Civil Society

Does anybody remember AIDS?

This week thousands of activists, scientists and government officials will troop to Melbourne, Australia, to participate in the 20th International AIDS Conference.

Mark Heywood

Opinion | 21 July 2014

De Lille lashes out at HRC and SJC over sanitation report

Today, Mayor Patricia De Lille responded in a special edition of Cape Town This Week to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) report on sanitation provision in Khayelitsha that was published yesterday.

Michelle Korte

News | 17 July 2014

The week in political activism

This week we explore local protests against Israel’s bombing of the Gaza strip, a human rights awareness clinic, and a month-long campaign to expose rape culture.

Michelle Korte

News | 17 July 2014

The Week in Political Activism

This week we report arrests at a health demonstration in the Free State, the African Union’s recent move to immunise leaders from war crime prosecution, and an upcoming school infrastructure reform conference.

Michelle Korte

News | 10 July 2014

War resisters across Africa headed for Cape Town

From 4 to 8 July, Cape Town will host the first ever War Resisters International Conference to be held in Africa. The Pan-African conference will bring together representatives of grassroots movements from over 25 African countries.

Shireen Mukadam

News | 27 June 2014

Angy Peter application to have case thrown out unsuccessful

Advocate William King for the defence applied under Section 174 of the Criminal Justice Act to have the case against Angie Peter quashed. The section allows for a case to be discharged if after the prosecution has outlined its case, there is a lack of evidence. But on 18 June the application was dismissed.

Adam Armstrong

News | 19 June 2014

Youth Day: Struggle for equal education continues

Nearly 40 years ago on 16 June 1976, there was a youth uprising in Soweto. This was evoked by the learners at the time who did not want to be taught in Afrikaans. Their struggle was against an inferior education system that was setting them up for failure.

Sizwe Zubenathi Mapapu

Opinion | 16 June 2014

Frayed tempers at Khayelitsha Inquiry as O’Regan and Arendse spar

Phase 2 of the Inquiry into policing in Khayelitsha is underway under tight time constraints.

Adam Armstrong

News | 13 May 2014

Why Abahlali endorsed the DA: S’bu Zikode speaks to GroundUp

On 2 May 2014 Abahlali baseMjondolo (ABM) --a social movement of shack dwellers-- endorsed the Democratic Alliance (DA) for the 2014 general elections. Abahlali baseMjondolo are better known for their protests against unlawful evictions and their advocacy for public housing and urban land for the poor. Sibusiso Tshabalala of GroundUp spoke to S’bu Zikode, leader of Abahlali baseMjondolo, to find out why they took this decision.

Sibusiso Tshabalala

News | 5 May 2014

Nyanga residents angry after power cuts

Residents of Crossroads and Nyanga have slammed Eskom for not giving them any notice of power cuts which lasted several hours yesterday. But Eskom says the cuts were unplanned and residents could not be notified in advance.

Pharie Sefali

News | 30 April 2014

“ËśA place where we ought to love one another’

Emasithandane home, founded in 1994 in Nyanga, currently looks after 39 children, most of them HIV infected and affected. 20 years later, it is still going strong despite financial constraints.

Bulelani Ngovi

News | 14 April 2014

Party supporters embarrass their leaders at Khayelitsha election debate

On April 10, an election debate convened by Equal Education and Ndifuna Ukwazi in Khayelitsha with the DA, EFF, Agang and Cosatu, was disrupted by unruly party members.

Pharie Sefali

News | 11 April 2014

Election debate in Khayelitsha

On April 10, at Lookout Hill, Khayelitsha, representatives of the ANC, DA, EFF, and Agang SA spoke about their parties’ policies. But the debate ended, before many questions could be asked.

Craig Oosthuizen

News | 11 April 2014

Metrorail warns commuters in attempt to stop deaths on its network

Following two deaths in April, Metrorail security services have been told to take strong action against any commuter found riding outside the trains.

Fergus Turner

News | 10 April 2014

Official threatens to withhold disability grant

Nyanga resident Violet Mkhape, 45, has been waiting for eight months for her monthly disability grant - and one official told her she wouldn’t get it because she told her story to GroundUp.

Pharie Sefali

News | 9 April 2014

Should you spoil your ballot?

The campaign now underway to encourage a protest against government by spoiling ballots has been left far too late, especially if the object is to build a coherent and mass, grassroots campaign to promote some kind of alternative.

Terry Bell

Opinion | 27 March 2014