Economy

“We work in love without discrimination” — How immigrant women are making successful businesses

Fatima Mahomed Abukar immigrated to South Africa from war-torn Somalia. She together with a group of Somalis, Burundians, Senegalese and Malawians sell belts, socks and bags in Stellenbosch. Their business now runs smoothly, but they had to fight to get it that way.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 25 June 2015

Citizens unite against Eskom hike

In Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, a broad spectrum of residents, community organisations, students’ movements, religious groups, people with disability and members of the public embarked on a protest march against the 25.3% electricity tariff hike that has been proposed by Eskom. City mayor Chris Ndlela was asked to stand up for his constituents.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 24 June 2015

Informal traders wary of Strand Pavilion upgrade

Informal traders who eke out a living at Strand Pavilion allege that the City will marginalise them as the facility is upgraded. The City says there will be space for the traders, though slightly reduced. The upgrade has been in the pipeline since 2013.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 17 June 2015

City withdraws Salt River market’s permit

What was supposed to be an upliftment project for the Salt River community has turned into a nightmare for market organiser Kim van Lingen. The permit for her market was withdrawn days before the second one was to take place.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 12 June 2015

No arrests yet after construction strike death

No arrests have yet been made following the death of construction worker Melikhaya Pisana during the strike at Good Hope Construction.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 5 June 2015

City spends hundreds of millions of rand on informal settlement sanitation: a response to the SJC

The latest in a string of articles by the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), disseminating inaccurate and misleading information, further warps the facts and the realities within which the City of Cape Town must operate. But then, the SJC never let the facts get in the way of the pretty graphics that they have begun to share widely with such gusto.

Ernest Sonnenberg

Opinion | 29 May 2015

“Not enough money allocated to sanitation,” say SJC protesters

Yesterday, about 150 members of the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) marched to the civic centre. They demanded “a detailed account” of hundreds of submissions to the City of Cape Town on the 2015/16 budget.

Bernard Chiguvare

Brief | 28 May 2015

Slow Home Affairs prevents Zimbabweans from making ends meet

Zimbabweans whose business permit applications have been rejected are hoping that the decision will be reversed, but the Department of Home Affairs is dragging its heels.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 26 May 2015

From Masiphumelele to the Waterfront

Ndileka Biyo, owner of Rockasa Design in Masiphumelele, has set her sights on a place in the affluent Waterfront.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 25 May 2015

“I burnt my client’s scalp” and other load shedding horror stories

Business owners in Langa township are fed up with load shedding. And residents complain that the rolling blackouts makes their neighbourhoods unsafe.

Pharie Sefali

News | 20 May 2015

“What is your business in Council?” - My experience trying to participate in the City of Cape Town’s budget

Every year the mayor calls for residents to participate in the budget process by making submissions on Cape Town's draft budget. Last year fewer than forty people wrote submissions and only 23 were from the public. This has been the trend for the last couple of years.

Axolile Notywala

Opinion | 14 May 2015

African Bank: no rescue plan for borrowers

The Reserve Bank came to the rescue of African Bank when it collapsed in August 2014. But there’s no rescue plan for borrowers, many of whom are repaying loans which experts say are contrary to the National Credit Act.

Mandy de Waal

Feature | 11 May 2015

Escaping poverty: Mosifane’s story

Mosifane Johannes lost his parents by the time he was 11. He grew up in poverty. Today he teaches at a Free State primary school.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 6 May 2015

“You were supposed to become somebody, - the hopes of homeless people

In the winter of 2014 I interviewed six young men who lived on the streets of Cape Town’s Central Business District.

David Cowan

Opinion | 28 April 2015

Old Mutual drags its heels on Khayelitsha housing development

Old Mutual has not kept a promise to build more than 500 low cost houses and a shopping centre in Khayelitsha, though this was a condition of a 2008 deal with the City of Cape Town.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 28 April 2015

Langa restaurant on show at Africa’s biggest tourism event

Six years ago, 51-year-old Nomonde Siyaka transformed her family's home in Langa into a two-storey traditional African food restaurant.

Barbara Maregele

News | 16 April 2015