In 2017 Akhona Matyeni* a matric learner from rural Umthatha, lost her life to an illegal abortion. Akhona bled to death after taking what she knew to be abortion pills, purchased for R200 from an unknown man who's phone number she had found on a poster on the streets of Umthatha. Akhona did not know that she could access a safe, legal abortion for free at a government hospital or clinic she was just desperate to ensure that nothing came between her and obtaining an education. According to the World Health Organization up to 13% of deaths among pregnant women can be attributed to unsafe abortions. Despite the fact that abortion is legal in South Africa, it is estimated that between 52% and 58% of the estimated 260 000 abortions that take place in the country every year are illegal [1]. By South African law a legal abortion can only be performed by a midwife, a registered nurse trained for the procedure, a general practitioner or a gynecologist. Many South African women and girls remain unaware of the law and the services they are entitled to. A 2005 study published in the International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics reveals that, in a sample of 50 South African women who had terminated pregnancies illegally/outside of designated facilities. Over 50% admitted they had done so because they "did not know the law". A further 15% said they knew their rights but they did not know where to access safe, legal abortions [2]. Access to safe abortions saves women's lives everyday. A lack of information shouldn't stand in the way of that. In South Africa poor provision of adequate information remains one of the main barriers for women who seek safe, legal abortions. As things stand it is much easier for women to access information on unsafe, illegal abortions than it is to access information on the free safe, legal abortions that our government is constitutionally obligated to provide. In 2017 Amnesty International reported that less than 7% of South Africa's 3 880 public health facilities perform termination of pregnancy. This is a figure that is far less than the 505 medical facilities that the Department of Health claims to have designated to perform termination of pregnancy across South Africa [3]. This indicates that beyond the issue of the lack of available information on safe, legal abortion facilities, there is the issue of the Department of Health itself not having accurate information on the functionality of its own facilities. An investigation into the functionality of existing facilities is imperative for us to ascertain exactly how many facilities are available and what their capacity is. A national online abortion database will ensure that every woman has direct access to information on where and how they can access a free safe, legal abortion. These interventions will save lives by drastically decreasing the number of illegal abortions taking place in our country and putting an end to the desperation that forces women to undergo unsafe, illegal abortions. We call on the public to take a stand and put pressure on our government to make these important interventions in order to save the lives of women who are turning to unsafe, illegal abortions everyday because of a lack of information. We call on you to stand with us as we demand reproductive justice for all! *Not her real name SOURCES [1] SAnews. (2018). SA's illegal abortion rate alarmingly high. [online] Available at: https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/sas-illegal-abortion-rate-alarmingly-high [Accessed 6 Sep. 2018]. [2] Tshangela, L. (2018). Only 40% of public clinics provide abortions: Study - [online] SABC News - Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa's news leader. Available at: http://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/only-40-of-public-clinics-provide-abortions-study/ [Accessed 5 Sep. 2018]. [3] Dyk, J. (2018). When there was no list of free abortion clinics, we made our own. Here's how.. [online] Bhekisisa. Available at: https://bhekisisa.org/article/2017-11-10-00-mind-the-gap-only-5-of-health-facilities-offer-abortions-heres-how-to-find-them [Accessed 6 Sep. 2018].

#DataMustFall got ICASA, the communications regulator, to introduce new rules that stop networks from chowing airtime when your bundle runs out, and making your data expire. But 24 hours before networks had to implement ICASA’s the new rules, Cell C made an urgent application to the court to stop the new ICASA regulations. MTN has joined Cell C in this action. ICASA has pushed back [1], but needs our help in creating public pressure to save millions of Mzansi’s people who continue to be pick pocketed by networks. Will you call on MTN to drop the legal action and comply with ICASA’s regulations? Recently, MTN announced a 200% data price increase [2]. It is hardly surprising that MTN are stalling the ICASA regulations given share prices have dropped by 53% over three years [3] They are trying to use the poor to maintain their profit margins and make returns for their shareholders. We know that MTN are merely stalling the regulations with this legal action- and we can beat them. Already, thousands of people across Mzansi joined the #DataMustFall campaign, and made submissions to ICASA on how these ridiculously high data prices affect them. Our actions resulted in regulations that will allow us to carry over unused data and not be charged high out-of-bundle rates without consent. With each month that passes without these regulations coming into effect, more money is robbed from our pockets. If we apply enough pressure on MTN as its customers, we could force them to back off this legal action and comply with the ICASA regulations. By emailing the CEO of MTN about his network’s actions, we will expose them to public scrutiny, creating a public backlash that could force them to drop their legal action. Will you sign? [1] ICASA Notes Cell C's Urgent Application To Review The Eussc Regulations. 7 June 2018. [2] Fans ready to cancel MTN after 200% data bundle price increase, Kyle Zeeman for TshisaLive. 17 July 2018. [3] SA telecoms shares come tumbling down, Tech Central. 27 June 2018.

#DataMustFall got ICASA, the communications regulator, to introduce new rules that stop networks from chowing airtime when your bundle runs out, and making your data expire. But 24 hours before networks had to implement ICASA’s the new rules, Cell C made an urgent application to the court to stop the new ICASA regulations just hours before they were meant to be implemented. MTN and Telkom have joined Cell C in this action. ICASA has pushed back [1], but needs our help in creating public pressure to save millions of Mzansi’s people who continue to be ripped off with high data prices. While it doesn’t appear that Vodacom have joined MTN, Cell C and Telkom in taking legal action against ICASA over the regulations, they are benefiting from the regulations being delayed. Let’s demand Vodacom show leadership and implement the regulations. Will you call on Vodacom to immediately comply with ICASA’s regulations? The people of Mzansi voiced how they were affected by high data costs charged by the likes of Vodacom and other service providers. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), after public hearings, published End-User and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations which were meant to come into effect on 8 June 2018, relieving the enormous data costs we all face. It's not surprising networks want to undermine ICASA so our Data Must Fall campaign isn't successful. They have a lot to lose should the regulations be implemented. Last year, Vodacom reported that they make R2 billion per month from data alone [2]. Research shows that low income consumers are paying disproportionately high charges, and are not seeing benefits of competition in comparison to high income consumers who are able to buy larger quantities of data [3]. [1] ICASA Notes Cell C's Urgent Application To Review The Eussc Regulations. 7 June 2018. [2] Vodacom now makes R2 billion per month from data, My Broadband. Jan 31, 2018. [3] Izolo: mobile diaries of the less connected, Research report by Making All Voices Count. 20 Nov 2017. [4] MTN, Vodacom charging up to 2 639% more for out-of-bundle data - report, Kyle Venktess for Fin24. 12 march 2018.

#DataMustFall got ICASA, the communications regulator, to introduce new rules that stop networks from chowing airtime when your bundle runs out, and making your data expire. But 24 hours before networks had to implement ICASA’s the new rules, Cell C made an urgent application to the court to stop the new ICASA regulations just hours before they were meant to be implemented, them. Now, MTN has joined Cell C in this action. ICASA has pushed back [1], but needs our help to save millions of Mzansi’s people who continue to be ripped off with high data prices. We know that Cell C are merely stalling the regulations, and our savings, with this court action - and we can beat them. Already, thousands of people across Mzansi joined the #DataMustFall campaign, and made submissions to ICASA on how these ridiculously high data prices affect them. Our actions resulted in regulations that will allow us to carry over unused data and not be charged high out-of-bundle rates without consent. If Cell C [2] get their way, it could be a huge setback for our campaign to bring the cost of data down. ICASA is defending the regulations in court, but the networks could drag this matter out to ensure the regulations are never implemented. Already they have blocked ICASA’s ability to penalise networks for not complying with the regulations. Each month that passes without these regulations coming into effect, more money is robbed from our pockets. If we apply enough pressure on Cell C as customers, we could force them to back off this legal action and comply with the ICASA regulations. By emailing the CEO of Cell C about his network’s actions, we will expose them to scrutiny, creating a public backlash that could force them to drop their legal action. Will you sign? [1] ICASA Notes Cell C's Urgent Application To Review The Eussc Regulations. 7 June 2018. [2] Cellphone networks gear up for legal battle over Icasa data ruling, Cape Talk. 6 July 2018.

#DataMustFall got ICASA, the communications regulator, to introduce new rules that stop networks from chowing airtime when your bundle runs out, and making your data expire. But 24 hours before networks had to implement ICASA’s the new rules, Cell C made an urgent application to the court to stop the new ICASA regulations just hours before they were meant to be implemented, them. Telkom has also taken legal action. ICASA has pushed back [1], but needs our help in creating public pressure to save millions of Mzansi’s people who continue to be ripped off with high data prices. The people of Mzansi voiced how they were affected by high data costs charged by the likes of Telkom and other service providers. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), after public hearings, published End-User and Subscriber Service Charter Regulations which were meant to come into effect on 8 June 2018, relieving the enormous data costs we all face. Telkom said they welcome ICASA’s position on the need for fairness in business practice around data pricing and the expiry of data bundles [2]. And we need to make sure that they remain true to their word. Research shows that low income consumers are paying disproportionately high charges, and are not seeing benefits of competition in comparison to high income consumers who are able to buy larger quantities of data [3]. [1] ICASA Notes Cell C's Urgent Application To Review The Eussc Regulations. 7 June 2018. [2] New data rules: MTN‚ Vodacom‚ Cell C and Telkom respond, Adiel Ismail for Fin24. 29 April 2018. [3] Izolo: mobile diaries of the less connected, Research report by Making All Voices Count. 20 Nov 2017. [4] MTN, Vodacom charging up to 2 639% more for out-of-bundle data - report, Kyle Venktess for Fin24. 12 march 2018.

DUT staff moral is at its lowest because of the failure by management and the council to resolve this matter in a timely and respectful manner. Staff also deserve a decent salary for their living, it is a violation of their rights when they are ignored by the Vice Chancellor, management and the Council as well. This frustrates staff, and as a result they are withholding their labour and the whole university is badly affected. We want our kids to study and we want staff that will attend to our student needs in a manner that truly affirms that DUT is a student centred university of which right now is not the case. The strike is affecting students in so many ways. One of the students, Sphamandla Gumede, when interviewed by Independent News said, "it makes me very angry. At home they don’t understand why we haven’t started studying. They are thinking I am coming to university to just waste money." https://www.iol.co.za/dailynews/dut-strike-leaves-students-despondent-13300671

The Minister of Finance is schedule to table the medium-term budget on Wednesday, 25 October 2017. This is an opportune moment for government to announce a favorable stance in response to demands made by Fees Must Fall. The "no-fee varsity" report, which the amandla.mobi community successfully mobilised for it to be made public, set out 12 recommendations showing how free university education for students from low income households can be provided. These recommendations have not yet been implemented. Just last week, President Zuma reshuffled his Cabinet and removed Dr Blade Nzimande as Minister of Higher Education. This is a critical time for the report to be released and to allow all stakeholders to engage with its contents. Join the campaign to demand President Jacob G. Zuma, immediately releases the Fees Commission report to the public.

The comments made by Tumi are her reflection and interpretation of the structural effects of colonialism and apartheid that continue to plague majority of South Africans to this day. As post-apartheid South Africans that are interested in inclusivity and unity, we believe healing will truly happen when we acknowledge past wrongs, own up to the wrongs through restitutive justice, and actively support initiatives that seek to heal and unite us. The current social media onslaught, and the initiatives led by Afriforum and Solidarity to alienate and have Tumi Morake removed from the breakfast show, amongst other things, are not in the spirit of nation building and do not comprehend the spirit under which her comments were made. We petition Jacaranda FM and its shareholders to stand up for the ideals on which the new South Africa is built on which are progressive and inclusive thinking.

The proclamation, which has been ready since May, will enable the interim board to begin to unpack the extent of fraud, irregularities, and wasteful, fruitless expenditure at the SABC. The SIU investigation is a critical component in the process of restoring the SABC, holding wrongdoers accountable and recovering monies due to the public broadcaster. According to the ad hoc committee report [1] on the inquiry of the SABC released in February this year, the SABC has deviated from its mandate as the public broadcaster. During his tenure as the SABC’s GCOO, Hlaudi Motsoeneng flouted several governance rules, codes and laws, including judgments from the courts and ICASA. Hlaudi’s mismanagement and abuse of power has resulted in a public broadcaster that is financially unsustainable and has compromised the editorial integrity of the SABC. Furthermore, in 2013 the SABC and MultiChoice signed a R533m contract to give the pay-TV company the right to air two of the public broadcaster’s channels. In December 2016, it was revealed that, after the deal was contract in 2014, the SABC’s Hlaudi Motsoeneng scored an alleged R33m bonus, R11.4m of which he has already been paid [2]. As it stands, the interim board only has two months left before the end of its tenure, and this SIU investigation is central to the work that it has been commissioned to do. It is unacceptable that at this stage in the process, the President still hasn’t signed the proclamation. The need for a reliable and accurate public broadcaster cannot be overstated in a country like South Africa, where a substantial number of people receive their information primarily through the broadcast media. This means that broadcast news may be the only media which is accessible for the majority of South Africans. A dysfunctional SABC, therefore, prevents us from truly protecting and enhancing the fundamental rights of all citizens to freedom of information. * http://www.soscoalition.org.za/media-release-mr-president-just-sign-the-proclamation/ [1] https://pmg.org.za/page/https://pmg.org.za/tabled-committee-report/2898?via=homepage-feature-card [2] SABC, Multichoice deal must be probed - leaked Parliamentary inquiry document, Thulani Gqirana for News24. 18 January 2017.

We need to send a message to Minister of State Security David Mahlobo: #HandsOffSocialMedia State Security Minister David Mahlobo has stated that government is considering regulations for social media, with the aim of dealing with “fake news” and “false narratives”. [1] That is exactly what the new Cybercrimes and Cybersecurity Bill wants to do. [2] The Bill will make 'malicious communications' a crime, including publishing anything which is 'inherently false' - but who decides what is false or not? Social media platforms are the place that millions of South Africans come to access and share information freely. This is where we exercise our freedom of expression. It’s a vital part of democracy. The Minister of State Security cannot be given the power decide what news is “fake” and which narratives are “false” —democracy is about citizens exercising their own judgement and deciding for themselves! In fact, we have seen across the world that governments that try to “regulate” social media in the name of “national security” has led directly to internet censorship and a clampdown on freedom of expression [3] . In the last year alone these include Brazil, China, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. We will not let Mzansi go the same way! Citizens have spoken: #HandsOffSocialMedia! No spooks regulating the internet! LINKS: [1] http://www.r2k.org.za/2017/03/07/state-security-hands-off-the-internet-no-to-spooks-regulating-social-media/ [2] http://www.groundup.org.za/article/cybercrimes-bill-threatens-our-freedom/ [3] http://www.r2k.org.za/2017/03/07/state-security-hands-off-the-internet-no-to-spooks-regulating-social-media/

We can't get jobs because we lack experience, we are suffering.

The information, particularly about Coloured people in South Africa is defamatory and racist. The information is ill informed and dangerous in creating assumptions about millions of South Africans. The publisher Paula Marais has taken no responsibility for the chapter by saying other people wrote it and it was verified by people of "that" culture, further exposing her attitude towards accountability.