One in four of the Khayelitsha public toilets, which are supposed to be cleaned by the City of Cape Town's janitorial services, is not working, a social audit by the Social Justice Coalition has found.
GroundUp staff
Feature | 1 October 2014
It is deeply ironic that the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), which has appointed itself the guardian of the dignity of the most vulnerable in our city, would rather grandstand, utilise social media platforms, and have lengthy report back sessions rather than work with the City to directly improve the lives of residents.
Ernest Sonnenberg
News | 1 October 2014
For months Philippi residents have been living with blocked drains that have flooded the roads. The City Council says the sewers are blocked because residents throw rubbish, including buildersâ rubble, into the drains.
Thembela Ntongana
News | 30 September 2014
Arrive in Smithfield from any direction and the first official board one sees announces: âMohokare declares war on wasteâ. The chief weapon in that war is a platoon of temporary workers hired under governmentâs Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) administered by local municipalities.
Carmel Rickard
News | 16 September 2014
On 13 September Equal Education marched in Johannesburg for decent school sanitation in Gauteng. Brad Brockman, the organisation's General Secretary, explains the campaign.
Brad Brockman
Opinion | 16 September 2014
Every month since January, Khayelitshaâs refuse collectors and street cleaners in QA and PJS Section go in large groups to camp outside the supervisorâs office so they can get what is due to them.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 15 September 2014
This week in activism we cover the symposium on torture hosted by the Wits Justice Project, the march by Equal Education for better sanitation for schools in Gauteng, and the âWhat if Womenâ challenge by WHEAT.
Thembela Ntongana
News | 11 September 2014
An unbearable smell lingers in the air of RR Section to the point where you can taste it. This is the daily struggle for Khayelitsha residents who live next to overflowing drains and toilets that still remain unfixed by the City of Cape Town.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 8 September 2014
Itâs an hour before snack time at the Sophumelela Day Care centre in Site C, Khayelitsha, and one of the toddlers has indicated to his teacher that he needs to use the toilet.
Barbara Maregele
News | 19 August 2014
âThere is no privacy, you are asked in front of everyone what your baby's HIV status is. It is dirty and the staff is very disrespectful in the way they speak to patients. I donât go to that clinic anymore; itâs been a year now. Because of their treatment I did something I shouldnât have done, I tested my child for HIV myself, because I too work at a clinic.â
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 14 August 2014
The trial of 21 Social Justice Coalition (SJC) members continued in the Cape Town Magistrates' Court today. The group are charged with unlawfully attending and convening a protest in September last year.
Daneel Knoetze
News | 24 July 2014
The City of Cape Town's policy that requires groups, marchers and protesters to apply for a gathering permit is not supported by law. This was a concession made by one of the City's own officials, Noel da Silva, who is employed to consider such applications and to grant permits.
Daneel Knoetze
News | 23 July 2014
A house in Khayelitsha stank so badly, even the neighbours complained about it. Thankfully, the City of Cape Town has unblocked the sewage drain of Mluleki Gantsoâs house.
Johnnie Isaac
News | 22 July 2014
Over a quarter of the flush toilets inspected during the Social Justice Coalitionâs (SJC) social audit did not work.
Barbara Maregele
News | 21 July 2014
This week the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) began a second social audit of janitorial services in Khayelitsha. This time the organisation is looking at flush toilets.
Thembela Ntongana and Zintle Swana
News | 18 July 2014
Today, Mayor Patricia De Lille responded in a special edition of Cape Town This Week to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) report on sanitation provision in Khayelitsha that was published yesterday.
Michelle Korte
News | 17 July 2014