Health

Gauteng hospital shambles

A doctor at South Africa’s largest hospital, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH) in Soweto, has described chaotic planning and management that is putting patient care at risk.

Nathan Geffen and Ben Stanwix

News | 4 May 2015

Dying and the law: the Dignity SA case explained

Yesterday Judge Fabricius of the Pretoria High Court handed down an order in the case of Robin Stransham-Ford.

Timothy Fish Hodgson

News | 1 May 2015

More toilets will save South Africa money

For over five years, the Social Justice Coalition in Cape Town has called for expanding access to safe and clean sanitation facilities in Khayelitsha and other townships in the city. Despite the overwhelming need for such services, the municipal government has yet to fulfill its duties to provide them at the requisite scale.

Gregg Gonsalves, Edward Kaplan and David Paltiel

Opinion | 29 April 2015

Maggots, bodies and stench: what Khayelitsha residents say about their toilets

Last Thursday the Social Justice Coalition handed over 500 submissions, written by Khayelitsha residents, on the municipal budget to the City of Cape Town. GroundUp examined a sample of them to find out what residents are asking for.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 29 April 2015

Striking Khayelitsha nurses plan to close all clinics on Tuesday

About 30 nurses protested outside the municipal offices in Khayelitsha demanding certain management officers be removed. The staff accuse the managers of abusing them and making them work under difficult conditions.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 24 April 2015

Khayelitsha residents hand over 600 submissions on City’s draft budget

About 150 Social Justice Coalition (SJC) members, supported by Ndifuna Ukwazi, formed a queue behind a toilet outside the Civic Centre and chanted struggle songs on Thursday, as they waited for their individual submissions on the City of Cape Town's draft budget for the 2015/2016 financial year to be collected.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 23 April 2015

No running water and toilets for Kayamandi hostel residents

A large grey plastic bucket stands nearby one of several doorways in a derelict hostel in Kayamandi near Stellenbosch where Mhlangabezi Jobela has lived for more than 20 years.

Barbara Maregele

News | 15 April 2015

Athlone’s amazing pet hospital

Walking through the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) in Bridgetown, Athlone, is like walking through a hospital for humans - bare walls, corridors, operating rooms. Except, that is, for the barking and for the smell of dogs.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 9 April 2015

We’re being targeted, say homeless

Homeless people in Observatory, Woodstock and Bellville have complained about a wave of law enforcement operations against them in the last two months.

Ian Broughton

Feature | 8 April 2015

What’s up with the price of bread?

Nomsa Vumazonke buys two loaves of bread every day. She lives in Philippi with her three children and four grandchildren, and after making sandwiches for them says there is nothing left for her to eat. "Bread is too expensive. It's very hard. I have to buy bread for my children," she says.

Ben Stanwix

Feature | 1 April 2015

SJC only prove their ignorance

The Social Justice Coalition (SJC) has once again proven their obsession with budgets, and their incompetence at interpreting them.

Ernest Sonnenberg

Opinion | 1 April 2015

Mayor de Lille, here’s your evidence. It’s time for action.

When Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille tabled the 2015/2016 draft budget last week, she said, “In my years as Mayor, not once has any substantive proof to counter our evidence of pro-poor spending ever been offered.”

Axolile Notywala

Opinion | 31 March 2015

Free State health workers on trial for protesting dismissals

There are protests outside the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court this morning, as a trial of health workers resumes amidst widespread dissatisfaction with the Free State health system and MEC Benny Malakoane.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 30 March 2015

MPs urged to get tested for TB

All MPs should get themselves tested for TB, the Treatment Action Campaign says.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 24 March 2015

TAC march to parliament on world TB day

Activists from the Treatment Action Campaign marched on Parliament this morning to call for better leadership in tuberculosis (TB) treatment and prevention in South Africa. Today is World TB day.

Daneel Knoetze

Brief | 24 March 2015

A stealthy attempt at censorship

Freedom of speech is a fundamental right recognised in our constitution. But that doesn’t mean everyone has to allow that speech anywhere you want to make it.

Kevin Charleston

Opinion | 18 March 2015