Human Rights
Continued existence of shacks is a real scandal
Yet another shack fire has devastated the BM section of Khayelitsha. On New Years morning fires raged through the community, leaving about 4,000 people homeless and killing at least four. The responses from authorities to what has now become a routine occurrence in the area have been mixed.
Ben Fogel
Opinion | 13 February 2013
The poorest of the poor: The Karretjie Mense of the Great Karoo
In and around Colesberg, a small historical town on the N1 mid-way between Cape Town and Johannesburg, I met a group of impoverished sheep shearers living in abject poverty, surviving in tiny tin shacks on the verges of public roads. Only recently, in the last 15 years, have they become a settled, sedentary people.
Timothy Gabb
News | 6 February 2013
Are the lights coming back on in Khayelitsha?
Broken streetlights in Khayelitsha are at the centre of a debate between civil society activists, Premier Helen Zille, Mayor Patricia De Lille and several councillors responsible for wards along Lansdowne Road.
Nokubonga Yawa, Mihle Pike and GroundUp Staff
News | 30 January 2013
Man loses use of hand at work, but can’t get compensated
A Zimbabwean man, Farai Chawasema, who lost all use of his hand in an injury at work on 29 November last year, is accusing his employer, Patrick Pieterse, of Pat's Engineering and a medical practitioner, Ajmal Ikram, of Melomed Gatesville Medical Centre, of failing to get him workman's compensation.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 30 January 2013
Cash Paymaster Services go on strike - company accused of racism
GroundUp journalist Mihle Pike received a call this morning that employees at Cash Paymaster Services had gone on strike. She went to see what was going on. Here is her account.
Mihle Pike
News | 23 January 2013
Government deregisters thousands of non-profit organisations without warning
The NPO Directorate, which is part of the Department of Social Development, has deregistered about 50 000 non-profit organsations (NPOs) who it has deemed as non-compliant. This is according to Inyathelo, a Cape Town based organisation that assists NPOs.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 23 January 2013
Premier’s excuses leave the lights off
Last week GroundUp and the Cape Times published Doron Isaacs's detailed account of his repeated but unsuccessful attempts to have authorities repair dysfunctional streetlights in Khayelitsha.
Gavin Silber
Opinion | 23 January 2013
Preposterous that rhinoceros is newsmaker of year
I first heard of the National Press Club (NPC) via twitter when the news that they had declared the rhino the newsmaker of 2012 hit social media. My immediate reaction, probably like many other journalists was a mixture of surprise and anger: How could the rhino emerge as victor in the year of Marikana?
Ben Fogel
Opinion | 22 January 2013
The DA is more efficient at Twitter spin than at delivering basic services to Khayelitsha
I work every day in Khayelitsha. From time to time I am there at night, usually to drop somebody at home after a meeting or social event. In the daytime I am as good as any taxi driver at avoiding the potholes that litter the streets. At nights it’s not so simple.
Doron Isaacs
Opinion | 16 January 2013