UWC students to meet Chancellor

The FeesMustFall movement at UWC is to meet the university’s Chancellor Archbishop Thabo Makgoba. This was according to Lindokuhle Mandyoli, a representative of the #FeesMustFall movement, who addressed students today.

Ashleigh Furlong

News | 16 November 2015

Robbers target foreign hawkers in Port Elizabeth

Foreign nationals trading in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, live in fear following a spike in robberies in recent months. The traders say they are being targeted by criminals who rob them of their goods and then sell the loot to locals at a heavily discounted price. Most robberies happen in daylight.

Joseph Chirume

News | 16 November 2015

Police station for Masiphumelele: “We want an end to promises,” say supporters

Deputy Minister of Police Maggie Sotyu is to visit Masiphumelele to listen to residents’ concerns about policing as well as to hand over the new satellite police station, says a Masiphumelele community leader.

GroundUp Staff

Brief | 16 November 2015

Living off vegetables from a dump site

Like others in Sobantu township where she lives, 42-year-old Nokhukhanya Myeza wakes up at 5am and dresses for work. But while others put on their best clothes, Myeza gets into old sneakers, torn jeans and an old T-shirt, and walks to the New England Landfill dump site in Pietermaritzburg to search and pick up food.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 16 November 2015

Funds needed to end long wait for school bus

In May, GroundUp covered the story of a bus on its way for Masiphumelele High School learners. Last week, Noordhoek residents, Stuart James and Andy Taylor, confirmed that a bus has been ordered.

Pasqua Heard

Brief | 16 November 2015

Students and workers shut down CPUT

Clashes occurred between protesters and police, and campus activities were suspended after over a thousand students and a number of workers picketed and sang outside the administration building of the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in Bellville.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 13 November 2015

The damning evidence against Phiyega and SAPS leadership

Suspended Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has had a difficult year. Suspended by President Jacob Zuma following the Farlam Commission report which called for an investigation into her fitness to hold office for among other things tampering with evidence and lying, she now faces significant findings against her from an inquiry by the Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko.

Craig Oosthuizen and Zackie Achmat

Analysis | 13 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

The debt machine and the politics of 0%

The current wave of student protests in South Africa has been mostly analysed from a national and local perspective.

Achille Mbembe

Opinion | 13 November 2015

Fire leaves over 200 Hout Bay residents homeless - here’s how you can help

Fire spread through Imizamo Yethu informal settlement at about noon on Thursday. Over 200 people have been left homeless, after more than 30 shacks burnt.

Juliette Garms

News | 13 November 2015

Arrested UWC students make bail

Fifteen protesters arrested yesterday during the standoff between students and police at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) were released this afternoon on R3,000 bail each, after their supporters managed to raise the R45,000 in total bail money in about an hour.

Ashleigh Furlong

News | 12 November 2015

Masiphumelele will get a police station - when it’s safe

Masiphumelele residents who have been promised a new mobile police station will have to wait until the police decide it’s safe to install it.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 12 November 2015

Vrygrond’s Communiversity: offering young people a choice

Since the Communiversity opened its doors in Vrygrond in 2012, nearly 200 young people have graduated with new skills, ranging from maths to first aid and food gardening.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 12 November 2015

Blikkiesdorp families want to move again

Some of the families who accepted an offer from the City of Cape Town to move from Blikkiesdorp to Wolwerivier in September, say they want to move again.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 12 November 2015

UWC shut down

There was utter chaos at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) on Wednesday when riot police clashed with student protesters and used rubber bullets, stun grenades and teargas. Ashraf Hendricks documents the day-long standoff where a building was set alight, fires started and rocks thrown at police and private security. The protests were triggered by an email from the Chairperson of Council, which criticised the #FeesMustFall movement and said the protesters needed to engage with the SRC in order to have a special council meeting.

Photos by Ashraf Hendricks

News | 12 November 2015

iQhayiya students reject Department’s answers to their demands

About 150 students from iQhayiya High School in Khayelitsha marched to the Western Cape Department of Education to demand an answer from the acting deputy director, Benjamin Schereka, to their list of demands.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 11 November 2015