Local government

Pietermaritzburg municipal workers demand permanent jobs

About a hundred municipality workers on temporary contracts for the Msunduzi municipality, which includes Pietermaritzburg, downed their tools and protested outside the KaMagwayi depo yesterday. They are demanding permanent positions.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 8 December 2015

City commits to upgrading Endlovini

Residents of Endlovini — who protested three weeks ago at what they described as the empty promises of ward councillor Anele Gabuza and the City of Cape Town — might have their demands met.

Siyavuya Khaya

Brief | 7 December 2015

Who is responsible for Blikkiesdorp?

Who is responsible for Blikkiesdorp? This question has been coming up in response to work in the community by the Open Democracy Advice Centre.

Alison Tilley

Opinion | 30 November 2015

Can Dunoon overcome its housing problems?

In a dimly-lit room, about 50 people wait to have proof-of-residence documents authorised by Dunoon ward councillor Lubabalo Makeleni.

Steve Kretzmann

Feature | 27 November 2015

Twitter war between activists and City over Wolwerivier

A spat erupted on Twitter this week when Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) director Zackie Achmat accused City of Cape Town’s Benedicta van Minnen of being ‘a liar’ and ‘one who holds black people in contempt’.

Barbara Maregele

News | 27 November 2015

Residents in Khayelitsha take on Big Five

Tensions are high in Isiqalo informal settlement after violent clashes between residents and former community leaders who have refused to step down.

Siyavuya Khaya

News | 25 November 2015

We will close the N2, threaten fed-up residents

More than 1,000 residents of KwaMsane in Mtubatuba, KZN, took to the street last week to demand services. After years of fruitless complaints and meetings, the protesters plan to close the N2 on Thursday.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 23 November 2015

Khayelitsha commuters blast Metrorail

Khayelitsha residents are fed up with the poor public transport servicing the township, especially Metrorail. Activist organisation, Public Transport Voice (PTV), held a public meeting on Saturday at Masibambane Hall in Harare to voice their concerns.

Siyavuya Khaya

News | 23 November 2015

Councillor must fall, say King William’s Town protesters

Wheelchair-bound Leilanie Boswell, 38, was one of about 100 Sweetwaters residents who protested yesterday outside the Buffalo City municipality offices in King William’s Town, demanding housing, street lights, a taxi rank and other amenities.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 19 November 2015

Imizamo Yethu residents rebuild after fire

Imizamo Yethu residents who fell victim to a fire that razed numerous shacks and left families homeless a week ago are busy rebuilding their homes after getting some assistance from the City of Cape Town. Shacks belonging to South Africans and Zimbabweans just 200 metres away from Hout Bay police station were burnt to ashes.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 18 November 2015

Endlovini residents accuse councillor of breaking promises

Tempers flared last night in Endlovini in Khayelitsha, with angry residents burning portable toilets and blockading the road in a protest over housing.

Siyavuya Khaya

News | 17 November 2015

Addo residents demand that “killer” canal be closed

Residents of Paterson, Addo, Bersheba, Uitenhage and Thornhill have threatened to close down the Sundays River Valley Municipality in Addo if a canal which they say is killing their children is not closed within seven days.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik and Siphesihle Matyila

News | 13 November 2015

Waste pickers protest over access to dump site

Police used rubber bullets and stun grenades today against waste pickers protesting at a dump site in Pietermaritzburg against plans to stop them collecting on the site.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 11 November 2015

“If I move out, where will I go?,

Residents of houses on a state farm in Stellenbosch will hear next year whether the Western Cape High Court will grant the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works an order to evict them.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 3 November 2015

Women living in terror plan march in Grahamstown

In the blistering hot conference room of the Masifunde Education and Development Project Trust, 14 women with determined calm put together a statement: 'The police have told us that we must not go ahead with our planned protest at the City Hall on Friday as they cannot guarantee our safety. We cannot and will not back down'. The Voices of the Foreigner’s Wives represent a large number of women still too afraid to leave their homes after the spate of xenophobic violence that shook Grahamstown a week ago.

Hancu Louw

News | 29 October 2015

“A struggling old lady who sleeps like a bird,

Grace Mkhize, 78, lives with three orphaned granddaughters and their three children in a mud house in Willowfontein, Pietermaritzburg. For seven years she has been waiting for a new house.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 13 October 2015