Opinion and Analysis

Copyright bill will empower blind people

Just over two years after the books for the blind treaty was signed in Marrakesh, Morocco, South Africa has finally taken steps toward ratifying the treaty.

Marcus Low

Analysis | 26 August 2015

South Africa’s 5 million working poor

Every day millions across South Africa do arduous work in jobs that cannot keep them and their dependants out of poverty. These are the “working poor” and according to a new study, there are about five and half million of them.

Gilad Isaacs

Opinion | 25 August 2015

South Africa, colonialism, language and China

The whole question of colonialism has come to the fore again, courtesy of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) and its vehement objection to the introduction of the Chinese Mandarin dialect to local schools.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 24 August 2015

High time to decriminalise sex work

This month, international human rights body Amnesty International voted to “pursue a policy to protect the human rights of sex workers.” Its decision has generated much media attention and debate and has been opposed by many well-intentioned people and institutions.

Marlise Richter and Ruvimbo Tenga

Opinion | 21 August 2015

Victory for democracy in rural Eastern Cape

Being able to vote for our leaders is what it means to live in a democracy. Yet the Eastern Cape government tried to block a rural Eastern Cape community from electing their leader. Yesterday the community won an important court victory. Wilmien Wicomb of the Legal Resources Centre explains.

Wilmien Wicomb

Analysis | 19 August 2015

Court ruling helps injured workers

The South Gauteng High Court has delivered a judgment that promotes openness and helps people injured at work, or the families of people killed at work, realise their rights.

Tim Fish Hodgson

Analysis | 17 August 2015

Mining people for profits

Large scale redundancies in the South African mining sector, running to tens of thousands of jobs, are probably inevitable. But only because of the system in which we have to operate.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 17 August 2015

Marikana: reminders of a massacre

Three years ago on this day, the police shot dead 34 miners at Marikana. Here are some of the articles we've published since then that, sadly, remain current and relevant.

GroundUp Staff

Analysis | 16 August 2015

City cannot continue to ignore the crisis at Wolwerivier

There is a deepening crisis of overcrowding, joblessness, insecurity and general destitution at Wolwerivier relocation camp. The community have explained their experiences, along with a call for engagement and support, in writing to the City of Cape Town. Their letter was ignored.

Daneel Knoetze

Opinion | 14 August 2015