Wednesday was a public holiday: Heritage Day. And carnivore commercialism seems largely to have claimed it. For many — if not most — South Africans who could afford it, this was a day to indulge in and enjoy chisa nyama, the ubiquitous braai.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 29 September 2014
You probably wouldn't sprinkle antibiotics like sugar all over your breakfast cereal every morning, even if you were sick. There is, though, a good chance that you are in effect doing something similar today on Heritage Day. The steaks you are braaing, or the chicken being grilled is likely to contain traces of antibiotics.
Nicholas Ashby
Opinion | 24 September 2014
Should we spend Heritage Day celebrating our culture or is it okay just to have fun? Young people interviewed by GroundUp had different views on the subject.
Pharie Sefali
Opinion | 23 September 2014
Is South Africa on the brink of a clash between the egalitarian concepts embodied in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the demands to retain undemocratic, feudal and colonial hangovers of the past? If so, it may be Swaziland that will provide the catalyst.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 22 September 2014
A new report by SERI profiles a community protest in Lenasia, Gauteng, and concludes that the criminal justice system was "abused" in order to intimidate activists and protesters. A look at similar cases in Cape Town seem to support this finding.
Daneel Knoetze
Opinion | 18 September 2014
On 13 September Equal Education marched in Johannesburg for decent school sanitation in Gauteng. Brad Brockman, the organisation's General Secretary, explains the campaign.
Brad Brockman
Opinion | 16 September 2014
There is no reason people with HIV shouldn't be soldiers, says Tim Flack, who served in the navy and is the Western Cape representative for the South African National Defence Force Union.
Tim Flack
Opinion | 16 September 2014
Deputy defence minister Kebby Maphatsoe this week withdrew his claim that public protector Thuli Madonsela was a “CIA spy” and apologised for the statement. But the issue continues to reverberate throughout the body politic.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 15 September 2014
This week the Public Protector was called a CIA agent. The ruling party’s tactic of labeling its critics foreign agents is counterproductive, has a bloody history and is damaging the country, writes Ayanda Kota.
Ayanda Kota
Opinion | 10 September 2014
Our justly praised Constitution and the institutions it created have taken something of a verbal battering over the past week and more — and often for the wrong reasons. In the process, the office of the public protector has become something of a surrogate battleground for the opposing factions in Cosatu.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 8 September 2014
DA leader and Western Cape premier Helen Zille has again entered the HIV prevention arena, telling us we are failing to deal with HIV because we don’t have the right approach to taking personal responsibility for sexual behaviours.
Francois Venter
Opinion | 4 September 2014
In 2010 there were 3228 matrics in Khayelitsha’s 19 high schools. They achieved just 44 ‘A’ symbols between them, in all subjects.
Doron Isaacs
Opinion | 4 September 2014
The conclusion of the Khayelitsha Commission has left many people asking “what now?” writes Ayanda Nyoka.
Ayanda Nyoka
Opinion | 3 September 2014
Daryl Impey’s exoneration on doping charges brought relief to many cycling fans. But, ponders Shuaib Manjra, there may be much more to this story.
Shuaib Manjra
Opinion | 2 September 2014
Police are only allowed to use force as an absolute last resort when managing protests. But recent violence around several evictions of shackdwellers in Cape Town, prompted GroundUp to establish what the law says.
Daneel Knoetze
Opinion | 2 September 2014
The opening salvoes have again been fired in another round in the war about a national minimum wage. And on both sides there are accusations of the selective choice of research to bolster arguments.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 1 September 2014