Opinion

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

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

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

Eskom: a wake-up call to government and unions

Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa persists in referring to the mess that is Eskom as “a challenge”. He did so in his Q&A session in parliament last week. But the situation at Eskom is perhaps the greatest crisis ever to face our fragile, non-racist democracy, especially given the global economic climate.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 23 March 2015

By ignoring petitions, government encourages violent protest

The Eastern Cape government has failed to even acknowledge a petition from a group of housing project beneficiaries. What options does this leave aggrieved citizens, asks Mimosa Delgaro?

Mimosa Delgaro

Opinion | 20 March 2015

This campaign will change the way our schools are run

This year, Equal Education is running a campaign on School Governing Board (SGB) Elections in South African public schools. Functional, inclusive SGBs are a key component of fixing schools, writes Raphael Chaskalson.

Raphael Chaskalson

Opinion | 19 March 2015

A stealthy attempt at censorship

Freedom of speech is a fundamental right recognised in our constitution. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to allow that speech anywhere you want to make it.

Kevin Charleston

Opinion | 18 March 2015

Philippi students speak out about police showdown

On 6 March there was a violent stand-off between students from Philippi High School and the police in the Cape Town CBD. GroundUp reported this. Here is a statement issued by the students on the events of that day.

Philippi High School Students

Opinion | 11 March 2015