Crime
Desperate cry for victim counselling in Khayelitsha
It is well-known that those who report crimes to the police stations in Khayelitsha are not likely to receive a great deal of help. This leads to a situation where many victims of crime simply do not come forward to open a case.
Andiswa Hala
Opinion | 12 December 2012
Councillor spends nine days in prison for “doing his job”
Anele Yawa is a proportional representative councillor in Uitenhage. In August he spent nine days in prison. He alleges his only crime was to do his job.
Mary-Jane Matsolo
News | 5 December 2012
Anger builds as mother searches for her son
16 December will mark three years since Siyamthanda Mndayi, an Ocean View boy with Down’s syndrome went missing from his home. His distraught mother has not given up hope of finding him.
Mary-Anne Gontsana
News | 28 November 2012
Months in prison without a bail hearing
If you are arrested in South Africa, even if you are innocent, expect to spend months and maybe years in prison before being released. The law says that if you are arrested you should appear before a court within 48 hours or be released. The courts have also ruled that bail hearings are urgent. Yet the police, prosecutors, magistrates and judges often ignore these rights.
Mary-Jane Matsolo
News | 28 November 2012
The Commission of Inquiry into the Khayelitsha Police
The Commission of Inquiry into the allegations of police inefficiency in Khayelitsha is on hold pending the outcome of Minister of Police Nathi Mthethwa's court action to stop the commission. But in his court papers Mthethwa has, perhaps unwittingly, included explosive documents which actually appear to strengthen the case for having a Commission of Inquiry.
GroundUp Editor
News | 14 November 2012
“People’s Commission” testimony exposes police failures
In December 2009 Thandokazi Njamela was smacked on the head with an unopened beer bottle by her friend's boyfriend. She lost consciousness and was taken to Khayelitsha's Site B Hospital.
GroundUp Staff
News | 14 November 2012
Understanding the two Commissions of Inquiry into the police
There are two Commissions of Inquiry underway in South Africa (SA) that involve the SA Police Service (SAPS), the Police Minister and Police Commissioner, that we should be interrogating, examining, monitoring, overseeing and following with equal vigour.
Fatima Hassan
Opinion | 14 November 2012
Turning our backs on girl learners
Last week, it was reported with a sense of accomplishment that 38 teachers have been struck off the roll since 2010 for sexual abuse of their learners. I am a lawyer currently working on six cases of sexual violence in schools in three provinces.
Nikki Stein
Opinion | 14 November 2012
Showdown over police inquiry
On 22 August, in response to a call made in November 2011 from several social justice organisations, Premier Helen Zille established a Commission of Inquiry to investigate alleged police inefficiency and a breakdown in relations between police and communities in Khayelitsha. The commission is being chaired by former Constitutional Court judge, Kate O'Regan and Advocate Vusi Pikoli.
Tessa Gooding
News | 7 November 2012