Opinion and Analysis
What Cosatu shop stewards really think
Critical elements of the long-awaited and debated survey of the attitudes of Cosatu shop stewards were finally made public in Johannesburg last night. And they are likely to cause a considerable stir within labour and political circles, especially about the possible future launch of a union-backed labour party.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 2 September 2013
Labour crisis threatens all democracy
“One is workers’ unity and evermore shall be so.” So goes an old labour movement song summarising the prime goal of trade unionism. It is also captured in the slogan: An injury to one is an injury to all. Equally, however, a disruption to one usually means a disruption to all.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 26 August 2013
Why Zionists should support critics of the Israeli Occupation
Shaul and Yuli Novak are two Israeli Defence Force veterans with the organisation Breaking the Silence. They are currently visiting South Africa, giving talks and promoting a book. Breaking the Silence publishes testimonies by Israeli soldiers of their actions, many of them human rights violations, in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT).
Nathan Geffen
Opinion | 22 August 2013
Dali Mpofu’s “not inconsiderable fees”
I enjoy lawyer jokes, but in my time with the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) the lawyers I worked with didn't fit the stereotype. They often represented TAC pro bono or at reduced fees. They put money aside to fight for justice, especially for poor people. They were also modest. In our high profile cases, the TAC's lawyers were not the centre of attention. Nevertheless, TAC won most of its cases and all the key ones. We were very ably represented.
Nathan Geffen
Opinion | 21 August 2013
Reading for change: organisation addresses social issues through cellphone fiction
FunDza Literacy Trust is an NGO that aims to popularize reading amongst young South Africans. FunDza's goals are to encourage youngsters to read for pleasure and to help students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, to become effectively literate.
Fergus Turner
Opinion | 20 August 2013
Marikana: a wake-up call still ignored
Four days after the bloodletting that has become known as the Marikana massacre, this column supported the call for a comprehensive and independent inquiry. And it noted, reflecting a widespread view within the labour movement: “The Lonmin tragedy is a wake-up call that South Africa will ignore at its peril.”
Terry Bell
Opinion | 20 August 2013
Pregnant girls have a right to be in school
Teenage pregnancy and the stigmatisation that accompanies it continue to expose deep seated prejudices that exist in our society. Given the prevailing attitude of vilifying pregnant girls it should come with little surprise that many schools opt for a punitive response by banishing pregnant girls from school.
Lisa Andrews and Lisa Draga
Opinion | 14 August 2013
Do companies have the right to own your genes?
Patenting of genes incentivises research and the discovery of new treatments, tests and drugs. But does the exclusive ownership of biological material stop the sharing of information and prevent treatment getting to the people that need it?
Kerry Gordon
Opinion | 12 August 2013
Are we ready for universal breastfeeding in South Africa? A response to Vuyiseka Dubula
Vuyiseka Dubula’s opinion piece published in GroundUp raises some important issues concerning the promotion of breastfeeding in South Africa. Vuyiseka is correct: breastfeeding is much safer than formula feeding.
David Sanders, Tanya Doherty, Debra Jackson, Ameena Goga
Opinion | 12 August 2013