Economy

AMCU victory is more than just about the figures: A response to Gilad Isaacs

Gilad Isaacs underestimates the scale of AMCU's victory. His analysis offers an indicator of winner/loser based on contrasting the final settlement with the initial demand and initial offer. But this is arbitrary.

Peter Alexander

Opinion | 30 June 2014

The social catastrophe that threatens South Africa

The South African economy is facing a rocky period. But don’t blame the platinum strike or the union or workers involved. That labour dispute was a symptom, not the cause, of problems that had developed outside of the control of the workers.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 30 June 2014

The plight of informal street traders

Last week, GroundUp witnessed law enforcement officers confiscating the fruit of two street vendors on the corners of Belmont and Main Road, Rondebosch. They are among thousands of informal vendors breaking city bylaws to sell their goods at traffic lights and intersections across the City in order to make their daily living.

Barbara Maregele and Adam Armstrong

News | 26 June 2014

Protests at State of the Nation address

Over 50 protesters huddled behind barricades outside parliament on 17 June before President Jacob Zuma arrived to deliver the State of the Nation address that opened South Africa’s fifth parliament.

Lara Sokoloff

News | 18 June 2014

Plan to extend unemployment payouts

More than 8.5 million people are receiving payments from the Unemployment Insurance Fund. If a bill before parliament’s labour committee is passed, benefits could be extended to a year.

GroundUp Staff

News | 17 June 2014

Minister Ramathlodi: more of the same, or the same, just more?

In the mining villages of Ga-Pila where Anglo Platinum continues to profit from land grabbed from the traditional communities just west of Mokopane, the appointment of the new Minister of Mineral Resources, Advocate Ngoako Ramathlodi, has been met with a sense of betrayal.

Christopher Rutledge

Opinion | 16 June 2014

Can the platinum producers afford the wages demanded?

Like any good question, the answer to whether the platinum producers can afford the demands made by striking workers is: “it depends”.

Gilad Isaacs

Opinion | 9 June 2014

First green bakery in Khayelitsha opens

Lufefe Nomjana used to bake 25 loaves of spinach bread a day and walk up to 25 kilometres to distribute them. Now he has launched the first green bakery in Khayelitsha, Espinaca Innovations.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 3 June 2014

Government should do more to protect communities from companies that destroy environment

Tracey Davies explains how the Batlhabine community fought back against a mining company that ignored the law. She also argues that the Department of Mineral Resources should have done more to help.

Tracey Davies

Opinion | 20 May 2014