News

Swanepoel yindoda!

Skin colour is a thing of the past, says a white man from East London, Gonubie area, who recently entered manhood in the Xhosa tradition.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 16 July 2015

21 at 21: The coming of age of a nation

In their newly released book, 21 at 21: The Coming of Age of a Nation, Melanie Verwoerd and Sonwabiso Ngcowa write that the term ‘born free’ is highly contested. ‘Many young people refuse to be labelled in this way, not least because of the level of poverty they still experience. As one ‘born free’ put it to us, “How can we be called born free when we live like this?”’

Melanie Verwoerd and Sonwabiso Ngcowa

News | 16 July 2015

Living in a graveyard

For the past few years, the old Jewish burial site located south of Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town has become a home to a number of homeless people.

Siphesihle Matyila

News | 16 July 2015

Best friends have scales, wings and tails.

Photographer Masixole Feni has done a series of portraits of people and their pets and animals in Cape Town's townships. He found some surprising friendships.

Masixole Feni

News | 15 July 2015

In 80 years, she’s never lived in a warm house

“I don’t know how it feels to be in a warm house without a leaking roof,” says Betha Mkhize, who is in her eighties and lives in Ezinketheni in Pietermaritzburg with her mentally disabled son.

Ntombi Ngubane

News | 15 July 2015

Street artists battle over De Waal mural

A group of anonymous street artists called Space Invader has claimed responsibility for “reinterpreting” the mural in District Six along De Waal Drive near Cape Town city centre.

Barbara Maregele

News | 15 July 2015

Good Hope Construction: workers’ demands still being probed

The Building Industry Bargaining Council is investigating employees’ claims that money is still owed to the Council by Good Hope Construction (GHC), target of a protracted strike during which one employee died.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and GroundUp staff

News | 14 July 2015

Sesfikile ,“ the women’s winery

Even though she once despised wine because her brother would get drunk, Nondumiso Pikashe from Gugulethu has made a success of her own handcrafted wines. She thinks more people could tap into the industry.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 14 July 2015

Dunoon parents start own school

Dunoon parents have turned to the Equal Education Law Centre for help after their children could not find spaces in the nearest schools. The community has now occupied temporary classrooms and started their own school while they wait.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 13 July 2015

Building a business out of old bricks

At Sweet Home Farm in an area known as Etheni near Brown Farm in Philippi, a number of families are making a living by selling recycled bricks for R1.50 a brick. New bricks retail for around R6.95.

Siphesihle Matyila

News | 13 July 2015

Living in a shed the size of a toilet for 14 years

Forty-three year old Patrick Brewer from Henley in Pietermaritzburg has been living in a tiny shed the size of a toilet for 14 years.

Ntombi Ngubane

News | 10 July 2015

First Xhosa chess book launched

International Chess Master Watu Kobese sits on a luxury couch in the Cape Sun Hotel, where the South African Chess Open is taking place. It is an hour before he competes. He has agreed to meet to discuss his life, South African chess and Masidlale Uthimba (Let us play Chess), the first isiXhosa chess book. It was launched on Tuesday (7 July).

Mariska Morris

News | 10 July 2015

Bellville traders divided over City’s actions

Attempts by the City to crack down on informal traders at the Bellville taxi rank who don’t have permits have been welcomed by those who do.

Siphesihle Matyila

News | 9 July 2015

Victory for consumers as court rules against salary deductions

Single mother and sole breadwinner Lisinda Bailey became tearful in court after Western Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai declared the deductions which had been made from her salary were “invalid and unlawful.”

Barbara Maregele

News | 8 July 2015

Outrage as rape accused gets bail

Residents of Mpophomeni in Howick are up in arms after a man accused of the rape of two seven year old girls was granted bail.

Ntombi Ngubane

News | 8 July 2015