I use a sock as a sanitary pad, says Langa learner

Akhona is in grade eight. Like many of her classmates, she often misses school when she has her periods because her family cannot afford sanitary pads. When she has to write a test, she uses a sock, she says.

Pharie Sefali

News | 6 November 2014

Andile Lili shot several times

Chairperson of the Ses'khona People's Rights Movement, Andile Lili, is in Tygerberg hospital after being shot in his vehicle in Khayelitsha last night.

Johnnie Isaac, Daneel Knoetze and GroundUp staff

Brief | 6 November 2014

How an organisation is helping immigrant children with disabilities

It is not easy to raise a child with disabilities if you are a single mother and a foreign national living in a township in South Africa. Fortunately, there is the PASSOP Disabled Children Support Group.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 5 November 2014

Marikana: Lonmin’s broken promises

Lonmin has broken its promises to build housing for employees, say the Marikana Commission's evidence leaders.

Alide Dasnois

News | 5 November 2014

Marikana: Phiyega “not fit for office”

Riah Phiyega is not fit to hold the office of National Commissioner of Police, say the Marikana Commission’s evidence leaders.

Alide Dasnois

News | 5 November 2014

Marikana: how the police “constructed” their story

Police evidence to the Marikana Commission was "constructed" at a meeting in Potchefstroom soon after the massacre of 34 miners in 2012, according to the commission’s evidence leaders.

Alide Dasnois

News | 5 November 2014

Khayelitsha and Nyanga lighties demo their cricket skills

Khayelitsha cricket oval was abuzz this past weekend. Great weather and enthusiastic shouts of “Good bowling”, “Keep it up”, “Bowl him out” and appealing every time there was the vaguest prospect of a wicket contributed to a wonderful atmosphere.

Siyabonga Kalipa

News | 4 November 2014

Making a living selling smileys

Nombulelo Mtibe eeks out a living selling smileys. And no, a smiley is not an emoticon on your phone!

Pharie Sefali

News | 3 November 2014

Domestic row blamed for fire that leaves 160 homeless

Residents of Europe informal settlement near NY 108 Cemetery in Gugulethu have begun rebuilding their shacks after they were gutted by a blazing inferno on Friday evening.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 3 November 2014

Cape Town’s popular public swimming pools: a joy for all but not equally spread

Summer is here and people in Cape Town have begun enjoying swimming pools, either their own or one of the city's public pools. But how evenly spread are the city's pools?

Lea Bork

News | 3 November 2014

How magistrates and local government are failing to uphold the Constitution

The Constitution and legislation protect vulnerable people from being evicted into homelessness. But for 14 shack-dwellers in Walmer Estate this is exactly what is happening, writes Daneel Knoetze.

Daneel Knoetze

Analysis | 3 November 2014

Clarifying the COSATU confusion

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. I tender this classic apology on behalf of many of my fellow journalists who have recently misled the public about the situation regarding the National Union of Metalworkers (Numsa) and the Cosatu federation.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 3 November 2014

Students demand an end to unequal education

“In my school we have two main problems. The first one is a lack of water. Our taps are not working properly,” said Phila Biyongo, a grade 9 student at Simanyene High School in Strand, as she marched through Cape Town city centre yesterday afternoon in a protest organised by Equal Education.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 1 November 2014

Home affairs tells asylum-seeking married couple to remarry

Christine Ntumba is an asylum seeker from the DRC. And she’s in a desperate situation. Her baby, Aradi, is sick and cannot get the medical attention he needs because Christine cannot obtain vital documents because of bureaucratic hurdles.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 31 October 2014

Independent moves against Tony Weaver

Cape Times opinion page editor and veteran journalist Tony Weaver has been called before a disciplinary hearing after questioning a suggestion to crop out the logo of an advertiser from a news photo of a mall robbery.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 31 October 2014

Pregnant girls must be allowed in class

In my school when a girl falls pregnant, her parents are called in and the girl is kicked out of classes. She is only allowed to return after she gives birth.

Sisipho Xhaxha

Opinion | 30 October 2014