News

Dudley Lee, who successfully sued government, has died

Dudley Lee died at the age of 68 on 21 May in Victoria Hospital. He successfully sued the Minister of Correctional Services because he became ill with tuberculosis (TB) while awaiting trial in Pollsmoor prison.

GroundUp Staff

News | 23 May 2014

Suspected ATM robbers beaten severely in Mfuleni

Two men suspected of ATM fraud were severely beaten and stoned in a mob attack at the taxi rank in Mfuleni on Wednesday afternoon.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 22 May 2014

Angy Peter trial: Dying declaration unlikely testifies surgeon

Dr Elmin Steyn testified in the Angy Peter trial yesterday that it was “extremely unlikely” that someone in Rowan du Preez’s condition would have been able to “have a long and complicated conversation” in which he identified his assailants.

Adam Armstrong

News | 22 May 2014

Khayelitsha creche hoping for flush toilets at last

The founder of Suphumelela Day Care in Khayelitsha is hoping city officials will provide portable toilets for the creche children, who have been using buckets for a year.

Barbara Maregele

News | 22 May 2014

Home Affairs says it will renew special Zimbabwean permits

Yesterday the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) announced that Cabinet approved the renewal of permits issued under the Special Dispensation for Zimbabweans.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 21 May 2014

Laws of physics suspended - prosecutor in Angy Peter trial

Forensic specialist Dr David Klatzow testified yesterday in the Angy Peter murder trial. The court is currently hearing a “trial-within-a-trial” which will determine whether it was possible for the murdered man, Rowan du Preez, to have made his dying declaration, as the state alleges.

Adam Armstrong

News | 21 May 2014

Behind the abortion adverts

We see them plastered over walls in town, on stop signs, outside schools and even advertised in local newspapers. But what is the real story behind the 1-hour abortion posters?

Ruth Atkinson

News | 21 May 2014

Govt develops new toilet technologies - but how much will they help?

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched an initiative to test new toilet technologies for South Africa’s rural areas.

Paul Kennedy

News | 21 May 2014

Capricorn violence: taxi drivers killing each other

Residents from Capricorn near Muizenberg are afraid to go to work and school because of violent clashes. There appears to be a taxi war with racial overtones.

Pharie Sefali

News | 20 May 2014

Angy Peter trial: parties contest whether victim could have spoken before his death

Yesterday in the murder trial of Angy Peter, a medical expert for the state, Dr Estie Meyer, testified that she saw “no anatomical reason” why Rowan du Preez could not have spoken to the police after he was assaulted.

Adam Armstrong

News | 20 May 2014

“Now I can’t afford groceries” - grant recipient after illegal debt deductions

Hundreds of Sassa beneficiaries who have become victims of unlawful debt deductions from their grants are struggling to make ends meet.

Barbara Maregele

News | 19 May 2014

Mother and disabled daughter face deportation after going to hospital

A 46-year-old Zimbabwean woman, Fortunate Makamba, and her 17-year-old disabled daughter, Alice Chitsuro, are facing deportation. Makamba arrived in 2012 after the Cape Town Refugee Reception Centre stopped granting asylum to newcomers.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 19 May 2014

Social grants being illegally deducted before reaching recipients

Human rights advocacy NGO, Black Sash, have launched a country-wide campaign in a bid to stop illegal debt deductions from the grants of South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) beneficiaries.

Barbara Maregele

News | 19 May 2014

“In a matter of seconds a man is dead “¦ for snatching a handbag”

“We don’t need to focus on fighting crime ... we need to heal our communities,” testified Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela at the Khayelitsha Inquiry into policing this morning. Her testimony described the social and psychological trauma of the Khayelitsha community, and how that results in vigilante killings.

Adam Armstrong

News | 16 May 2014

Guide to being tried for murder in South Africa

Perhaps you have been following the Angy Peter murder trial closely. Or maybe you have been watching the Oscar Pistorius one. Like us, you have lots of questions about how our legal system works. We asked a lawyer to answer them.

GroundUp Staff

News | 16 May 2014