Cape Town’s flooded townships
Blankets and food needed in Cape Town’s flooded informal settlements June’s not over and already recorded rainfall far exceeds the month’s average GroundUp The amount of rain in Cape Town over the past few weeks is dramatically captured by the graph below published by the municipality, which shows the volume of the city’s major dams […]
Diep River occupiers won’t move
The City needs to provide acceptable alternative accommodation say people who have been occupying municipal land on the Diep River floodplain for three years Khayalethu Gazi, Buhle Mpande and Nontlantla Mdlekeza, are among the 358 families facing a consolidated eviction Peter Luhanga Formal notice to vacate the land they occupy was on 24 May served […]
New CEO for Atlantis’s green economy company
PETER LUHANGA The Atlantis Special Economic Zone Company dedicated to low carbon manufacturing – or green technology – has appointed Matthew Cullinan as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The company’s marketing coordinator, Hlumela Nama, stated Cullinan takes over from Dr Pierre Voges. Board chairman of the of the Atlantis Special Economic Zone Company (ASEZCo) Jo-Ann Johnson, […]
Swartland law enforcement demolish shacks on land earmarked for housing development
About 250 people attempted to occupy land reserved for the De Hoop housing development in Malmesbury Peter Luhanga On Sunday 26 March, 36-year-old Sabeleni Zimele bought zinc sheets and wood and erected a shack on vacant land in Lingelethu, Malmesbury. Other residents followed him. Some marked out and prepared plots to erect shacks later, while […]
From shack to stage – Dunoon writer and actor scoops awards
Zwelitsha informal settlement resident wins top awards at the Zabalaza Theatre Festival. His play based on little-known anti-apartheid activist will be developed and hopefully tour the country’s stages. Peter Luhanga A play about a little-known anti-apartheid activist has catapulted a Dunoon playwright from his informal settlement shack to the bright lights of the Baxter Theatre, […]
Residents upset at the relocation of Dunoon mobile police station
Mobile police station relocated without notice to a venue five kilometres outside the township Anita Khaile Dunoon residents are angered at the relocation of the mobile community police station from the taxi rank to the Dunoon community healthy centre, five kilometres outside the township, with no notice of the move provided. On 12 January this year police […]
Bail granted to 16 accused in scholar transport corruption case The accused have been charged with with 24 counts of fraud for embezzling R2,2m Investigation initially launched in 2007 Peter Luhanga Bail of R3,000 has been granted to 16 people, including officials in the Western Cape Education Department, who stand accused of stealing R2,2m from […]
Township developers do not have carte blanche, says Mayor, but City prepared to help
Mayor denies claims made in recent news article Upgrade of homes remain governed by the Municipal Planning By-law and related development approval processes State can no longer provide fully subsidised homes Peter Luhanga The City of Cape Town has disputed a Cape Argus report claiming mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis gave Dunoon homeowners permission to continue extending […]

Organisations unite to fight gender-based violence Women from Dunoon, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha and Atlantis march through Dunoon “We know what is happening,” say activists Peter Luhanga In an effort to combat gender-based violence and provide information to help victims, about 50 people – mostly women – marched from the Dunoon taxi rank to Parklands on Friday […]
Retired professional boxer shot dead
South African flyweight boxing contender Luthando “Local is lekker” Lekevana murdered outside his home in Joe Slovo Park. Staff Reporter Former South African flyweight boxing contender Luthando “Local is lekker” Lekevana, 46, was fatally shot at his home in Sikhova Street in Joe Slovo Park, Milnerton on Sunday 19 February. Lekevana, a professional boxer, rose to […]