Arts and culture

Top dancers show Gugulethu kids their moves

A group of 11 dancers from the Zama Dance School in Gugulethu had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a workshop with members of the critically-acclaimed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre on Saturday.

Barbara Maregele

News | 21 September 2015

Historic pigeon race unites fanciers

At dawn on Saturday 12 September more than 15,000 homing pigeons were released from Hanover in the Northern Cape, kicking off the largest single pigeon race in South African history. The birds burst into the air and began circling to orientate themselves. Within ten minutes they had vanished, setting off on the 600 km journey home.

Kimon de Greef

Feature | 14 September 2015

We need more murals on rape - Makhaza resident

Following the creation in 2013 of a mural about abuse of women, Makhaza residents have suggested other murals should be built focusing on rape.

Pharie Sefali

News | 14 September 2015

Open Streets comes to Bellville

The Open Streets concept, which originated in Colombia, is coming to Bellville. Open Streets Co-founder and Director Marcela Guerrero Casas explains why her organisation has chosen Bellville.

Marcela Guerrero Casas

News | 11 September 2015

Rocking the Daisies puts township artists on the map

This year for the first time the celebrated Rocking the Daisies festival will showcase DJs from Khayelitsha, Langa and Gugulethu on a new stage, adding colour to what has seemed in the past to be a mostly ‘white’ lineup.

Zethu Gqola

News | 8 September 2015

Hip hop brings peace to the street

Andile Thetha turned his love for hip hop into a way to spread peace in a community plagued by crime, unemployment and drugs.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 24 August 2015

New township hotspot for gays and lesbians

Gays and lesbians in the townships don’t have to travel to town and other suburbs for entertainment. The vibe and the chillaz are brought to them in a full bucket by Bambeke NgeNtanjana Entertainment in their own Kasi (township).

Pharie Sefali

News | 20 August 2015

Trending hairstyles in the township

From the German cut to the razor cut and from dreadlocks to braids, men and women in Cape Town’s townships have plenty of imagination when it comes to trending hairstyles.

Photos by Masixole FeniText by Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 14 August 2015

The new racism? A review of Gerhard Mare’s Declassified ,¨

Ideological positions that analyse conflict in South Africa in terms of race are not in the interests of disadvantaged people, argues Jeff Rudin in this review of a new book by Gerhard Mare.


Jeff Rudin

News | 6 August 2015

Philippi seniors “tell it like it is” during storytelling workshop

Philippi resident Cleopatra Qukula used hand gestures and sounds as she recalled one her “most traumatising” experiences — more than 50 years ago — when she was hospitalised for three months to recover from a dog bite.

Barbara Maregele

News | 4 August 2015

GroundUp’s Masixole Feni wins photography award

Masixole Feni, GroundUp's photographer, has won the 2015 Ernest Cole award.

Text by GroundUp Staff. Photos by Masixole Feni.

News | 4 August 2015

Juggling for Jack: How the Zip Zap circus helped a six-year-old boy

The Zip Zap Circus School dome in the city centre was packed on Saturday afternoon as the circus put on a show to raise funds for severely disabled six-year-old Jack Bain.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 28 July 2015

Seedtime: An Omar Badsha Retrospective

Seedtime is an impressive retrospective exhibition of works by South African artist, photographer and former political activist, Omar Badsha, spanning a period of 50 years.

GroundUp Staff

News | 23 July 2015

Swanepoel yindoda!

Skin colour is a thing of the past, says a white man from East London, Gonubie area, who recently entered manhood in the Xhosa tradition.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 16 July 2015

Street artists battle over De Waal mural

A group of anonymous street artists called Space Invader has claimed responsibility for “reinterpreting” the mural in District Six along De Waal Drive near Cape Town city centre.

Barbara Maregele

News | 15 July 2015

First Xhosa chess book launched

International Chess Master Watu Kobese sits on a luxury couch in the Cape Sun Hotel, where the South African Chess Open is taking place. It is an hour before he competes. He has agreed to meet to discuss his life, South African chess and Masidlale Uthimba (Let us play Chess), the first isiXhosa chess book. It was launched on Tuesday (7 July).

Mariska Morris

News | 10 July 2015