Judge refuses to grant access to documents By John Yeld Cape High Court Judge Judith Cloete dismissed with costs a discovery application brought by three of six defendants ahead of a defamation case totalling R9.25m. The six are being sued by Australian mineral sands mining company Mineral Commodities Ltd (MRC); its executive chairman, venture capitalist Mark Caruso; MRC’s South African subsidiary Mineral Sands...

But some mines will continue to fight class action suit By Ciaran Ryan Lawyers for thousands of gold miners afflicted by silicosis or tuberculosis lined up on the side of six mining groups this week to ask the Gauteng High Court to approve a R5 billion settlement agreement. The agreement provides for the payment of benefits worth R5 billion to mineworkers and the...

SLAPP suit adversaries to fight it out in Cape High Court  By John Yeld South Africa’s hard-won constitutional rights to freedom of expression and of legitimate political protest are under mounting pressure from both the state and private companies, and the courts are being increasingly used in this form of “lawfare” to stifle criticism and dissent. This was emphasised on Tuesday at the...

Health department says it’s the law, but human rights lawyer disputes this By Tariro Washinyira Robertson Hospital confiscated the passport of a 25-year-old Zimbabwean woman on 19 May after she went there to seek treatment. Chiedza* said that on the first day she sought treatment she was handed her hospital file without any questions. But when she returned for a follow-up she was...

“We want to have our own piece of land so that we can do something for ourselves like growing gardens or sheep farming” By Zoë Postman On Friday morning about 100 people, mostly farm workers from various provinces, marched from Pieter Roos Park to the Constitutional Court in Braamfontein to demand better living and working conditions for farm workers. The group also called...

Amadiba activist sued for R7.5 million By John Yeld Controversial Australian venture capitalist Mark Caruso and one of his mining companies want to add four more claims totalling R2 million to their defamation case against South African social worker, writer and human rights activist John GI Clarke. Clarke has been involved with Amadiba community members who are strongly resisting mining of the titanium-rich...

Durban mayor Zandile Gumede and her cronies present accumulating private wealth from the public purse as “radical economic transformation”. But corruption charges against the mayor could bring positive change for shack dwellers, street traders and flat dwellers – those most opposed to her. By Greg Ardé The arrest of Zandile Gumede, the mayor of the eThekwini Municipality, has shifted national attention...

Two decades later, District Six claimants still have no idea when they’re going to receive restitution By Kristine Liao The Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform has promised, once again, to deliver a finalised District Six redevelopment plan in three months. The Minister, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane was ordered last year to provide a plan by February this year. She missed this original three-month...

Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane has been taken to court after government failed to alert the public about its plan to weaken South Africa’s SO₂ emission standard. By Tony Carnie More than seven million people die prematurely every year at the hands of a silent, global killer. Often invisible, the World Health Organisation has fingered the culprit as the increasing volume...

Department has to process 150,000 appeals By Zoë Postman The Department of Home Affairs has approached the United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) to help it clear the 150,000 backlog of refugee status appeals, according to Director of Asylum Seekers, Mandla Madumisa. Madumisa was speaking at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on Thursday. The SAHRC subpoenaed Acting Director General of...