Health

Lawyers to sue over uncovered drain

Lawyers representing the Bardale resident who fell into an uncovered drain in October last year say they are still processing the legal action.

Johnnie Isaac

News | 14 October 2014

How an Ebola clinic works

ā€œSo just think of the one who is about to die, trapped behind hundreds of walls sizzling with heat, while at the same time, there are all those people, on the telephone or in cafes ā€¦ā€ - The Plague by Albert Camus.

Kathryn Stinson

Opinion | 13 October 2014

Masekane: a crisis in the heart of Woodstock

A hacking cough comes from the motley group of people huddled together in a flimsy shack alongside the railway line near Woodstockā€™s industrial area. It could be from the smoke from the fire; it could be from the cigarette smoke that fills the shack ā€“ or it could be tuberculosis.

Ian Broughton

News | 10 October 2014

Ebola: Where are the sick and dying?

The driver puts his fist on the hooter insistently, indicating to oncoming vehicles, people and animals to move out of our path, which is obscured by lush forest at every corner.

Kathryn Stinson

Feature | 7 October 2014

National Health Insurance: struggling to be born

South Africaā€™s bid to provide universal health care through National Health Insurance (NHI) could fail if government does not learn lessons from other countries, a conference heard last week.

Ian Broughton

News | 6 October 2014

Khayelitsha toilets: the battle for information

Information concerning contracts signed by local authorities should be much more freely available, says Social Justice Coalition spokesman Axolile Notywala.

GroundUp staff

News | 2 October 2014

The week in activism

This week we look at Sonkeā€™s call on government to support an important medical trial and the court ruling in the Limpopo foreign tradersā€™ case brought by Lawyers for Human Rights.

Thembela Ntongana

News | 2 October 2014

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 buildersā€™ 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 ā€˜Strengthening Human Diversityā€™.

Katy Scott

Feature | 26 September 2014

Why I am going to Sierra Leone to fight Ebola

Itā€™s been a month since I applied and now itā€™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