Labour

The week in political activism

This week we have reports on civil society’s response to the budget and a documentary hosted by Sonke Gender Justice.

Compiled by Brent Meersman

News | 26 February 2014

Strikers refuse to be misled

The curse of spin and speculation is well and truly upon us. It could hardly be otherwise, with a major strike on the platinum mines underway, a general election looming and the labour movement facing the biggest crisis in its history.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 18 February 2014

Landmark silicosis case reaches a milestone

The Legal Resources Centre (LRC) hosted a special event on 5 February 2014 to highlight its landmark silicosis case and the implications for future legislative and policy reform in South Africa.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 6 February 2014

The Transformative Farce of Davos

Vague ideas of transformation are all the rage these days. Take the latest bun fight in Davos, for example. The annual gathering of the grandly named World Economic Forum (WEF) that ended last weekend met under the heading: “The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business.”

Terry Bell

Opinion | 31 January 2014

Activists protest in solidarity with Dasnois

About 40 protesters gathered outside the Cape Town CCMA offices this morning in solidarity with Alide Dasnois, former Cape Times editor.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 24 January 2014

Business Report puts Terry Bell on “indefinite hold”

Terry Bell is a regular contributor to GroundUp. In addition to occasionally writing original material for first publication on GroundUp, he also kindly allows us to republish his Business Report column.

GroundUp Editor

News | 22 January 2014

What 2014 may hold for SA and the labour movement

Given the potentially highly volatile social, political and economic situation in South Africa today it would be foolhardy to forecast in any detail how the country and its people — let alone the labour movement — will fare in 2014.

Terry Bell - Inside Labour

Opinion | 22 January 2014

Khayelitsha refuse collectors angry at working conditions

Since starting in November, some Khayelitsha refuse collectors say they still haven’t received uniforms or protective gear to wear while doing their jobs. Their employer says it is all lies.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 22 January 2014

Sick mine workers neglected - time to compensate them

Far from the bustling streets of downtown Johannesburg, much of it built by the bounty of South Africa’s gold mines, thousands of former mineworkers suffer from painful diseases contracted on the job. These men labour to breathe, their lungs degraded by the occupational diseases of silicosis and tuberculosis.

Ryan Boyko, Seyward Darby, and Rose Goldberg

News | 20 January 2014

The need for real media transformation

Transformation of the media in South Africa is essential. But we should be very clear about what we mean by such transformation.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 14 January 2014

South Africa is at an economic impasse - an interview with Mark Heywood

Mark Heywood has been one of the leaders of the Treatment Action Campaign since it started on 10 December 1998. He has also directed the AIDS Law Project since 1997 and its successor, SECTION27.

GroundUp Staff

News | 10 December 2013

Drought and debt for Northern Cape small farmers

In the middle of a drought, small scale subsistence farmers on the outskirts of Paballelo in the Northern Cape are facing a bill of R1.3 million for water.

Selby Nomnganga

News | 5 December 2013

The need to remember history - and to plan political homes

One element lacking in the current debates about what is going on in Cosatu is any sense of recent history. Because there is nothing really new in the current spate of political bloodletting, in the bitterness and the backstabbing.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 2 December 2013

Zuma, the bible and the COSATU Congress

Cosatu spokesperson Patrick Craven was amazed at the media interest shown in the
eleventh national congress of the federation. Shortly before the congress opened its
doors, 347 media accreditations had been processed, with additional enquiries still
being dealt with.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 26 September 2012