National

The People versus the Minister of Police

Yesterday, the Constitutional Court dismissed a request by the Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa and others to hear a direct appeal against the appointment of the O’Regan/Pikoli Commission of Inquiry.

Jacques van Heerden

Opinion | 2 October 2013

Greyson and Loubani on hunger strike: How you can help them

It's now nearly 50 days since Toronto filmmaker John Greyson and London, Ontario Doctor Tarek Loubani were arrested by Egyptian police while on their way to Gaza. They are on the 16th day of a hunger strike against their treatment and detention without charge.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 2 October 2013

SJC Civil Disobedience matter postponed

The matter against the twenty-one Social Justice Coalition (SJC) activists, who took part in a civil disobedience action last week, has been postponed to 23 October 2013. The 21 activists appeared before the Cape Town Magistrates’ Court this morning.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

Brief | 18 September 2013

What is the role of civil disobedience in South Africa?

On 18 September 2013, twenty-one Social Justice Coalition activists will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate court for contravening provisions of the Regulation of Gatherings Act.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

Opinion | 18 September 2013

TAC protests against shortages of life-saving drugs

“We demand accountable leadership”, “Failure to resolve stock-outs = human rights violation”, “Limpopo Department of Health – Failed promises” read placards at the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) march in solidarity with provinces that continue to be plagued by finding essential medicines are out of stock.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 16 September 2013

Asylum seeker claims intimidation

A Zimbabwean woman, Faith Muchina (not her real name), 48, claims that officials at the Cape Town Department of Home Affairs (DHA) intimidated her into changing her application for refugee status to cite economic and not political reasons. As a result she lost her asylum seekers status in October 2012 and is now illegally in the country. She has now been in the country for eight years.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 10 September 2013

Khayelitsha residents march in support of police inquiry, as court hears case

On Tuesday judgement for the O’Regan/Pikoli Commission of Inquiry (COI) into policing in Khayelitsha was reserved by the Constitutional Court. A full bench of 11 justices heard the case.

Mary-anne Gontsana

News | 8 August 2013

What should be done about land in South Africa?

I think about land matters quite a bit, especially now that I’m living on a small holding in the Karoo. In 1999, I was invited to make a video showing the "challenges" (yes that was still an acceptable word back then) of land reform in the Free State.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 24 July 2013

Zille’s misguided defence of Motshekga

Helen Zille may seem like an unlikely advocate for Angie Motshekga, but she is not. The two have come to each other’s aid on more than one occasion.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 23 July 2013

Labelling Israeli injustice

For three long years, activists across the country campaigned to ban Israel’s practice of falsely labelling goods that are made in its illegal settlements as "made in Israel". In April this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) issued a regulation banning this practice.

Jonathan Dockney

Opinion | 3 July 2013

Microchip road to real democracy

The advice of the Italian revolutionary, Antonio Gramsci constantly comes to mind these days: exercise pessimism of the intellect, but optimism of the will. I must admit that it has become a great deal easier over recent months to exercise pessimism of the intellect — and increasingly difficult to exercise optimism of the will to do something about changing things, domestically or globally.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 2 July 2013

Heading for the 2014 (E)lection

E-tolling, excrement and expanded public works. Apart from starting with the letter “E” they appear at first sight to have nothing in common. But with the country heading toward what promises to be a bitterly contested election in April or May next year, they are not only linked, they are likely to be major campaigning features.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 24 June 2013

Transformation by quota is barking mad

Jack Lewis argues that government's transformation plan is based on identity politics and is misguided. He asks people on the political left to speak out against it.

Jack Lewis

Opinion | 19 June 2013

Equal Education vs Motshekga gets nasty

The struggle between Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, and activist organisation Equal Education, is getting nasty. The Department has accused EE of using whites to mislead black people and EE has accused the Department of racism. EE held Youth Day marches on Monday 17 June in Cape Town and Pretoria. The marches were part of EE’s campaign to get Minister Motshekga to publish a policy on minimum norms and standards for school infrastructure.

Thandile Majivolo

News | 19 June 2013

From Somali “Blast Furnace” to South African “Frying Pan”

Somalis marched to Parliament on 7 June in response to xenophobic violence against Somali refugees. About 500 people participated.

Tariro Washinyira

Brief | 12 June 2013

Achmat to police: Where are the documents for firearms register?

Zackie Achmat, director of Ndifuna Ukwazi, has sent an access to information request to the South African Police Service asking for documents related to an IT project that has not been completed.

Edirin Okoloko

News | 5 June 2013