The silent screams of xenophobia

After the 2008 xenophobic attacks which left 62 people dead and thousands displaced and homeless, the attention of South Africans shifted back to the many other social issues that plague South Africa’s conscience. Urgency was lost and prevention of xenophobia and violence became mundane.

Marike Keller

Opinion | 5 August 2015

“Sex work should not cost me my life”

On a wet and windy Tuesday morning on the corner of Oak and Main roads in Kenilworth, people gathered to sing and dance on the pavement, many in bright orange T-shirts with the words, 'Sex work should not cost me my life' written across their fronts.

Ashleigh Furlong

News | 5 August 2015

Philippi seniors “tell it like it is” during storytelling workshop

Philippi resident Cleopatra Qukula used hand gestures and sounds as she recalled one her “most traumatising” experiences — more than 50 years ago — when she was hospitalised for three months to recover from a dog bite.

Barbara Maregele

News | 4 August 2015

GroundUp’s Masixole Feni wins photography award

Masixole Feni, GroundUp's photographer, has won the 2015 Ernest Cole award.

Text by GroundUp Staff. Photos by Masixole Feni.

News | 4 August 2015

The worst spokesman in government?

Because GroundUp is currently based in Cape Town, many of our stories deal with difficult issues for the local government here. Yet despite the often harsh criticisms of the City of Cape Town that appear on our website, the City’s media department nearly always responds to our queries professionally. The same goes for the South African Police Service.

GroundUp Staff

News | 4 August 2015

Zimbabweans fear deportation as Home Affairs bungles special permit process

The immigrant rights group People Against Suffering Oppression and Poverty (PASSOP) is concerned that hundreds of Zimbabweans are being told to leave South Africa imminently.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 4 August 2015

Taking your life in your hands on Metrorail

In the past year, 394 incidents of crime on trains were reported in the Western Cape according to Metrorail. “We are losing lives on overcrowded and dangerous trains,” said Cosatu Western Cape provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich last week at the launch of its Section 77 application to Nedlac relating to train transport in the Western Cape. A lack of security on the trains is a key concern of the campaign.

Ashleigh Furlong

News | 3 August 2015

Mitchells Plain families face winter eviction

It’s raining lightly and there’s a cold breeze as Isgak Abrahams and his two young children huddle inside the small makeshift tent they call home. The tent, built on an open field near the Kapteinsklip train station in Mitchells Plain, is made of three large blankets, cardboard boxes and plastic sheets, all held down by a few bricks.

Barbara Maregele

News | 3 August 2015

Like inhaling smoke? Ride Metrorail.

A complete disregard for the no-smoking notices and rules on Metrorail trains and at stations by many commuters poses a daily health hazard to thousands of their fellow travellers. And Metrorail appears powerless to enforce the law.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 3 August 2015

Lost belongings after evictions: a chaotic blame game

A year after their eviction from land owned by the SA National Roads Agency (SANRAL), some Lwandle residents say their possessions were never returned to them. But SANRAL says the goods were placed under the control of a community leader, and the agency is not to blame if residents did not get their belongings back.

GroundUp staff

News | 31 July 2015

“It’s no one’s dream to clean bucket toilets”

Thandekile Madikane tells his children that he works at the airport. He does not want his children to laugh at him for the job he does. But his job is vital. He is part of the city's operation to clean portable toilets.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 31 July 2015

Deputy minister swaps his T-shirt for sanitary pads

In 2011 President Jacob Zuma promised sanitary pads for girls and women who cannot afford them. Nearly five years later, the only sign that this promise is being kept is an attempt by Deputy Minister in the presidency Buti Manamela to raise awareness about the issue through a series of well publicised events.

Pharie Sefali

News | 30 July 2015

City evicts recently housed Wolwerivier families

Dozens of Metro Law Enforcement officers swooped on Wolwerivier relocation camp on Wednesday morning. They broke locks and ejected two households deemed to have occupied the municipal built structures unlawfully. Yet, a community leader has called this show of force an insult, citing the general lack of safety and protection for Wolwerivier's inhabitants.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 30 July 2015

Children without homes: referrals up for Cape Town centre

Just this week alone six children have been referred to the Fikelela Children's Centre in Mandela Park, Khayelitsha. The institution’s head social worker, Kate Brydon, says the number of abandoned children being referred to Fikelela has risen.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 July 2015

Gays and sin: In limited defence of Zizipho Pae

In response to the United States Supreme Court’s decision recognising gay marriage, UCT Student Representative Council (SRC) vice-president Zizipho Pae wrote on her Facebook page on 28 June, “We are institutionalizing and normalizing sin! Sin. May God have mercy on us...”. Pae has subsequently continued to defend her statement.

Nathan Geffen

Opinion | 30 July 2015

Tsunami residents accuse City and Province of playing games

Angry residents of the Tsunami informal settlement in Delft have accused the City and provincial government of playing games with them.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 29 July 2015