A young student at a University in Cape Town was only known by his “nom de guerre” - Komanisi. He acquired this nickname for two reasons, one, because he was a tireless and dedicated SACP activist on campus and, two, because for the entire duration of his studies he proudly wore an SACP t-shirt, a t-shirt that when first donned was a deep red, then a faded tinged red and finally a palest pink/red.
Barry James Mitchell
News | 29 July 2015
About 100 workers from the Community Work Programme (CWP) in Philippi went on strike on Monday, accusing their boss of fraud and nepotism.
Siphesihle Matyila and Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik
News | 29 July 2015
The hall at Lavender Hill high school erupted in giggling and whispers on Monday as students watched the documentary “Afrikaaps” on the story of the Afrikaans language and the origin of words like “Yoh!” and “gogga.”
Barbara Maregele
News | 28 July 2015
About 150 Khayelitsha residents marched along Lansdowne Road on Monday before gathering and praying at the scene where Bongiwe Ninini (20) was murdered on 17 July.
Vincent Lali
Brief | 28 July 2015
The Zip Zap Circus School dome in the city centre was packed on Saturday afternoon as the circus put on a show to raise funds for severely disabled six-year-old Jack Bain.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 28 July 2015
Because two brothers hated getting their sneakers dirty and could not bear wearing dirty shoes, they came up with the unique idea of opening a tackie laundry.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 27 July 2015
Unity and cohesion remain the slogans for the ANC-led alliance as the three partners echo the claim of last week’s Cosatu special national congress that such togetherness has been assured. It hasn’t. But, with the infighting having gone overwhelmingly in favour of the executive, there are hurried attempts to create a facade of unity as the lobbying continues.
Terry Bell
Opinion | 27 July 2015
“Residents of Blikkiesdorp do not trust the City [of Cape Town government],” says a Blikkiesdorp leader, Jerome Daniels. A meeting on Thursday night highlighted the ongoing tensions between this community and the City.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 27 July 2015
The homeless in Cape Town find refuge wherever they can and sometimes in the most surprising spaces. Where they sleep is often precarious and exposed to various hazards from bad weather and pollution to criminals or people who don't want them around. Although mostly transient, homeless people will often stay in the same place, wherever it is they have managed to carve out a shelter for themselves. Some homeless people have lived in a suburb or street for longer than many residents who live there in brick and mortar buildings.
Pictures by Masixole Feni.Text by Brent Meersman
News | 24 July 2015
This is an abridged version of the speech Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke delivered at the University of the Western Cape on Friday, 17 July.
Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke
Opinion | 24 July 2015
On Thursday, following protests at Sobantu in Pietermaritzburg on Monday police used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse angry residents blocking road access to the township. This came after Msunduzi Municipality refused to accept the hand over of a memorandum from the residents.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 24 July 2015
Eleven months after the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into policing released its finding that the South African Police Service (SAPS) allocation of resources was unfair and irrational, the situation has hardly improved. Khayelitsha residents still suffer from a severe lack of police resources and there are still reports of poor communication and distrust between the police and the community.
Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik
News | 23 July 2015
A freelance reporter for GroundUp found himself all but held hostage on his way back hitchhiking from Zimbabwe.
Bernard Chiguvare
News | 23 July 2015
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development are about to submit a new Magistrates' Court Amendment Bill in a bid to curb “illegal” garnishee orders.
Barbara Maregele
Brief | 23 July 2015
Seedtime is an impressive retrospective exhibition of works by South African artist, photographer and former political activist, Omar Badsha, spanning a period of 50 years.
GroundUp Staff
News | 23 July 2015
Fifty-three year old Annacleta Zungu, who has only one leg, uses a plastic bag as a toilet at night because she is afraid to use the pit toilet outside her Pietermaritzburg house. Zungu, who is diabetic, lost her leg last year.
Ntombi Mbomvu
News | 22 July 2015
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