Society

Social grants being illegally deducted before reaching recipients

Human rights advocacy NGO, Black Sash, have launched a country-wide campaign in a bid to stop illegal debt deductions from the grants of South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) beneficiaries.

Barbara Maregele

News | 19 May 2014

“In a matter of seconds a man is dead “ÂŚ for snatching a handbag”

“We don’t need to focus on fighting crime ... we need to heal our communities,” testified Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela at the Khayelitsha Inquiry into policing this morning. Her testimony described the social and psychological trauma of the Khayelitsha community, and how that results in vigilante killings.

Adam Armstrong

News | 16 May 2014

Guide to being tried for murder in South Africa

Perhaps you have been following the Angy Peter murder trial closely. Or maybe you have been watching the Oscar Pistorius one. Like us, you have lots of questions about how our legal system works. We asked a lawyer to answer them.

GroundUp Staff

News | 16 May 2014

Arrests not enough to end police corruption says expert witness

This morning the Khayelitsha Inquiry into policing heard testimony from Dr Liza Grobler about corruption in SAPS.

Adam Armstrong

News | 14 May 2014

City boots refuse removal contractor

The removal of waste at informal settlements across Cape Town will soon be conducted by new contractors.

Barbara Maregele

Feature | 14 May 2014

Angy Peter trial: Police head says “stupid mistakes” made

The trial of Social Justice Coalition leader Angy Peter and her husband Isaac Mbadu continued yesterday in the Cape High Court after a week’s postponement.

Simone Haysom

News | 13 May 2014

Frayed tempers at Khayelitsha Inquiry as O’Regan and Arendse spar

Phase 2 of the Inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha is underway under tight time constraints.

Adam Armstrong

News | 13 May 2014

Teaching Khayelitsha children computer skills

Sibongile Mbele is an Information Technology (IT) specialist from Khayelitsha. He owns a business that assists people in the township mostly with computer problems. At the same time, he tutors young people from ages five to fifteen.

Pharie Sefali

News | 13 May 2014

O’Regan compares distribution of police resources to apartheid

Jean Redpath, a criminologist at the University of Western Cape, was the first person to testify in the second phase of the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry, which started at Lookout Hill this morning. Redpath argued that the formula used to calculate police resource allocation is irrational.

Adam Armstrong

News | 12 May 2014

R100 a week for water - prepaid water meters forced on Parow residents

Tenants in Victoria Court, who are mostly immigrants, are unhappy with the prepaid water system installed without their knowledge in April. They say they never signed a new rental agreement or agreed to pay for water on top of their rent.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 9 May 2014

Du Preez was no longer an informer, says police officer

Rowan du Preez was no longer a police informer at the time of his death last year, police sergeant Andile Tshila told the court last week during the trial of Social Justice Coalition leader Angy Peter.

Simone Haysom

News | 6 May 2014

A brief history of May Day

The basic demand of May Day was for an eight-hour working day —eight for work, eight for leisure and eight for sleep. It is something we still have to achieve, not just in South Africa, but in many other countries.

Terry Bell

Analysis | 1 May 2014

Nyanga residents angry after power cuts

Residents of Crossroads and Nyanga have slammed Eskom for not giving them any notice of power cuts which lasted several hours yesterday. But Eskom says the cuts were unplanned and residents could not be notified in advance.

Pharie Sefali

News | 30 April 2014

Celebrate Freedom Day? No thanks, I’d rather drink

While celebrations took place all over the country this week, some young people in Cape Town’s townships chose to spend Freedom Day another way.

Pharie Sefali

Opinion | 30 April 2014

Porta potties hit Bishopscourt

Following a campaign in Constantia earlier this week, the Ses’khona People’s Rights Movement took their protest against portable toilets to Bishopscourt today.

Johnnie Isaac and Nathan Geffen

Feature | 30 April 2014

SAPS officer grilled in Angy Peter trial

The trial of Social Justice Coalition leader Angy Peter and her husband Isaac Mbadu is continuing in the Cape High Court. Peter and Mbadu are on trial, with Azola Dayimani and Christopher Dina, for the murder by ‘necklacing’ of Rowan du Preez (also known as Siphiwo Mbevu) in October 2012.

Simone Haysom

News | 30 April 2014