GroundUp

But Fidelity says it is “confident that no existing laws prohibit or restrict” its private service

by Liezl Human

The recently launched private firefighting service by Fidelity ADT is “unlawful”, and no agreement is in place for it to operate in Cape Town, says the City’s Fire and Rescue Service.… Read more

Department of Public Works are to discuss alternative accommodation options with the City.

People living in the dilapidated state-owned building at 104 Darling Street remain in limbo as their urgent eviction case was once again postponed in June.

The building is owned by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, which is seeking to evict the residents, who number about 30.… Read more

Heritage body gives the go-ahead for the planned development, but funding is uncertain and informal settlement residents still need to be relocated

The development of social housing at Cape Town’s historic Salt River Market is a step closer to fruition after a required Heritage Impact Assessment was approved earlier this month.… Read more

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

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

“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

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

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

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