Latest news:

Silent Sea Point march for Gaza

Israel has blocked food from entering Gaza and killed more than 200 people at distribution points

By Matthew Hirsch

Several hundred people, mostly women, walked in silence along the Sea Point promenade on Saturday to show solidarity with people in Gaza.… Read more

Police torture in Mowbray – case document goes missing

Lawyers are reprimanded by magistrate

By Mary-Anne Gontsana/GroundUp

One of the three police officers on trial for assaulting a man during a raid at a Mowbray barbershop in 2023 intends to plead guilty to the charge of torture. However, proceedings could not continue at the Wynberg Regional Court on Thursday because the officer’s plea proposal had gone missing.… Read more

June gig guide

What’s on in Cape Town this month

Music

Under a marquee on the lawn outside the Gugulethu sports complex in 2005 or so, Simphiwe Dana held a crowd of about 1,000 adoring fans in thrall. Her debut album, Zandisile, had been out for less than a year, and everyone in the crowd knew every word of every song.… Read more

Mayor gives green light to controversial Bo-Kaap hotel

“Consensus” reached after exhaustive engagement process, says Geordin Hill-Lewis

Construction of a hotel on a vacant plot in the Bo-Kaap in Cape Town is to go ahead, but it will be three storeys lower than the original plan.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has confirmed the decision by the City of Cape Town’s Municipal Planning Tribunal to approve the development on Buitengracht Street.… Read more

Tafelberg housing plan revealed

Western Cape Government plans combination of social, affordable, and high-end housing units

The Western Cape Provincial Government has revealed its plans to build affordable and social housing at the long-contested Tafelberg site in Sea Point.

During a public meeting at the Life Conference Centre in Sea Point on Wednesday evening, three options were presented.… Read more

Hundreds mark Nakba Day at Castle of Good Hope

Pro-Palestine activists call for permanent ceasefire

The Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town was a sea of red, white, green and black on Sunday as hundreds of people gathered to commemorate the 77th anniversary of Nakba Day. The rally was organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).… Read more

Fury in Dunoon over City home demolition

Informal settlement residents have been replacing shacks with brick and mortar homes

By Peter Luhanga/GroundUp

Trouble flared up for the third day on Wednesday in Dunoon as protesters from Ezihagwini informal settlement vented their fury over the demolition of brick walls a resident had erected in an attempt to build a home.… Read more

Cape comedian guilty of hate speech

Thomas Torr refused to respond to complaint of antisemitism and threatened to kill judge’s registrar

By Tania Broughton/GroundUp

Thomas Leyland Torr, reportedly an aspiring comedian, has been found guilty of hate speech in the Equality Court, sitting in the Western Cape High Court.… Read more

Green Point land sale discussed

Not all in favour of affordable housing on site

The City’s intention to sell more than four hectares of prime land spanning Green Point and Sea Point was discussed at a public online meeting attended by about 100 people on Wednesday evening (7 May).… Read more

Yoliswa Dwane Lecture: the war on Palestinian children

“A nuclear power considers a sick baby to be a security concern.”

Israeli-born legal scholar Dr Noam Peleg gave this year’s Yoliswa Dwane Lecture on 6 May. The annual lecture is hosted by Equal Education and UCT’s Centre for Law and Society, in memory of activist and Equal Education co-founder Yoliswa Dwane who died of cancer in 2022.Read more