Science

Tim Noakes and the responsibility of experts

One of the major medical advances of the last few decades has been the two-dose vaccine for children against measles. A responsible doctor or public health expert would not do anything to jeopardise public confidence in the vaccine. Yet this is exactly what UCT's Professor Tim Noakes did this past weekend, writes Nathan Geffen.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 27 August 2014

The week in political activism

This week we cover the availability of generic drug-resistant tuberculosis medication in Khayelitsha, a worldwide anti-corruption campaign taken up by Corruption Watch, a parents’ camp hosted by Equal Education, and an upcoming school infrastructure reform conference.

Michelle Korte

News | 3 July 2014

Renewable energy streetlights could change lives

Nikolas Jankovich is the entrepreneur behind a brand new off-the-grid streetlight developed at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU). The Twerly, he says, will change people’s lives.

Paul Kennedy

News | 11 June 2014

Why is there such great demand for illegal abortions?

Why are illegal abortions so widely advertised and used in South Africa? Ruth Atkinson has been investigating. She shares some of her insights here.

Ruth Atkinson

Analysis | 10 June 2014

Can sport help reduce city’s violence?

Gang members and competitive sportsmen may share a “warrior gene”, according to Don Pinnock of the Usiko Trust.

Pharie Sefali

News | 23 May 2014

Behind the abortion adverts

We see them plastered over walls in town, on stop signs, outside schools and even advertised in local newspapers. But what is the real story behind the 1-hour abortion posters?

Ruth Atkinson

News | 21 May 2014

Govt develops new toilet technologies - but how much will they help?

The Department of Science and Technology (DST) has launched an initiative to test new toilet technologies for South Africa’s rural areas.

Paul Kennedy

News | 21 May 2014

Inside the mind of a seasoned donkey smuggler: How an alternative medicine dealer plans to evade new regulations

Last year the health department gazetted changes to the Medicines Act which, over about five years, will require complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) to be registered with the Medicines Control Council (MCC).

Koot Kotze

News | 4 March 2014

Province tries to run illegal trial with quack medicine

The Eastern Cape Health Department has instructed hospitals to give an untested medicine to patients with tuberculosis. It has not received ethical approval to proceed with this clinical trial. Now it appears the project has been scrapped, apparently after the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) asked the national government to intervene.

GroundUp Staff

News | 28 February 2014