Countrywide protests by education activists over delayed government plans

Excitement and frustration were evident outside Parliament when students and Equal Education (EE) members slept overnight on the pavement in protest at the delayed release of the provincial implementation plans for Norms and Standards for School Infrastructure.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 2 April 2015

Race transcends class in this country: a response to Seekings and Nattrass

In their article Jeremy Seekings and Nicoli Nattrass decry that “the racialization of pain serves to reduce injustices and indiginities to race, foreclosing serious consideration of other forms of injustice and indignity”. I don’t know about Seekings and Nattrass but to me as a black person racism is a primary form of injustice and indignity.

Xolela Mangcu

Opinion | 2 April 2015

Disabled man says Kimberley municipality let him down

Kimberley resident Frans Bernd has needed to use a wheelchair since his leg was amputated in 1991. He thought his dream of owning a house would come true when the municipality told him in 2014 to move to a site where houses and services would be available. But the dream has turned into a nightmare.

Douglas Mthukwane

News | 2 April 2015

Zimbabwean man stranded in prison for 20 days and counting

A Zimbabwean man, Simbarashe Mariga, has been in Pollsmoor prison for more than 20 days without appearing in court.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 2 April 2015

The daily failures of a typical South African school

“You breathe in oxygen through your left lung and breathe out carbon dioxide through your right lung.” That’s what a life-science teacher taught her class at a Cape Town school where I worked for several weeks last year as part of my teacher training.

A teacher

Opinion | 1 April 2015

De Lille and Ehrenreich to tango

Mayor Patricia De Lille and her arch-enemy Tony Ehrenreich, the leader of the ANC in the City Council, have made a shock joint announcement. The two will put aside their differences to compete in the next season of the popular reality television show Strictly Come Dancing.

Sipho Merengue

News | 1 April 2015

What’s up with the price of bread?

Nomsa Vumazonke buys two loaves of bread every day. She lives in Philippi with her three children and four grandchildren, and after making sandwiches for them says there is nothing left for her to eat. "Bread is too expensive. It's very hard. I have to buy bread for my children," she says.

Ben Stanwix

Feature | 1 April 2015

SJC only prove their ignorance

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) has once again proven their obsession with budgets, and their incompetence at interpreting them.

Ernest Sonnenberg

Opinion | 1 April 2015

Mayor de Lille, here’s your evidence. It’s time for action.

When Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille tabled the 2015/2016 draft budget last week, she said, “In my years as Mayor, not once has any substantive proof to counter our evidence of pro-poor spending ever been offered.”

Axolile Notywala

Opinion | 31 March 2015

Manenberg residents abandoned by builders

Manenberg residents who have been living in containers for the last five months while their City Council flats are renovated have been left in limbo yet again. The subcontractors responsible for the renovations packed up all their equipment and abandoned the site last week.

Barbara Maregele

Feature | 31 March 2015

Rhodes and the politics of pain

A statue that appears to commemorate racism and imperialism occupies a uniquely privileged position on the university campus, causing evident pain to some students, professors and staff.

Jeremy Seekings and Nicoli Nattrass

Opinion | 31 March 2015

Langa’s open streets brings people together from across city

Rubusana Avenue, Jungle Walk and Washington Street, in Langa, were packed on Sunday as scores of people came out to participate in the Open Streets project.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 March 2015

Free State health workers on trial for protesting dismissals

There are protests outside the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court this morning, as a trial of health workers resumes amidst widespread dissatisfaction with the Free State health system and MEC Benny Malakoane.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 March 2015

Madala goes back to school

A Gugulethu man is a living testimony to the old adage “you are never too old to learn”. At the age of 63 he is back at school to finish his matric after a 46 year absence.

Michael Nkalane

News | 27 March 2015

Angolan reporter who exposed torture hauled into court

The defamation trial of Angolan journalist Rafael Marques de Morais, accused of libelling seven of the country’s military generals in a book he wrote, kicked off in Luanda on Tuesday. The generals are suing him for defamation – which could cost him $1.2-million in damages and nine years in prison -- after he had asked for them to be investigated for human rights abuses he first exposed in a book.

Pharie Sefali

News | 27 March 2015

Concourt gives Sassa seven months for R10 billion tender

The South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) has been given seven months to award a new contract for the payment of social welfare grants, the Constitutional Court ruled this week.

Barbara Maregele

News | 26 March 2015