News

Health Professions Council tried to stop exposure of Eastern Cape health crisis

Instead of fulfilling its vision to “enhance the quality of health”, the Health Professions Council (HPCSA) tried to stop details of the health crisis in the Eastern Cape being made public.

GroundUp Staff

News | 4 November 2013

The week in political activism

This is our new, hopefully regular, feature with the latest news from civil society.

Delphine Pedeboy

News | 1 November 2013

Hipster left

News | 30 October 2013

Amber lives her dream behind the scenes of the Phantom

Not every parent would be pleased to hear their child is determined to make a life in the theatre. But Amber Mgushelwa’s family has been supportive of her career choice. Her father reassured her all the way; her mother had some concerns.

Nwabisa Pondoyi

News | 30 October 2013

Slow, unresponsive and unconcerned: How the Health Professions Council hurts patients

The Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) is a statutory body that regulates health workers. It registers doctors and disciplines them if they do something wrong. If it had to perform its tasks properly, patients would benefit. Instead, according to several organisations and doctors, the HPCSA’s inefficiency hurts patients.

Delphine Pedeboy and GroundUp Staff

News | 30 October 2013

Daily grind of a Zimbabwean mother

Nancy Muzembe, originally from Zimbabwe, struggles against all the odds to give her son a good education.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 29 October 2013

School was key to Mandla Khusela escaping poverty

Mandla Khusela was born in Guguletu and grew up in Langa.

Pharie Sefali

News | 29 October 2013

Having a different HIV status to your partner

Lindiwe Kameni was ill in 2004. “I was in Jo’burg when I fell sick, and I tested HIV-positive”, she says. She told her husband her HIV status and things started to change.

Odwa Funeka

News | 28 October 2013

“It hurts when people call me mad”

“It hurts when people call me mad,” says Luvo Ndinisa. “I asked people from my community to stop calling me mad.”

Nwabisa Pondoyi

News | 28 October 2013

Electricity connection

News | 24 October 2013

Zambian government case against Kasonkomona unravelling

The long-awaited criminal case against Paul Kasonkomona began on 16 and 17 October in the Lusaka Magistrates Court. Witnesses for the prosecution testified during the hearing. According to Anneke Meerkotter of the Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC), the “evidence led by the State during Kasonkomona’s trial confirms suspicions that the arrest and prosecution of Kasonkomona was politically motivated”.

Jonathan Dockney

News | 24 October 2013

Home Affairs continues to defy court order and refuses to serve new asylum seekers

A decision taken in 2012 by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) to stop processing new applicants at the Cape Town refugee reception office has resulted in asylum seekers having to travel long distances at great cost to be documented and renew their permits.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 23 October 2013

Pillow fight

News | 23 October 2013

From goalie to coach - Ben Biko gives young soccer players hope

Ben Biko, a former goalkeeper, coaches young soccer players in Philippi to professional level.

Nwabisa Pondoyi

News | 22 October 2013

Striking parking attendants allege they have not been paid since 2009

Rene Mayinga from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is on strike. He claims his employer, Street Parking Solution (SPS), which won a tender in July 2008 from the City of Cape Town to collect parking fees in the CBD, has not been paying him since 2009.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 21 October 2013

Copyright, credit, Woolworths and the hummingbird

A Twitter storm erupted on 18 October after South African artist Euodia Roets published a blog post titled ‘How Woolworths Really Operates!’. Roets believes her design of a hummingbird on a cushion was used by Woolworths without the company acknowledging it as her work.

Delphine Pedeboy and GroundUp Editor

News | 21 October 2013