What is Mandela’s Secret?

South Africa came very close to civil war in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but instead of a bloodbath there was the negotiated settlement, also known as the ‘miracle’. In fact parts of the country were in a state of civil war, and the miracle is that it didn’t engulf the country.

Doron Isaacs

Opinion | 9 December 2013

Bank drives woman to brink of homelessness

Kutala Mtyali's sits on the couch of her house, perhaps for the last day, and tries to piece together the ongoing saga of her 26 year struggle to keep her home. Family members help her with names and dates. She is on the brink of homelessness.

Jared Sacks

News | 9 December 2013

Alide Dasnois exemplifies quiet integrity and commitment to quality media

Alide Dasnois has been fired from her position as editor of the Cape Times.

GroundUp Editor

News | 8 December 2013

Nelson Mandela: An interview with Zackie Achmat

Nelson Mandela has died. He inspired and led the struggle for freedom and against the oppression of apartheid. GroundUp interviewed Zackie Achmat about Mandela. In the 2000s, Achmat led the struggle for life-saving medicines for people with HIV.

GroundUp Staff

News | 6 December 2013

Drought and debt for Northern Cape small farmers

In the middle of a drought, small scale subsistence farmers on the outskirts of Paballelo in the Northern Cape are facing a bill of R1.3 million for water.

Selby Nomnganga

News | 5 December 2013

Znoopy

News | 4 December 2013

World AIDS Day march

News | 4 December 2013

Young artists say no support from local government

GroundUp met with a group of young hip-hop and spaza music makers. The group complain that they have been at it for three years, but don’t get any support from local businesses and government.

Pharie Sefali

News | 4 December 2013

The week in political activism

This week we report on a petition to impeach the President, norms and standards for schools, TAC's march in Limpopo and the Cape Town Informal Settlements Coalition.

Brent Meersman and GroundUp staff

News | 4 December 2013

No one arrested for murder of young Musa Batyi

On 24 November, 17-year-old Musa Batyi was found at Better Life, Philippi, in a pool of blood. He had been stabbed once. He was in excruciating pain and losing blood. A short while later he died.

Nwabisa Pondoyi

News | 3 December 2013

Is Mozambique returning to war?

Frightening memories of the 16-year-long civil war have reignited in the minds of Mozambicans as tensions between RENAMO and FRELIMO reach a new high.

Fabio da Graca

Opinion | 3 December 2013

Rural Health: grossly unequal but some hope

While there are significant unmet health needs in many parts of South Africa, they are particularly acute in historically disadvantaged rural areas.

Tom Yates

Opinion | 3 December 2013

Awethu! - the people demand a better democracy

At a mass meeting on 28 November 2013, academics and activists from dozens of organisations, social movements, and local citizen groups from eight provinces came together as Awethu!.

Koketso Moeti

News | 2 December 2013

The need to remember history - and to plan political homes

One element lacking in the current debates about what is going on in Cosatu is any sense of recent history. Because there is nothing really new in the current spate of political bloodletting, in the bitterness and the backstabbing.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 2 December 2013