News
Army closes down Cape Town Station
On World Refugee Day this weekend, South African police, traffic officials, metro police, brand specialists, immigration officials and defence force members shut down Cape Town Station's taxi terminus as part of Operation Fiela. The four-hour operation brought commuters to a standstill as taxis were not allowed in or out on a busy Saturday morning. Dozens of foreign nationals were arrested.
Bernard Chiguvare and GroundUp Staff
News | 22 June 2015
Showdown over what medicals schemes must cover
A high-profile court showdown is looming between a medical scheme and the patient activist group, Treatment Action Campaign, as well as about a dozen other organisations. Its outcome will have significant repercussions for what schemes offer their members.
Shadi Garman and GroundUp Staff
News | 19 June 2015
Langa body building champ to defend his title
Undefeated men's champion, Xolile Damba from Langa, is expected to once again defend his title at the third annual Battle of the Titans bodybuilding competition on Saturday.
Barbara Maregele
News | 19 June 2015
Wynberg residents resist MyCiti bus plans
Residents in Wynberg and Plumstead were still up in arms on Wednesday over the new planned MyCiti bus route. They claim it has not involved true public participation. If implemented as currently proposed, many families will have to be evicted and the social character of Wynberg will be changed.
Ashleigh Furlong
News | 19 June 2015
Tattoos - township style
Since the age of 16, Peter Webb from Mfuleni has had an obsession with tattoos after seeing many movie stars with bodies splashed with ink designs. Finally with his first salary, he managed to buy a tattoo machine and started his own business in the township.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 18 June 2015
Visa applicants rejected for “incorrect and ill informed” reasons
The Forum of Immigration Practitioners of South Africa (FIPSA) last week said many visa applications are being rejected by Home Affairs due to the incorrect application of the law, leaving a stream of applicants unable to work, study and pay their bills.
Bernard Chiguvare and Ashleigh Furlong
News | 18 June 2015
More poo protests looming
At 4am on Wednesday, Cape Town police used teargas and rubber bullets to prevent a group of about 50 residents from Barcelona informal settlement dumping buckets full of human waste onto the N2 highway. Residents said their buckets have not been collected or cleaned for the past four months.
Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik
News | 18 June 2015
New Malmesbury hockey facility raises questions about allocation of funds
A new hockey astro facility funded with a R3 million grant from the Western Cape Provincial Sport Confederation to the Swartland Municipality has raised to questions in the community about how resources are allocated.
Ashleigh Furlong
News | 17 June 2015
How immigrants contribute to the SA economy
Saturday 20 June is World Refugee Day. In a keynote address at an event organised by the Scalabrini Centre and the Holocaust Centre in Cape Town, Caroline Skinner, senior researcher at The African Centre for Cities (ACC) at the University of Cape Town, shared timely new research about the role of migrants and refugees in the informal economy.
Tariro Washinyira
News | 17 June 2015