News

Gugulethu’s free paralegal advice centre under threat of closure

The Gugulethu Paralegal Advice Office in Gugulethu will soon be forced to close down if staff are unable to secure funding by April this year.

Barbara Maregele

News | 9 February 2015

Bongani Fani delivered Cape Times for two decades - now he’s been dumped

The latest casualty in the claimed ā€œtransformative restructuringā€ of Independent Newspapers is Bongani Fani, who has delivered Cape Times and Argus titles from Lakeside to Kalk Bay for more than 20 years. A resident of Masiphumelele and father of four, Mr Fani received a ā€œTermination of subscription delivery contractā€ letter from ā€œPG Rhoda, Circulation and Distribution Managerā€ last month.

Terry Bell

News | 8 February 2015

Lost court records delay judgment in activist court case

SJC activists and their supporters descended upon the Cape Town Magistrates' court this morning, anticipating judgment in a trial that has been ongoing, in stops and starts, since July last year. But there was to be no judgment, because part of the court record had been lost.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 6 February 2015

No place to bring up a child

Pheliswa Cekiso, 28, was two months pregnant when she was evicted from her shack in Lwandle. In December she gave birth to a healthy boy. But the Nomzamo community hall where she lives is no place to bring up a child, she says.

Zintle Swana

News | 5 February 2015

“We can’t smile for passengers when there is pain in our hearts” - MyCiTi bus driver

MyCiTi bus drivers say they will not go back to work until the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union (SATAWU) is recognised by Transpeninsula Investments (TPI). The strike that started yesterday continued today, with a picket outside TPI's depot.

Kevin Elliott

News | 5 February 2015

Struggle for justice receives financial boost

A new fund worth $25 million (R284 million) was announced at the District 6 Museum in Cape Town today. It will support organisations that are working to ā€œadvance constitutionalismā€.

GroundUp Staff

News | 5 February 2015

How xenophobic violence turned Joseph Tau’s life upside down

ā€œI heard a loud noise from the looters outside the supermarket,ā€ recalls 76-year-old Joseph Tau. ā€œI could hear footsteps on the roof and knew they were coming for us."

Mosa Damane

News | 4 February 2015

Sisulu drafting amendments to eviction laws

Minister for Human Settlements Lindiwe Sisulu is in the process of drafting amendments to eviction legislation, in line with the report of the commission of inquiry into the Lwandle evictions last year.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 4 February 2015

Most Mfuleni tent children back at school

Arrangements have been made to accommodate most of the Mfuleni learners who were using a tent as a school, according to the Western Cape Department of Education.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 4 February 2015

Assault at Home Affairs

People watched in shock inside the Khayelitsha Home Affairs on Monday morning as a man was beaten and thrown outside by what appeared to be a Home Affairs employee.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 3 February 2015

Owls to be used to rid homes of rats

Philippi residents say there is just no getting rid of the rats terrorising them in their homes. But the City of Cape Town has a plan to introduce owls to solve the problem.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 2 February 2015

Indlela uDJ osakhasayo waseKhayelitsha awavelisa ngayo eyona ngoma ithandiweyo enyakeni

Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo akukho mntu wayenokucingela ukuba uDJ osakhasayo waseKhayelitsha angavelisa enye yeengoma ezinkqenkqeza phambili zika-2014: ā€˜uKoze Kuse’.

NguZethu Gqola

News | 30 January 2015

Ethical trade body fails farm worker

The Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (Wieta), which lists some of the country's top producers, appears to have recanted on its promise to investigate allegations of assault on a farm worker by one of its members. A board member says the organisation has double standards - quick to help its farm owning members, while sweeping aside complaints of abuse from workers.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 30 January 2015

Robertson farmer charged with assault on employee

The owner of Eilandia farm will stand trial on charges of assaulting and strangling an employee in the Robertson Magistrates Court on Friday. Whatever the outcome of the case, a local farm workers’ union has heralded the police investigation and court appearance as a victory.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 30 January 2015

Primary school kids sent home because of lack of toilets and sewage smell

It is only 10am on a Wednesday morning and A.C.J. Phakade primary school students in Nomzamo township (near Strand in Cape Town) are already walking home or waiting for shuttles to fetch them.

Zintle Swana

News | 29 January 2015

How a small-time DJ from Khayelitsha produced the song of the year

A few months ago no one could have predicted that a small-time DJ from Khayelitsha would produce what would be one of the hits of 2014: ā€˜Koze Kuse’.

Zethu Gqola

News | 29 January 2015