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A protest organised by the Simunye Workers Forum in 2021. The Labour Appeal Court is to hear an appeal against a ruling that the forum be registered as a trade union. Archive photo: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Labour Law

Crucial court battle over future of “new” trade unions

Tania Broughton 8 hours

The City of Cape Town has been releasing more sewage into the ocean from its Hout Bay marine outfall than its discharge permit allows. But following appeals over the granting of the permit, and a criminal case being laid against the City, environmental minister Dion George has lifted restrictions on the quantity of sewage it is allowed to discharge. Archive photo: Steve Kretzmann / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Cape Town may pump as much sewage into the sea as it likes

Steve Kretzmann 2 days

Wage inequality in top ten South African retailers. Graphic: using data from

Remuneration & Payroll

Why wage inequality matters

Kwanele Ngogela and Mathieu Dasnois 15 Nov 2024

Advertising

When ads shock: subtle ways that disgust can shape our buying habits

L.J. Shrum and Elena Fumagalli 15 Nov 2024

The Supreme Court of Appeal has slammed former judge president John Hlophe for meddling in a straightforward eviction case. Photo: Ben Bezuidenhout via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Land & Property Law

John Hlophe’s meddling in eviction matter slammed by appeal court

Tania Broughton 13 Nov 2024

Postbank has started introducing a new Black Card for Sassa beneficiaries. The current Gold Cards were set to expire on 31 December, but Postbank has assured grant recipients that they will be able to access their money into the new year. Photo supplied by Sassa

Health & Welfare

Sassa Gold Cards will remain valid, says Postbank, as deadline looms

Marecia Damons 12 Nov 2024

Workers on strike at Premier’s Mister Sweet factory picketed outside the Department of Labour’s office in Germiston last month to demand a report following an inspection by an official. Archive photo: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Occupational Health & Safety

Injured Mister Sweet workers yet to be compensated

Kimberly Mutandiro 11 Nov 2024

South Africa’s classrooms should have a ‘box’ of languages to help children learn: new bilingual education policy is a start

Primary & Secondary Education

South Africa’s classrooms should have a ‘box’ of languages to help children learn: new bilingual education policy is a start

Russell H. Kaschula, Mbali Sunrise Dhlamini 8 Nov 2024

Electric vehicles in Africa: what’s needed to grow the sector

Logistics & Transport

Electric vehicles in Africa: what’s needed to grow the sector

MJ (Thinus) Booysen and Joubert Van Eeden 8 Nov 2024

Fishers in Port Nolloth are opposing TotalEnergies’ bid to explore for gas and oil off the West Coast. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Court bid to block TotalEnergies gas project off West Coast

7 Nov 2024

Climate Change

African countries shouldn’t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused – economist

Carlos Lopes 6 Nov 2024

The Department of Employment and Labour has closed its office in Mamelodi, east of Pretoria, due to safety and security concerns. Photo: Warren Mabona / GroundUp

HR & Management

Mamelodi residents struggle to claim UIF as labour office closed

Warren Mabona 5 Nov 2024

Publishing

African publishing is being revolutionised – report explores trends in 6 countries

Tinashe Mushakavanhu 5 Nov 2024

The 11-week strike at the Mister Sweet plant in Germiston has ended. Archive photo: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Labour Law & Unions

Mister Sweet strike ends: Workers to return to work next week

Kimberly Mutandiro 4 Nov 2024

Image source: skigh_tv from

Climate Change

Polluters must pay: How COP29 can make this a reality

Llewellyn Leonard 4 Nov 2024

COP29: AI can help develop climate-resistant crops for Africa – but it shouldn’t be left in the hands of corporates

Agriculture

COP29: AI can help develop climate-resistant crops for Africa – but it shouldn’t be left in the hands of corporates

Muhammad Nakhooda 4 Nov 2024

Community health workers, supported by Nehawu, picketed outside the Labour Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday. Photo: Silver Sibiya/GroundUp

Labour Law & Unions

Community health workers picket outside Labour Court

Silver Sibiya 30 Oct 2024

Activists from the Vaal region protested outside the Department of Mineral Resources in Pretoria against Glubay’s proposed mine. Residents are concerned about water, soil and air pollution from the proposed mine. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Opposition to open cast coal mining in Midvaal

Ihsaan Haffejee 29 Oct 2024

Striking workers gather outside the Mister Sweet factory in Germiston. Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Occupational Health & Safety

Another worker loses a finger at Mister Sweet

Kimberly Mutandiro 28 Oct 2024

Marketing

Dispatch from Pennsylvania: How marketing affects swing voters as US election looms

Dave Bussiere 28 Oct 2024

The Constitutional Court will hear two applications relating to copyright in South Africa that affect the rights of blind people. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Legislation

ConCourt showdown on copyright bill

Tania Broughton 23 Oct 2024

African Penguins at Boulders Beach in Cape Town. Archive photo: Ihsaan Haffejee / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Talks on penguin litigation fail to break deadlock

John Yeld 22 Oct 2024

Flags indicate how many trees each donor country has planted. Jeremy Allouche,

Climate Change

Africa’s Great Green Wall will only combat desertification and poverty by harnessing local solutions

Jeremy Allouche and Élie Pédarros 18 Oct 2024

The Legal Services Ombud has castigated the Legal Practice Council for failing to act in the public interest and worse by contributing to an injustice. Photo: Brian Turner via (CC BY 2.0)

Law Practice

Ombud lambasts Legal Practice Council

Tony Beamish 17 Oct 2024

The Wits Rhisotope project involves inserting low levels of radioisotopes into the horns of living rhinos to make the horns traceable. Archive photo: Michael Lorentz / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Using radiation to stop the traffic of rhino horns

Neil Thomas Stacey 16 Oct 2024

Image source: Alexander Dummer from

ESG & Sustainability

Madagascar’s mining rush has caused no more deforestation than farming – new study

Katie Devenish 8 Oct 2024

For more than six weeks the Unemployment Insurance Fund online service has been down. Image: GroundUp

HR Tools & Software

After six weeks UIF online system still down

Mary-Anne Gontsana 4 Oct 2024

Image source: Balazs Simon from

Climate Change

Africa’s famous Serengeti and Maasai Mara are being hit by climate change – a major threat to wildlife and tourism

Joseph Ogutu 4 Oct 2024

More than 17 million people applied for the R370 grant in September

Health & Welfare

More than 17 million people applied for the R370 grant in September

Marecia Damons 3 Oct 2024

While warmer weather might seem beneficial for crops like grapes, which can thrive in higher temperatures, the implications are more complex. Archive photo supplied.

Climate Change

How climate change threatens South Africa’s wine industry

Cole Potgieter, Aisling de Lange and Neil Thomas Stacey 2 Oct 2024

Media

From darkness to light: Changing media narratives about Africa

J Siguru Wahutu and David Cheruiyot 2 Oct 2024

African Penguins at Boulders Beach in Cape Town. Archive photo: Ihsaan Haffejee / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Former environment minister Creecy under fire from penguin conservation groups

John Yeld 1 Oct 2024

Starting a business after university: young South African entrepreneurs discuss the highs and lows

Entrepreneurship

Starting a business after university: young South African entrepreneurs discuss the highs and lows

Willie Tafadzwa Chinyamurindi 30 Sep 2024

South Africa has a new education law: some love it, some hate it – education expert explains why

Primary & Secondary Education

South Africa has a new education law: some love it, some hate it – education expert explains why

Wayne Hugo 26 Sep 2024

Johannes Magaela, Phillip Masitenyane and Minah Funani sort plastic items inside Funani’s yard in Tembisa. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Visually impaired recyclers help the planet

Ihsaan Haffejee 26 Sep 2024

Ivory seized in the United States. Photo Credit: Gavin Shire / US Fish and Wildlife Service on Flickr ()

Environment & Natural Resources

Using carbon dating to stop elephant and rhino poaching

Cole Potgieter 25 Sep 2024

Advertising

Africa is the world’s largest market for Guinness beer – how its ad campaigns exploit men

Jordanna Matlon 25 Sep 2024

Why the Woolies boss was paid 1,300 times as much as a shopfloor worker

Retailers

Why the Woolies boss was paid 1,300 times as much as a shopfloor worker

Ann Crotty 18 Sep 2024

South African agriculture needs to crack the Chinese market. How to boost exports

Agribusiness

South African agriculture needs to crack the Chinese market. How to boost exports

Wandile Sihlobo 16 Sep 2024

Image source: Engin Akyurt from

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Nigeria is the world’s 2nd biggest plastic polluter: expert insights into the crisis

Wale Fatade 13 Sep 2024

Parliament heard the Special Investigating Unit’s head advocate last week testify about medico-legal fraud. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Medical Law

SIU takes aim at ballooning dodgy medical litigation that is costing the government billions

Sandiso Phaliso 13 Sep 2024

Striking Mister Sweet workers queued on Wednesday for food brought by supporters. Photo: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Labour Law & Unions

Premier loses court bid to end Mister Sweet strike

Kimberly Mutandiro 12 Sep 2024

Source: © 123rf Media coverage of Africa has always been dominated by narratives of disease, poverty, conflict and political instability

Media

Global media tell only part of Africa’s story – new report shows which outlets perform best and worst

Wallace Chuma, University of Cape Town and Trust Matsilele, Birmingham City University 12 Sep 2024

Advertising

Google is facing another crucial court case in the US – and it could have major consequences for online advertising

Barbora Jedlickova 10 Sep 2024

Plastic and garbage on South Beach, Durban, in February 2023. Archive photo: Lucas Nowicki / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

How much worse are coloured plastics for the environment?

Aisling de Lange 9 Sep 2024

Scores of people queued outside the labour office in Cape Town’s city centre on Wednesday. The UIF’s online portal has been offline for about three weeks. Photos: Mary-Anne Gontsana / GroundUp

HR Tools & Software

UIF online services frozen in court battle

Mary-Anne Gontsana 6 Sep 2024

Image source: Bibhash Banerjee from

Environment & Natural Resources

Bird species are disappearing at an alarming rate in Kenya – new study

Joseph Ogutu 6 Sep 2024

Socal grant applicants queue at the Eerste River Sassa office. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Health & Welfare

Rules for R370-a-month social grant to be challenged in court in October

Marecia Damons 3 Sep 2024

Outside the Western Cape High Court, Ndifuna Ukwazi attorney Jonty Cogger speaks to applicants urgently seeking an interdict preventing PRASA from evicting them from land they have occupied for years. Photo: Sandiso Phaliso / GroundUp

Land & Property Law

Court criticises Prasa for illegal evictions

Sandiso Phaliso and Tori Newby 30 Aug 2024