Activists welcome possible change of policy By Marecia Damons The City of Cape Town has identified parts of two golf courses as potential sites for housing. The move has been welcomed by housing activists. The public has until Sunday to comment on the City’s spatial development frameworks. Parts of the King David Mowbray Golf Course and Rondebosch Golf Course may be turned...

Counter campaign to City’s appeal launched by activists By Marecia Damons and James Stent Ndifuna Ukwazi has condemned the City of Cape Town for soliciting and encouraging the public to complain about homeless people. The City says it is entitled to request information from all of its citizens in order to assess the effect of “street people”. The call sent out suggested people...

Workers have until November 2021 to submit retrospective claims of the last 27 years By Masego Mafata Since November last year, the Compensation Fund covers domestic workers. The inclusion was applied retrospectively, to 1994. Domestic workers were given a year to lodge these claims. There are currently no claims recorded with the Compensation Fund from domestic workers. Unions says the Labour...

State makes its case in “Deadly Air” court drama By Liezl Human The second and final day of a court case about pollution on the Mpumalanga Highveld took place on Tuesday. The State argued that it has taken action against the Highveld pollution problem and a court order won’t help. The applicants responded that the State’s own study found its actions...

Court rules Home Affairs must provide monthly progress reports By Tariro Washinyira Western Cape High Court acting judge Alma de Wet has ordered the prompt re-opening of the Cape Town Refugee Reception Office, which has been closed since 2012. In an order handed down on Tuesday, Judge De Wet declared that the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) is in breach of a Supreme...

Informal reclaimers say the expansion of Pikitup into recycling will leave them without an income By Masego Mafata A project to integrate informal recyclers into city waste collection says it is under threat in Johannesburg. The African Reclaimers Organisation says plans to expand Pikitup operations to collect waste separated at source will take away from their livelihoods. The City plans to...

Dozens of farm workers complain of difficulties accessing UIF during Covid-19 lockdown By Liezl Human Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has promised that inspectors will soon be visiting farms where workers’ rights are being violated. He was responding to dozens of complaints by farm workers in the Western Cape attending an indaba. The event was hosted by Women on Farms. Labour department inspectors...

Organisations analysed letters denying LGBTI applicants refugee status By Tariro Washinyira A report released on Thursday by several civil society organisations has found evidence that LGBT refugees are being denied asylum in South Africa despite being “eligible for protection under international and domestic law”. The authors of the report surveyed denial letters for 67 asylum applicants who had applied for asylum on the basis of...

Occupants agree to be surveyed by City and legal team By Liezl Human The Western Cape High Court has granted an order which will allow occupiers of the former Woodstock hospital to be surveyed about their identities and to determine how many occupants are living there. Housing activist group Reclaim the City has said that this application by the City of Cape Town...

Fire victims say they are likely to spend a second night outside because they don’t have material to rebuild their homes By Nokulunga Majola A woman died and a teenager sustained serious injuries during a fire that destroyed 49 shacks at Marikana informal settlement in Cato Manor on Sunday. The families say they are unable to rebuild their homes and will...