Arts and culture

Skaters love their park

The Mill Street Skate Park is "the best Park in Cape Town" according to Bradley Bourne, a skateboarder from Mitchell’s Plain. It is also the City’s first public skate park in the CBD, located adjacent the MyCiti bus stop in Gardens. The Park opened in August 2014, winning the Building Trust International PLAYscapes design competition, and now attracts skateboarders, rollerbladers, and BMXers from around Cape Town and beyond.

Ben Stanwix

News | 24 April 2015

Cape Town Zimbabwe Excellence Awards to be held on 4 April

The Cape Town Zimbabwe Excellence Awards seek to recognise Zimbabweans who have excelled in making a positive contribution to the Cape Town community in various ways, including sports, the media, academic prowess, business acumen and in the entertainment world. The awards will be announced at the Cape Town International Conference Centre on 4 April 2015.

Tariro Washinyira

Brief | 3 April 2015

De Lille and Ehrenreich to tango

Mayor Patricia De Lille and her arch-enemy Tony Ehrenreich, the leader of the ANC in the City Council, have made a shock joint announcement. The two will put aside their differences to compete in the next season of the popular reality television show Strictly Come Dancing.

Sipho Merengue

News | 1 April 2015

Langa’s open streets brings people together from across city

Rubusana Avenue, Jungle Walk and Washington Street, in Langa, were packed on Sunday as scores of people came out to participate in the Open Streets project.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 March 2015

Langa’s new king of electronic dance music

Born and raised in Langa township, Makonwabe Bekwa aka AudioJerk is a dance floor magnet with his unique electronic, techno and dubstep sound. He is also fast becoming one of the Mother City's most sought after DJs.

Zethu Gqola

News | 24 March 2015

Free speech vs copyright: Battle over Bushman legacy on steps of Labia

An old dispute over representing the family legacy of Khomani San leader Dawid Kruiper has resurfaced in a public furore between writer Patricia Glyn and filmmaker Richard Wicksteed.

Daneel Knoetze

News | 17 March 2015

Treachery and the quest for truth: review of Jacob Dlamini’s Askari

Not wishing to sound derivative I was left grasping for fresh superlatives when I finished reading Askari. Earlier reviewers had already hailed this latest offering by Jacob Dlamini in terms with which I wholly agreed.

Terry Bell

News | 16 March 2015

Meet Rabelani Madula aka Rabs Vhafuwi

With a firm belief that some of the greatest music talent in our country lies within the townships, Rabs Vhafuwi has made it his mission to tap into that market. Seemingly, whatever he touches turns to gold. GroundUp interviewed the producer on his inspirations, how he got into music and how he is changing the game.

Zethu Gqola

News | 26 February 2015

Making music stars at Mzoli’s

Out of 50 performers, 15 managed to sail through the first stage of ‘Make you a star’ music auditions held at Mzolis, Gugulethu.

Bernard Chiguvare

News | 23 February 2015

Dibana neqembu le-rap yesiXhosa yakwaLanga naseLwandle

Sandisile 'Skillz' Ntleki noSilindokuhle 'Slie' Baka benza iqembu le-rap ebizwa Xhosa Tribe. Lamachule engoma wakwaLanga naseLwandle ngentlonipho nabo banomhluzi womelana no-iFani, bangenza kwano Khuli Chana atsho ukubila.

Zethu Gqola

News | 23 February 2015

Fifty Shades of Grey: it makes On Golden Pond look erotic

I bring you an announcement of national, no, international import: I have watched 50 Shades so that you don’t have to. Sensitive souls and family members must stop reading this now.

Francois Venter

News | 19 February 2015

Meet the Xhosa rap duo from Langa and Lwandle

Sandisile 'Skillz' Ntleki and Silindokuhle 'Slie' Baka form rap duo Xhosa Tribe. These lyrical masterminds from Langa and Lwandle respectively have enough finesse and bars to rival iFani and maybe even cause Khuli Chana to break a sweat.

Zethu Gqola

News | 17 February 2015

Indlela uDJ osakhasayo waseKhayelitsha awavelisa ngayo eyona ngoma ithandiweyo enyakeni

Kwiinyanga ezimbalwa ezidlulileyo akukho mntu wayenokucingela ukuba uDJ osakhasayo waseKhayelitsha angavelisa enye yeengoma ezinkqenkqeza phambili zika-2014: ‘uKoze Kuse’.

NguZethu Gqola

News | 30 January 2015

How a small-time DJ from Khayelitsha produced the song of the year

A few months ago no one could have predicted that a small-time DJ from Khayelitsha would produce what would be one of the hits of 2014: ‘Koze Kuse’.

Zethu Gqola

News | 29 January 2015

Sexual trauma, a talking cat and a mid-life crisis

Nthikeng Mohlele’s latest novel, “Rusty Bell” will delight readers already won over by his previous two books “The Scent of Bliss” (2008) and “Small Things” (2013). Mohlele is a fine, literary novelist, a rarity on the South African publishing scene, who although receiving praise from significant quarters, should be enjoying much more attention.

Nthikeng Mohlele

News | 21 January 2015

South Africa gets its first chess grandmaster

Kenny Solomon from Mitchell's Plain has become the first South African to attain the coveted chess title of grandmaster.

GroundUp Staff

Brief | 7 January 2015