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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

Education department fails to pay water and electricity bills: parents shut down school in protest

Primary & Secondary Education

Education department fails to pay water and electricity bills: parents shut down school in protest

Loyiso Dyongman 16 Oct 2024

Business leaders, small and big, can help end homelesssness by offering work experience, says the writer. Archive photo: Ashraf Hendricks / GroundUp

Health & Welfare

How business can help end homelessness

Leanne Porter and Jesse Laitinen 14 Oct 2024

Janelle Simons is one of ten small-scale farmers who grows vegetables on a piece of municipal land in Oranjeville, Citrusdal. For the past two winters, they have not been able to grow and sell their crop because their gardens were flooded. Photos: Ashraf Hendricks

Agriculture

Citrusdal farmers devastated by two years of floods

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

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

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

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

Criminal Law

Thabo Bester and hundreds of other prisoners kept in unlawful conditions, says inspectorate

Daniel Steyn 23 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

Cutting of 2,400 teacher posts questioned in Western Cape Parliament

Primary & Secondary Education

Cutting of 2,400 teacher posts questioned in Western Cape Parliament

Tori Newby 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

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

Rhodes University plans water independence from municipality

Primary & Secondary Education

Rhodes University plans water independence from municipality

4 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

Media

Judge Lindiwe Rusi vs City Press: a look at the Press Ombud’s ruling

Ombud Watcher Law 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