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South Africa’s world-class scientific research vessel, the SA Agulhas II, heads toward Cape Town after a stop over in East London following its annual relief and supply voyage to the SANAE IV Antarctic base. The back of Table Mountain, seen in the distance here, was a welcome sight for some researchers returning from a 12-month overwintering stay at SANAE IV, along with sobering news on the state of the southern oceans. Photos: Steve Kretzmann / GroundUp

Climate Change

Icebreaker returns from Antarctica with alarming news

Steve Kretzmann 1 day

Chaos outside Cape Town schools as parents demand places for their children

Primary & Secondary Education

Chaos outside Cape Town schools as parents demand places for their children

Vincent Lali 1 day

Kenneth Shelembe from Mahlungulu near Nondweni in rural KwaZulu-Natal says he has been able to make a living wage as a waste picker. Photos: Bongane Motaung / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Waste management project is changing lives in rural KwaZulu-Natal

Bongane Motaung 2 days

The Department of Justice says a decision on the Special Investigating Unit’s application to amend the 2020 Presidential Proclamation mandating it to investigate corruption involving the Lottery and its employees, is expected by the end of February. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Criminal Law

SIU applies to extend lottery corruption probe

Raymond Joseph 3 days

Conservation groups want new “sweet spot” no-fishing zones around African Penguin breeding colonies, arguing current zones are inadequate to prevent the species’ extinction. Archive photo: John Yeld / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Major showdown in court over African Penguin’s future

John Yeld 17 Feb 2025

Students disrupt classes amid housing crisis

Higher Education

Students disrupt classes amid housing crisis

Sandiso Phaliso and Joseph Chirume 12 Feb 2025

Northern Cape learners can’t go to class because schools have no money

Primary & Secondary Education

Northern Cape learners can’t go to class because schools have no money

11 Feb 2025

Beaches along the West Coast were soiled with oil spilling from the wreck of the MV Ultra Galaxy which ran aground in July 2024. Photo: Annalize Barnard / GroundUp

Circular Economy & Waste Management

Wreck of MV Ultra Galaxy confirmed as source of West Coast oil spill

John Yeld 10 Feb 2025

CPUT students protest against their “dire” accommodation

Higher Education

CPUT students protest against their “dire” accommodation

Marecia Damons 10 Feb 2025

Explainer: BELA and its controversies

Primary & Secondary Education

Explainer: BELA and its controversies

Paula Ensor 5 Feb 2025

A drone image of oil at the main beach in Strandfontein on the West Coast. Photo: Tania Fouche / GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

West Coast beaches polluted by oil spill

John Yeld 3 Feb 2025

Western Cape schools feel the squeeze after cuts in teacher posts

Primary & Secondary Education

Western Cape schools feel the squeeze after cuts in teacher posts

31 Jan 2025

Media

Press ombud rules on News24’s coverage of Gayton McKenzie’s Olympic jaunt

Ombud Watcher Law 29 Jan 2025

Regulations limiting the access to the R370-a-month Social Relief of Distress (SRD) grant have been found to be unconstitutional and invalid by the High Court in Pretoria on Thursday. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Health & Welfare

Explosive court ruling on SRD grant

Marecia Damons 24 Jan 2025

In the 2000s activists across the world campaigned for antiretroviral treatment to be made available to people with HIV. One of the consequences of this was PEPFAR, the United States government’s foreign aid HIV programme. Since 2003 it has saved millions of lives. But now its future is unclear. Photo from the Treatment Action Campaign’s march for HIV treatment in Cape Town on 14 February 2003. (photographer unknown)

CSI & Philanthropy

Trump’s sudden suspension of foreign aid puts millions of lives in Africa at risk

Liezl Human 23 Jan 2025

The South African Social Security Agency is to suspend payment of Social Relief of Distress grants where fraud is suspected. Archive photo: Barbara Maregele / GroundUp

Health & Welfare

Sassa to suspend SRD grants where fraud is suspected

Marecia Damons 22 Jan 2025

A company called Edumarks has been asking for R100 to send learners their matric results in advance of the official release. On Thursday, the person running Edumarks was arrested. Archive Photo: Tariro Washinyira / GroundUp

Criminal Law

21-year-old arrested in matric marks leak

Kirav Doolabh and Veer Gosai 17 Jan 2025

Judge Nana Makhubele could face impeachment after a Judicial Conduct Tribunal found her guilty of misconduct. Archive photo: Masego Mafata/GroundUp

Law Practice

Judge Makhubele guilty of gross misconduct

Tania Broughton 13 Jan 2025

“Of the nine cases referred to and cited, only two could be found to exist, albeit that the citation of one was incorrect,” wrote Judge Elsja-Marie Bezuidenhout about an application for leave to appeal. Illustration: Lisa Nelson

Law Practice

Lawyers in deep trouble for using AI to draft court papers

Tania Broughton 9 Jan 2025

Criminal Law

How the SRD grant system has been defrauded

Nathan Geffen 2 Jan 2025

Mr Sweet workers picketed outside the Department of Labour’s office in Germiston during their 11-week strike. Archive photo: Kimberly Mutandiro / GroundUp

Labour Law & Unions

Mister Sweet workers face disciplinary hearings for strike

Kimberly Mutandiro 20 Dec 2024

Eight months after publishing its last report, the Office of the Chief Justice has finally released the new list of reserved judgments. The High Court in Pretoria had the highest number of late judgments, with 59 matters outstanding for longer than six months. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Law Practice

Hundreds of court judgments are late

Marecia Damons 19 Dec 2024

Blind and visually impaired people have the right to convert protected works to accessible formats without having to obtain permission, the Constitutional Court has ruled. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

IP Law

Blind people can access copyrighted works, rules Concourt - again

Tania Broughton 17 Dec 2024

African Penguins (photographed above at the Boulders penguin colony) are critically endangered. Photo: John Yeld/GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Legal delays threaten survival of African Penguins, say conservation groups

John Yeld 12 Dec 2024

Adam Harrower from the South African National Botanical Institute and Karel du Toit who was head of the SAPS Springbok Stock Theft and Endangered Species Unit appear in the dock at the regional court in Springbok on Tuesday. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks/GroundUp

Environment & Natural Resources

Plant poaching fraud case to be heard in March

Liezl Human 5 Dec 2024

People waiting in long lines outside the VFS Global office in Cape Town on Thursday. On Friday morning, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber extended the validity of the original Zimbabwe Exemption Permit to November 2025. Photo: Matthew Hirsch / GroundUp

Immigration & Citizenship Law

Last minute reprieve for Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders

Matthew Hirsch and Joseph Chirume 29 Nov 2024

Protest at Cape Town primary school over vacant teaching posts

Primary & Secondary Education

Protest at Cape Town primary school over vacant teaching posts

Sandiso Phaliso 27 Nov 2024

Four years after the landmark Concourt Mahalangu ruling, domestic workers are still unable to access compensation. Archive photo: Bernard Chiguvare / GroundUp

Labour Law & Unions

Union criticises employers for not registering domestic workers with UIF. But it’s not so simple

Kimberly Mutandiro and GroundUp Staff 26 Nov 2024

Early childhood development groups picket for increased funding

Early Childhood Development

Early childhood development groups picket for increased funding

Silver Sibiya 21 Nov 2024

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 21 Nov 2024

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 19 Nov 2024

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

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor targets immigrant-owned spaza shops

SMEs

Nelson Mandela Bay mayor targets immigrant-owned spaza shops

Thamsanqa Mbovane 13 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

These matriculants have been waiting for their matric certificates for 3 years

Primary & Secondary Education

These matriculants have been waiting for their matric certificates for 3 years

Nombulelo Damba-Hendrik 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

Last night, Thursday 8 November, the national winners of the 2024 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards’ (VJOY) were honoured at a ceremony in Johannesburg (Image supplied)

Media

News24 journalists take top honours in 2024 Vodacom Journalist of the Year Awards

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

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

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

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

Teacher posts: Western Cape education department quizzed in Parliament

Primary & Secondary Education

Teacher posts: Western Cape education department quizzed in Parliament

Tori Newby 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

Media

Press Council expels Independent Media for failing to obey rulings

25 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

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