Crime

Delays “unacceptable” says attorney in Hout Bay firebreak case

The court hearing of Hangberg resident Santonio Jonkers will be prioritised next year, says Magistrate Wezile Rixana. Jonkers is accused of contravening a 2011 High Court interdict that prevented anyone from building new structures on the Sentinel’s firebreak above Hangberg in Hout Bay.

Barbara Maregele

Brief | 2 December 2015

Survey shows how unsafe Khayelitsha residents feel

Most of the Harare, Khayelitsha, residents who participated in a survey campaign launched by Rape Crisis this week as part of 16 Days of Activism believe that robbery and housebreaking are the main problems in the area.

Barbara Maregele

News | 26 November 2015

Mitchells Plain marches against violence

About 150 people from Mitchells Plain, supported by many organisations, marched against gender-based violence to start the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.

Ashraf Hendricks

News | 25 November 2015

Masiphumelele gets mobile police station

Hundreds of residents from Masiphumelele, Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg gathered in Masiphumelele High School for the handing over of a mobile police station.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 20 November 2015

Robbers target foreign hawkers in Port Elizabeth

Foreign nationals trading in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, live in fear following a spike in robberies in recent months. The traders say they are being targeted by criminals who rob them of their goods and then sell the loot to locals at a heavily discounted price. Most robberies happen in daylight.

Joseph Chirume

News | 16 November 2015

Police station for Masiphumelele: “We want an end to promises,” say supporters

Deputy Minister of Police Maggie Sotyu is to visit Masiphumelele to listen to residents’ concerns about policing as well as to hand over the new satellite police station, says a Masiphumelele community leader.

GroundUp Staff

Brief | 16 November 2015

The damning evidence against Phiyega and SAPS leadership

Suspended Police Commissioner Riah Phiyega has had a difficult year. Suspended by President Jacob Zuma following the Farlam Commission report which called for an investigation into her fitness to hold office for among other things tampering with evidence and lying, she now faces significant findings against her from an inquiry by the Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko.

Craig Oosthuizen and Zackie Achmat

Analysis | 13 November 2015

Masiphumelele will get a police station - when it’s safe

Masiphumelele residents who have been promised a new mobile police station will have to wait until the police decide it’s safe to install it.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 12 November 2015

How Willowvale women live in fear of rape

Willowvale resident No-Italy Gola, 54, used a machete to fight off the man who tried to rape her. Many other women have not managed to thwart their attackers in this town where at least two rapes are reported to the police each week.

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik

News | 11 November 2015

Westlake residents frustrated by stalled murder investigation

Westlake residents are angry at the lack of progress in the investigation into the murder of Malawian Alfred Fonde on 8 March 2015.

Tariro Washinyira

News | 10 November 2015

Westlake residents demand better policing

Around 150 residents of Westlake township protested outside Kirstenhof police station today. They said the police were 'turning a blind eye' to crime in their community. They demanded the Kirstenhof station commander be removed for being unresponsive and that a satellite police station be established in the township. The community pledged their total co-operation with the police.

GroundUp Staff

News | 5 November 2015

Accused in Masiphumelele mob justice murder gets bail

Hundreds of Masiphumelele residents sang outside Simon’s Town Magistrates’ Court at the bail hearing of community activist Lubabalo Vellem.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 2 November 2015

Masiphumelele on edge as community leader appears in court

The Masiphumelele man who is accused of murder, attempted murder, assault with attempt to do grievous bodily harm, and public violence appeared in the Simon's Town Magistrates' Court this morning for his bail application. The matter was held over to 2 November.

Ashleigh Furlong

News | 30 October 2015

Make Grahamstown a better place for all, say protesters

About 100 people gathered in front of the Grahamstown City Hall to protest against the xenophobic violence that has hit the town and surrounding townships for more than a week.

By

News | 30 October 2015

The great escape: Young women of the Flats in the clutches of gangs

“Every time they go murder somebody, the guns come to me, I clean it and I load it again,” says 21-year-old Shireen. “Yoh! … If you’re on drugs, you catch on to all the stuff, man. You’re not the same.”

Anne Gonschorek

Feature | 29 October 2015

Women living in terror plan march in Grahamstown

In the blistering hot conference room of the Masifunde Education and Development Project Trust, 14 women with determined calm put together a statement: 'The police have told us that we must not go ahead with our planned protest at the City Hall on Friday as they cannot guarantee our safety. We cannot and will not back down'. The Voices of the Foreigner’s Wives represent a large number of women still too afraid to leave their homes after the spate of xenophobic violence that shook Grahamstown a week ago.

Hancu Louw

News | 29 October 2015