policing yesterday. He was the first witness for SAPS to give testimony.

Adam Armstrong

News | 14 February 2014

The week in political activism

This week we have reports on COSATU's allegations against Sun City, an Equal Education seminar on Marikana and a new digital application from Corruption Watch.

Compiled by Brent Meersman

News | 13 February 2014

Choir group in Langa reduces unemployment

Ezethu (“Ours”) is an indigenous choir ensemble that preserves and promotes Xhosa culture by celebrating traditional music. Its members, who come from Gugulethu and Langa, bring ceremonial music to younger generations.

Nika Soon-Shiong

News | 13 February 2014

Achmat calls for ceremony for police to apologise

The police should hold a formal ceremony to apologise to some of the victims of poor policing in Khayelitsha, Zackie Achmat has suggested.

Adam Armstrong

News | 13 February 2014

City project, VPUU, criticises SAPS

The SA Police Service is one of the least approachable of the partners working with the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU) service in Khayelitsha, the commission into Khayelitsha policing heard this week.

Adam Armstrong

News | 13 February 2014

Red tape blocks Khayelitsha small businesses

Entrepreneurs from two successful businesses in Khayelitsha are frustrated with the red tape that is blocking their businesses from growing.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 12 February 2014

State of the Nation

News | 12 February 2014

Gugs dance school gives children self-worth

Self-discipline and self-worth: Zama Dance school instils these much-needed values in children in Gugulethu.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 12 February 2014

Khayelitsha gangs can get worse warns researcher

Dr Kelly Gillespie, a social anthropology researcher based at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), warned the Khayelitsha commission of inquiry into policing that the township’s gangs can change into something worse.

Adam Armstrong

News | 12 February 2014

Retired police officers slam Khayelitsha station management

Detectives at Khayelitsha police stations are expected to deal with far too many cases at a time, two retired police officers have told the Khayelitsha commission of inquiry.

Adam Armstrong

News | 11 February 2014

Running and other stories: an extract from Makhosazana Xaba’s collection

Makhosazana Xaba’s poetry has been translated into Mandarin and Italian and published in China and Italy. Her first critically acclaimed story, Running, won the Deon Hofmeyr Award for Creative Writing in 2005.

Makhosazana Xaba

News | 11 February 2014

We should write for our readers, not the owner ““ an interview with Ann Crotty

Seasoned financial journalist Ann Crotty has resigned from the Independent Group’s financial daily, the Business Report , after 18 years at the paper. Crotty, the author of award-winning work on executive pay and other issues, spoke to GroundUp about her resignation from Business Report, her views on editorial independence and media ownership.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 11 February 2014

Communities speak out against destructive mining practices

Edna Kusena (42) lives in the diamond-rich area of Chiadzwa in Zimbabwe, where the Marange diamond fields are spread over some 570 square kilometers. Three years ago, Edna and 4,300 families were relocated to an area on the outskirts of Chiadzwa.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 10 February 2014

City and SJC dispute over Commission

The City of Cape Town and the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) have locked horns over the scope of the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry and the role of the City in the quality of policing.

Adam Armstrong

News | 7 February 2014