Civil Society

We will not be silent on crime, say Khayelitsha organisations

Around 200 people from several social justice organisations took part in a march to parliament on Tuesday, for safety, equality and justice.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 25 August 2015

Phiyega must go, say activists

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) and Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) have called for the resignation or dismissal of national police commissioner Riah Phiyega, saying she has failed the people of Khayelitsha and poor people in South Africa as a whole.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 12 August 2015

Civil society comes out for Public Protector

About 100 people gathered in front of parliament today to say “enough is enough” to government corruption as the deadline is reached for the submission by the parliamentary ad hoc committee on Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko’s report which said that President Jacob Zuma does not have to pay back the money he used for security upgrades to his Nkandla home.

Siphesihle Matyila and Brady Nevins

News | 7 August 2015

South African blind women in action

Fifteen years ago, Sandra Dreyer was forced to leave her job as an educator after she lost her sight to age-related macular degeneration. Today, she is the head of the Training, Education and Development department at the Cape Town Society for the Blind (CTSB).

Brady Nevins and Barbara Maregele

News | 7 August 2015

Khayelitsha residents stuck with severe lack of police resources

Eleven months after the Khayelitsha Commission of Inquiry into policing released its finding that the South African Police Service (SAPS) allocation of resources was unfair and irrational, the situation has hardly improved. Khayelitsha residents still suffer from a severe lack of police resources and there are still reports of poor communication and distrust between the police and the community.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 23 July 2015

New law to curb illegal debt deductions

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development are about to submit a new Magistrates' Court Amendment Bill in a bid to curb “illegal” garnishee orders.

Barbara Maregele

Brief | 23 July 2015

SASSA beneficiaries still struggling with illegal deductions

Diena Twala, a 71-year-old grandmother from Mbekweni says illegal deductions for airtime and electricity from her South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) account are still ongoing despite countless attempts to have it stopped.

Barbara Maregele

News | 22 July 2015

Dispute over jobs sparks protest in Barcelona informal settlement

A battle over jobs at Mawose Cleaning Services, contracted by the City of Cape Town to clean Barcelona informal settlement, sparked a protest which cut off a section of the N2 highway on Sunday night.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 20 July 2015

How Constitutional are the regulations on public gatherings?

Lobbyists and civil organisations who attended the City of Cape Town's information session on public gatherings this week believe that applying for permission to march is unconstitutional.

Barbara Maregele

News | 17 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

Citizens unite against Eskom hike

In Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday, a broad spectrum of residents, community organisations, students’ movements, religious groups, people with disability and members of the public embarked on a protest march against the 25.3% electricity tariff hike that has been proposed by Eskom. City mayor Chris Ndlela was asked to stand up for his constituents.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 24 June 2015

“Not all drug addicts are criminals”

To celebrate his achievement of reaching a decade of sobriety on Sunday, Recovering Addicts Empowering Lives (RAEL) founder Anthony Hall will be donating R10,000 to bail out a group of awaiting trial prisoners.

Barbara Maregele

News | 23 June 2015

Court to decide if Operation Fiela is constitutional

Is Operation Fiela lawful? Judge Jan Hiemstra in the North Gauteng High Court will hear argument today from Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) that it isn’t.

GroundUp Staff

News | 23 June 2015

When protesters have to teach police what the law says

On Friday, R2K Gauteng is planning a protest at the gates of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD). We did this after many years of frustration -- from R2K activists and other civic structures in Gauteng -- at how JMPD officers have undermined the right to protest.

Bongani Xezwi

Opinion | 18 June 2015

Coping with chronic epilepsy while living in a shack: one family’s story

Siphokazi Rululu (14) and her father, Ayanda Qhara, both suffer from chronic epilepsy. Her mother leaves for work in a restaurant chain kitchen at 6am and returns at 7pm four-days a week. Siphokazi’s sister, who is seven years old, must sometimes care for her family during these times.

Pharie Sefali

News | 9 June 2015

“Not enough money allocated to sanitation,” say SJC protesters

Yesterday, about 150 members of the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) marched to the civic centre. They demanded “a detailed account” of hundreds of submissions to the City of Cape Town on the 2015/16 budget.

Bernard Chiguvare

Brief | 28 May 2015