Crime

“In a matter of seconds a man is dead “¦ for snatching a handbag”

ā€œWe don’t need to focus on fighting crime ... we need to heal our communities,ā€ testified Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela at the Khayelitsha Inquiry into policing this morning. Her testimony described the social and psychological trauma of the Khayelitsha community, and how that results in vigilante killings.

Adam Armstrong

News | 16 May 2014

Empty promises or promising new beginnings? South African government launches three-year gay rights campaign

Things are looking up, right? Just days ago, our beloved Caster Semenya was in the headlines of none other than the Daily Sun, not because her gender or hormone levels were, once again, put under a degrading spotlight, but because she had announced her soon-to-be marriage to her girlfriend.

Laura Pascoe

Opinion | 16 May 2014

Guide to being tried for murder in South Africa

Perhaps you have been following the Angy Peter murder trial closely. Or maybe you have been watching the Oscar Pistorius one. Like us, you have lots of questions about how our legal system works. We asked a lawyer to answer them.

GroundUp Staff

News | 16 May 2014

Angy Peters case: a trial within a trial

The case against Social Justice Coalition (SJC) activist Angy Peters and three others on trial for the kidnapping and murder of a Mfuleni man 18 months ago, was postponed today.

Barbara Maregele

News | 15 May 2014

Arrests not enough to end police corruption says expert witness

This morning the Khayelitsha Inquiry into policing heard testimony from Dr Liza Grobler about corruption in SAPS.

Adam Armstrong

News | 14 May 2014

Angy Peter trial: Police head says “stupid mistakes” made

The trial of Social Justice Coalition leader Angy Peter and her husband Isaac Mbadu continued yesterday in the Cape High Court after a week’s postponement.

Simone Haysom

News | 13 May 2014

Frayed tempers at Khayelitsha Inquiry as O’Regan and Arendse spar

Phase 2 of the Inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha is underway under tight time constraints.

Adam Armstrong

News | 13 May 2014

Expert witness: SAPS must be held accountable for how they spend their budget

Police oversight should be extended to include how SAPS spends their budget. This was the testimony of Sean Tait, coordinator of the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum, at the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry this morning.

Adam Armstrong

News | 13 May 2014

O’Regan compares distribution of police resources to apartheid

Jean Redpath, a criminologist at the University of Western Cape, was the first person to testify in the second phase of the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry, which started at Lookout Hill this morning. Redpath argued that the formula used to calculate police resource allocation is irrational.

Adam Armstrong

News | 12 May 2014

How I was raped in prison

Denial and a homophobic culture means rape of male prisoners by other men remains prison’s dirty secret. Pharie Sefali interviewed a young man who was raped in prison.

Pharie Sefali

News | 9 May 2014

Du Preez was no longer an informer, says police officer

Rowan du Preez was no longer a police informer at the time of his death last year, police sergeant Andile Tshila told the court last week during the trial of Social Justice Coalition leader Angy Peter.

Simone Haysom

News | 6 May 2014

SAPS officer grilled in Angy Peter trial

The trial of Social Justice Coalition leader Angy Peter and her husband Isaac Mbadu is continuing in the Cape High Court. Peter and Mbadu are on trial, with Azola Dayimani and Christopher Dina, for the murder by ā€˜necklacing’ of Rowan du Preez (also known as Siphiwo Mbevu) in October 2012.

Simone Haysom

News | 30 April 2014

Jail in Canada for “Dr Shock”

Aubrey — ā€œDr Shockā€ — Levin, the South African army psychiatrist accused of torturing gays and dissidents in the apartheid military, has started a five-year jail term in Canada.

Terry Bell

News | 30 April 2014

Deploying the army to the Cape Flats won’t work

The call to deploy the army was heard in response to recent gang violence in Manenberg. But that’s not the solution, argues Adam Armstrong.

Adam Armstrong

Opinion | 29 April 2014

Nyanga residents attack suspected TV thief

Nyanga residents are looking for a 20 year old man accused of stealing a plasma TV from his neighbour and said to be a rapist and a gangster.

Pharie Sefali

News | 23 April 2014

Peter trial: Defence questions how burnt witness could have fingered accused

The trial of Angy Peter and Isaac Mbadu continued last week after a two week recess. Peter and Mbadu are on trial, along with two others, Azola Dayimani and Christopher Dina, for the murder by ā€˜necklacing’ of Rowan du Preez in October 2012.

Simone Haysom

News | 23 April 2014