Health

Khayelitsha residents welcome SJC social audit report

The community of BM Section in Khayelitsha came out in their numbers to listen to the report by the Social Justice Coalition (SJC) on sanitation services in the township.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 1 October 2014

Khayelitsha toilet audit finds “dire” results

One in four of the Khayelitsha public toilets, which are supposed to be cleaned by the City of Cape Town's janitorial services, is not working, a social audit by the Social Justice Coalition has found.

GroundUp staff

Feature | 1 October 2014

Ernest Sonnenberg, Mayco member for Utility Services, responds to SJC

It is deeply ironic that the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), which has appointed itself the guardian of the dignity of the most vulnerable in our city, would rather grandstand, utilise social media platforms, and have lengthy report back sessions rather than work with the City to directly improve the lives of residents.

Ernest Sonnenberg

News | 1 October 2014

TAC plans fundraising drive as crunch time looms

Even though the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) faces the possibility of closing down due to a lack of funding, it says there is no need to worry yet.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 1 October 2014

City blames “irresponsible” residents for Philippi flooding

For months Philippi residents have been living with blocked drains that have flooded the roads. The City Council says the sewers are blocked because residents throw rubbish, including builders’ rubble, into the drains.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 30 September 2014

The state of South African Sign Language

The last full week of September, which is Deaf Awareness Month, is the International Week of the Deaf. This year the theme is ‘Strengthening Human Diversity’.

Katy Scott

Feature | 26 September 2014

Why I am going to Sierra Leone to fight Ebola

It’s been a month since I applied and now it’s a matter of days until I go. I head to Europe for briefing before landing in Freetown, Sierra Leone next Tuesday.

Kathryn Stinson

Feature | 26 September 2014

Braaing on Heritage Day: you may want to ask how that beef got to your plate

You probably wouldn't sprinkle antibiotics like sugar all over your breakfast cereal every morning, even if you were sick. There is, though, a good chance that you are in effect doing something similar today on Heritage Day. The steaks you are braaing, or the chicken being grilled is likely to contain traces of antibiotics.

Nicholas Ashby

Opinion | 24 September 2014

Understanding epilepsy

Traditional Xhosa views on epilepsy clash with medical experts.

Zintle Swana

Feature | 22 September 2014

Allegations around public works programme spark protests in desperate Free State dorp

Arrive in Smithfield from any direction and the first official board one sees announces: ‘Mohokare declares war on waste’. The chief weapon in that war is a platoon of temporary workers hired under government’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) administered by local municipalities.

Carmel Rickard

News | 16 September 2014

Celebrate Global Female Condom Day

As we celebrate the second Global Female Condom Day on 16 September 2014, I join the celebrations with a wide smile and confidence, writes Nokhwezi Hoboyi.

Nokhwezi Hoboyi

News | 16 September 2014

Fighting for decent toilets in Gauteng schools

On 13 September Equal Education marched in Johannesburg for decent school sanitation in Gauteng. Brad Brockman, the organisation's General Secretary, explains the campaign.

Brad Brockman

Opinion | 16 September 2014

Week in activism

This week in activism we cover the symposium on torture hosted by the Wits Justice Project, the march by Equal Education for better sanitation for schools in Gauteng, and the ‘What if Women’ challenge by WHEAT.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 11 September 2014

RR Section’s overflowing toilets still unfixed

An unbearable smell lingers in the air of RR Section to the point where you can taste it. This is the daily struggle for Khayelitsha residents who live next to overflowing drains and toilets that still remain unfixed by the City of Cape Town.

Mary-Anne Gontsana

News | 8 September 2014

Premier Zille: wrong again

DA leader and Western Cape premier Helen Zille has again entered the HIV prevention arena, telling us we are failing to deal with HIV because we don’t have the right approach to taking personal responsibility for sexual behaviours.

Francois Venter

Opinion | 4 September 2014

A week in activism

This week in political activism we look at Sonke Gender Justice’s call for government to take urgent action on hate crime, charges laid by TAC against senior health officials in Bloemfontein, and the launch of an urgent intervention on behalf of Marikana residents.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 4 September 2014