While the government earnestly pledges its commitment to reversing inequality, it reproduces inequality in the normal behaviour it expects for itself and the broader elite of South Africa’s political-economy. Two recent and very public events illustrate these opposing positions.
Jeff Rudin
Opinion | 13 October 2015
During Thomas Piketty’s Nelson Mandela lecture a friend tweeted that, despite the standing ovation, many would choose what to remember. They would parrot his call for investment in education because that was unthreatening. Forget land redistribution, a wealth tax and the national minimum wage, just get the kids in school!
Doron Isaacs
Opinion | 6 October 2015
Thomas Piketty, French economist and author of the bestselling Capital in the 21st Century, was due to arrive and deliver a lecture on inequality at UCT on Wednesday afternoon. He was prevented from flying (apparently for not having enough blank pages in his passport) and it was arranged that he would deliver the lecture virtually, via a live stream.
Ben Stanwix
Opinion | 30 September 2015
Hundreds of pensioners marched from the Company’s Garden to Parliament on Tuesday to demand a “decent living wage” of R5,000 from the current R1,410 state pension.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 30 September 2015
Mpho Mathebula rents a small space in a fruit and vegetable shop in Khayelitsha to sell his paintings and beadwork.
Pharie Sefali
News | 25 September 2015
The Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers union (Csaawu) announced today that it will not be forced to close down.
Barbara Maregele
Brief | 23 September 2015
Workers at Australian-owned Tormin mine on the west coast are still on strike after a protest two weeks ago in which a police officer and a worker were injured, and 27 people were arrested.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 23 September 2015
GroundUp photographer Masixole Feni tried to open an account at Jet stores last month - and found himself signed up for a handful of insurance policies he didn’t want.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 23 September 2015
The recent volatility on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and in the rand are symptoms of the way ruling classes around the world have tried to deal with the crisis in capitalism that surfaced in the 1970s and has now engulfed China too, writes Shawn Hattingh.
Shawn Hattingh
Opinion | 15 September 2015