Human Rights

No help for girl disabled by public toilet

Chumisa Fudumele was seven years old when a toilet fell on her, leaving her disabled. A year later, her parents are struggling to get her back into a school.

Zintle Swana

News | 12 March 2015

Khayelitsha students sent home for not paying voluntary fee

Dozens of Grade 12 students were sent home on Tuesday from Qhayiya Secondary School in Khayelitsha because they were unable to pay a “voluntary fee” to the school.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 11 March 2015

Philippi students speak out about police showdown

On 6 March there was a violent stand-off between students from Philippi High School and the police in the Cape Town CBD. GroundUp reported this. Here is a statement issued by the students on the events of that day.

Philippi High School Students

Opinion | 11 March 2015

“Now I have lunch in a clean canteen”

The contract workers who clean portable toilets all day at the Borcherd’s Quarry Depot now have a canteen and a place to change.

Zintle Swana

News | 10 March 2015

Sanitary pads: no sign that Zuma’s promise has been kept

Four years after President Jacob Zuma promised sanitary towels for poor women, there is no sign that his promise has been kept.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Brief | 10 March 2015

Polluters let off the hook

South Africans shouldn’t hold their breath as polluters are let off the hook. Decisions of the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) on Tuesday 24 February 2015 marked a disappointing setback in the battle for improved air quality in South Africa.

Nicole Löser

Opinion | 9 March 2015

Human Rights Commission to probe city toilets again

The SA Human Rights Commission is to re-examine its report on chemical toilets in the informal settlements, after finding procedural irregularities in the report.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 5 March 2015

False Bay domestic worker paid nothing for 14 years

A 61-year-old Zimbabwean domestic worker, Gladys Mafita, claims her False Bay employer fired her without payment after 14 years.The employer is Daniel Deng, son of Francis Deng, the first ambassador of South Sudan to the United States.

Tariro Washinyira

Feature | 4 March 2015

City does not care if it is wrong as long as no one else knows it

When the Madlingozi family in Mfuleni extended their shack without authorisation, the City of Cape Town removed the extensions, amidst a dispute over the facts. Jared Sacks argues that the City presented its position without checking the facts.

Jared Sacks

Opinion | 2 March 2015

Gay and lesbian activists call for “racist” Cape Town Pride to be more inclusive

For 25-year-old, Aphiwe Mikana from Gugulethu, raising awareness about what it means to be lesbian is more than brightly coloured floats or a day of dancing through city streets.

Barbara Maregele

News | 2 March 2015

West Papua’s “Cry for help, Cry for Freedom”

On 17 February Equal Education hosted a talk by Benny Wenda of the Free West Papua Campaign at the Wits School of Education. He is in South Africa to spread awareness about the West Papuan fight against Indonesian colonialism and gross human rights abuses of the West Papuan people. He said he was also here to "learn how [South African] leaders fought against apartheid, for justice and against [racial] discrimination."

Joshua Maserow

Opinion | 25 February 2015

Child rape case - how poor families struggle for justice

A last minute intervention by community leaders from Siqalo settlement, in Mitchells Plain, has prevented an accused child rapist from being released without charge.

Daneel Knoetze

Feature | 24 February 2015

“Consumers in debt should ask for help” - Flemix Advocate

Consumers who are struggling to repay their loans should take the first step and ask for help, advocate Piet Louw SC told the court on Monday.

Barbara Maregele

News | 24 February 2015

“I loved my job,” says man dismissed by Independent Media

Bongani Peterson Fani says he only knows one thing that he does very well and that is delivering newspapers. Now that he is suddenly out of a job, he doesn't know where to begin looking for work.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

Feature | 24 February 2015

Flemix advocate: poor should be free to make bad deals

The group of consumers who are hoping to have their emolument attachment orders (EAO) declared invalid had the freedom to choose and “to make a bad deal,” Advocate Piet Louw SC told the court on Thursday.

Barbara Maregele

News | 20 February 2015

ANC calls for “deregistration of TAC”

The ANC Youth League Free State has called for the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) to be deregistered. This follows TAC's "Fire Benny" campaign, which calls for the dismissal of the province's Health MEC Benny Malakoane.

Nathan Geffen and GroundUp Staff

News | 19 February 2015