Local government
Women living in terror plan march in Grahamstown
In the blistering hot conference room of the Masifunde Education and Development Project Trust, 14 women with determined calm put together a statement: 'The police have told us that we must not go ahead with our planned protest at the City Hall on Friday as they cannot guarantee our safety. We cannot and will not back down'. The Voices of the Foreigner’s Wives represent a large number of women still too afraid to leave their homes after the spate of xenophobic violence that shook Grahamstown a week ago.
Hancu Louw
News | 29 October 2015
“A struggling old lady who sleeps like a bird,
Grace Mkhize, 78, lives with three orphaned granddaughters and their three children in a mud house in Willowfontein, Pietermaritzburg. For seven years she has been waiting for a new house.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 13 October 2015
Bonteheuwel backyarder eager for City services
Bonteheuwel resident Qasin Khan and his family have been living in a small informal home in his mother's backyard for nearly 10 years.
Barbara Maregele
News | 12 October 2015
We’ll keep fighting, say Port Elizabeth protesters
Angry residents of an informal settlement in Port Elizabeth who took to the streets on Monday have vowed to continue with their protests until they are moved to better housing nearby.
Joseph Chirume
News | 16 September 2015
Protest turns ugly and mayor snubs memorandum
On Thursday, following protests at Sobantu in Pietermaritzburg on Monday police used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse angry residents blocking road access to the township. This came after Msunduzi Municipality refused to accept the hand over of a memorandum from the residents.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 24 July 2015
Unhappiness with electricity costs ignites protests in Pietermaritzburg
On Monday, the Sobantu community in Pietermaritzburg took to the streets with burning tyres demanding that a prepaid electricity system rolled out in April 2014 be removed from their homes. Residents say the march came about because Msunduzi Municipality failed to attend a meeting with the residents as planned.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 21 July 2015
Dispute over jobs sparks protest in Barcelona informal settlement
A battle over jobs at Mawose Cleaning Services, contracted by the City of Cape Town to clean Barcelona informal settlement, sparked a protest which cut off a section of the N2 highway on Sunday night.
Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik
News | 20 July 2015
No more fish at “snoek point,
The fish seller at “snoek point” has been told by City authorities to move away from the busy road intersection of Spine and Eisleben Roads in Mitchell’s Plain.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 17 July 2015
Citizens unite against Eskom hike
In Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, a broad spectrum of residents, community organisations, students’ movements, religious groups, people with disability and members of the public embarked on a protest march against the 25.3% electricity tariff hike that has been proposed by Eskom. City mayor Chris Ndlela was asked to stand up for his constituents.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 24 June 2015