Women on Farms march against evictions in the Western Cape 27 April 2022 | By Liezl Human Farm worker evictions are likely to spike with the end of the National State of Disaster, Women on Farms (WFP) has warned. WFP said when cases already on the court roll were processed, thousands of workers and their families would be evicted. About 100 women marched...

The agency says it’s waiting for Department of Social Development to finalise amended regulations By Marecia Damons SASSA will not be processing new R350 Covid Grant applications until the relevant regulations have been amended. The grant was introduced and distributed under the Disaster Management Act to provide relief to poor people and those left vulnerable due to the Covid pandemic. It...

We need a comprehensive approach to site and service schemes By Noah Schermbrucker, Mirjam van Donk and Jens Horber A drastic change to housing policy in South Africa is in the institutional pipeline. From a delivery model centred on subsidised houses, the state is to shift focus to site and service schemes. But there is very little clarity as to how this will work, and...

Human Rights Commission urges city to move away from ‘us and them’ mentality when it comes to homelessness By Marecia Damons A report by the Human Rights Commission into homelessness in Cape Town found a lack of ablution facilities, clean water and homeless shelters for families. The report follows the City’s amended by-law that provides for compliance notices to be issued...

Since lockdown asylum seekers and refugees have been denied crucial services By Tariro Washinyira Refugees and asylum seekers are facing a myriad of problems because Home Affairs has not provided crucial in-person services for two years. Despite a blanket extension of permits various government departments and private sector facilities are not accepting valid documents, not even some Home Affairs officers. There...

Marchers call for Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi to step down By Masego Mafata “We are frustrated and anxious. On the one side, the South African government has revoked the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP), on the other side there is this movement called Dudula. Our futures are really uncertain,” says Taurai Beans. Beans joined about 200 people marching from Pieter Roos...

The Socio-Economic Rights Institute says that Johannesburg’s Central Magistrate’s Court is often not applying the relevant laws By Masego Mafata The Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) has analysed 47 of the 65 evictions granted by the Johannesburg Central Magistrate’s Court from 2013 to 2018. Most of the cases were over non-payment of a monthly rental. In the vast majority...

The short answer "Voluntary donations" at no-fee schools are encouraged but not compulsory. he whole question Dear Athalie My child's school is charging R300 per learner for the security of the school. This is a no-fee school. Are they allowed to charge us for this? The long answer The South African Schools Act states that no public school in any quintile may charge any registration,...

Less money for public schools and health care, but tax breaks for corporates and individual taxpayers By Daniel McLaren, Zimbali Mncube, Cheryl-Lyn Selman and Lindi-K Khumalo As Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana delivered his maiden budget speech on 23 February 2022, protesters gathered outside Parliament demanding jobs, basic income, quality public services and wealth taxes as part of an alternative budget. These demands largely fell on deaf ears, as Godongwana’s budget...

An employer cannot interdict striking workers as a group if some of those on strike commit violence By Geoffrey Allsop The Constitutional Court has ruled that an employer cannot interdict striking workers as a group if some of those on strike commit violence To allow a broad interdict without proving that specific people in the group acted unlawfully would infringe on...