The Norms and Standards law compels the government to fix sanitation in schools. Last month, in the Bhisho High Court, Acting Judge Nomawabo Msizi fixed the unconstitutional loopholes in this law, which allowed Basic Education Minister Motshekga to indefinitely delay fulfilling this obligation. The judgment meant that government would be fully bound to meet the deadlines set in the law. Instead of immediately beginning to improve school infrastructure, Cyril Ramaphosa’s government is now wasting desperately needed State resources and time to appeal the judgment. They are joined in this farce by the nine Education MECs. In the wake of Judge Msizi’s positive judgment, on 31 July EE leaders wrote to President Ramaphosa about the need to move forward in efforts to decisively address the ongoing backlog of dangerous and inadequate infrastructure in South Africa’s schools. Critically, we explained to him that we tried to avoid recourse to the courts, and had reached out to Minister Motshekga as early as February 2014 to raise issues about the unconstitutional wording of the Norms and Standards. In addition to our letter to the President, we wrote directly to the DBE. Both letters were not responded to. But yet again, government chooses to dodge its constitutional, legal and moral duties to #FixOurSchools. The decision to appeal the school infrastructure judgment jeopardises the fight for quality teaching and learning, and the immediate safety of learners. It is an incomprehensible and unconscionable collective dereliction of duty. Government is unwilling to release school infrastructure improvement plans timeously, forcing us to lodge a Promotion of Access to Information (PAIA) application. The State missed its date to file with the Polokwane High Court, a plan to eliminate pit latrines in Limpopo, as required in the Komape case judgment, - instead it filed a last minute application to extend the deadline set by the High Court. The time for debating the lives of South Africa's children in court must end!

Just two months ago, four people aged between 12 and 28 were killed in Nyanga. Another person was hospitalised [1]. Murders like this are not rare in the township. In the last two years alone, the murder rate has increased, with one in 206 people killed every year [2]. In the police ministry budget tabled in May, the Minister of Police announced that the residents of Nyanga will have to wait until 2023 for construction of a second police station. This despite the fact that the one currently servicing the community is severely overstretched and doesn’t even have enough space for all its police officers. For years now, the people of Nyanga have lived in terror. The township is known as Mzansi’s murder capital. The Department of Police has for years ignored calls for a second station. But with support from amandla. mobi, the calls for the police station grew louder, and in October a piece of land to build a police station was identified [3]. But now the current Minister, Bheki Cele, has shown that he too is in no rush to move it forward. His own budget speech, but if enough of us take action this is our chance to get the Minister's attention and show him that the people of Nyanga, along with the amandla. mobi community are demanding that he takes action. [1] Four killed in Nyanga shooting, Shamiela Fisher for EyeWitness News. 4 April 2018. [2] Nyanga, Western Cape, has a murder rate of one in every 206 people, Tom Head for The South African. 26 October 2017. [3] Land near Nyanga identified for a new police station, Okuhle Hlati for Independent News. 27 October 2017.

Learners need LO in Gr 10-12 and many benefit a great deal from this vital subject. The Minister made the promise in 2015 that LO will not be scrapped, but strengthened. So don''t break this promise! The implications of taking out LO will mean that teachers will not specialise in LO at universities if it is a small subject that only goes to grade 9. It will mean the end of the subject. There are many great LO teachers who are devastated. Learners only take career ed seriously in Grades 11-12. LO teachers are heartbroken at the sad news of history usurping LO. This was not a democratic decision not were LO experts consulted. To pit one subject against the other is unwise. Instead, the Department can create a subject called which can include African history and herstory, African role models and Governance, Constitution, Voting, Human Rights, etc. LO topics are vital to learners in Grades 10-12, they give in-depth career education, sexuality education, create awareness on gender issues, improve study and exam writing skills, stress management, substance abuse, environmental protection and relationships, diversity and self-esteem enhancement. They also promote Indigenous Games. [1] Motshekga defends life orientation, The New Age. 15 Feb 2017.

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

Sex work is work, and right now sex workers are calling for solidarity to keep them safe by supporting the call for the full decriminalisation of adult sex work. Some in Parliament support this call and if enough of us make public submissions before the 26th February 2018, we could change the lives of sex workers. Like many other people, Nosipho uses her profession to support herself and her family, to further her studies, to save up for her future and to gain financial freedom and security [1]. But because sex work is criminalised in Mzansi, she and many others, face unsafe working conditions where they face corrupt police who want bribes or rape sex workers in exchange for not being arrested. https://www.youtube.com/embed/dg4l3X9rJHw?ecver=1 This video explains the 4 possible legal models for sex work and why South African sex workers want the full decriminalisation of sex work. Despite the overwhelming evidence showing the ongoing harm caused by criminalisation, the much anticipated sex work report by the South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) recommends that sex work remains a criminal offence [2]. Now, for the first time in decades, there's a real chance for change. Sex workers and women’s rights groups, like SWEAT and Sisonke, have loudly condemned the report. Parliament's Multi-Party Women's Caucus noted the flaws of the report [3] and the chairperson of the Caucus stressing that the full decriminalisation of sex work is the only model that respects the rights of sex workers [4]. In just a few days, the Women’s Caucus could help determine what the future looks like for people like Nosipho. If we don’t speak out against this horrendous report sex workers may be sent back into danger. There’s only a few days left to make submissions responding to the report. Make sure to send yours through by the 26th February 2018. [1], I am a sex worker: criminalising my work puts me in danger, Nosipho Vidima for GroundUp News, June 14, 2017. [2] Parliament's women's caucus to host sex work summit, Jeanette Chabalala for News24. Feb 9, 2018. [3] Sex work report on prostitution rejected, Nicola Daniels for Independent News. May 30, 2017. [4] Multi-Party Women's Caucus disappointed about law reform commission report on adult prostitution, Ms Masefele Story Morutoa. June 1, 2017.

#RhodesWar has been trending since Monday, 11 December, as the public became aware of two female students banned for life from UCKAR because they participated in anti-rape protests in April 2016. The outrageous treatment of student activists at UCKAR who are being systematically excluded and victimized for bringing attention to the failures of management to address the flagrant rape culture on that campus can not be tolerated. We must make sure that womxn activists are not punished for speaking out, taking action and challenging patriarchy in institutions of higher learning and elsewhere. Further this latest attack on student activists represents a wider trend where student leaders are being pushed out of universities for daring to challenge patriarchy, capitalism and calling for decolonised education. These limits placed on hard-won democratic freedoms like the right to protest must be challenged. We must fight for the students who risk everything to fight for us!

These issues we raise relate to the academic, physical and socio-economic well being of students. The university is mandated to work on achieving these goals. Your support is required to pressure the university to take decisive actions in ensuring it does so. The university must declare no increment, a revised timetable, its support for our cause, the provision of free WiFi and the accreditation of student accommodation. We can no longer allow UFS students to be exposed to these issues.

Although there may be wide and reasonable disagreements with respect to both the goals and tactics of the student movement for free, quality and decolonised education, as well as the goals and tactics of university managements, the securitisation of campuses can never be an effective way of resolving differences. Such securitisation can and has already has caused bodily harm and trauma to protestors, by-standers, academics, support staff and security personnel themselves, while further exacerbating fear and mistrust, thereby polarising positions and undermining academic freedom. It is unreasonable and unsafe to expect students, academic staff and support staff to continue the academic project under these conditions. Moreover, it is antithetical to the pursuit of a negotiated solution that will enable the completion of the academic year successfully. Academics and concerned persons, please sign the petition with your name and affiliation.

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.

Racism continues unabated in South Africa. Just recently, we heard of the coffin assault case, farmers 'mistaking' humans for monkeys and firing at them. If we are to put an end to racism, then we need to ensure that all race-related cases brought before the courts are dealt with the the contempt they deserve and that perpetrators are brought to book. With a history of oppression and racism, South Africa needs to send a strong message that such behaviour is frowned upon and will meet the full might of the law. The dou assaulted and threatened to kill a nine-year old girl. The girl is reported to have given a statement where she outlines what transpired. “While we were looking for our dogs, we saw white males. We then decided to hide in the trees, but the white males approached us. I ran; that’s when I fell and I saw one of the man carrying a big gun. He reached out and grabbed my arm,” the girl said in her statement. “And then the man slapped me with an open hand I fell to the ground. He then ordered me to jump the fence to go to the tree near the house. He then slapped me again with an open hand,” she added. Source: They shot at me as I ran away, says girl aged 9, Mathlatsi Dibakwane for Independent News. 13 September 2017.

Zwelakhe Dala passed away on 30 March 2015. His death certificate just states that he died of natural causes. He was 55 years old and was suffering from silicosis. Zwelakhe’s widow, Nosipho, is but one of hundreds of thousands of families who stand to benefit from the class action lawsuit brought against the likes of Anglo American, Gold Fields, AngloGold Ashanti, African Rainbow Minerals, Sibanye Gold and Harmony Gold. Zwelakhe is one of thousands of workers suffering from silicosis-related diseases. In May last year, the South Gauteng High Court ruled in favour of mine workers who intend on launching a silicosis class action. The case was granted a class action certification which will make it the largest class action ever to be certified in South Africa, allowing hundreds of thousands of gold miners and their families to seek redress against gold mining companies. Below is a summary of the facts pertaining to the settlement plan: Last year, the gold mining companies launched an appeal against the court decision to allow miners suffering from silicosis and TB to fight for compensation as a group. The High Court ruled on June 24, 2016, to allow workers and families who’ve been affected by Silicosis and TB to file a class action suit against gold companies. The biggest gold producers – African Rainbow Minerals, Anglo American SA, AngloGold Ashanti, Gold Fields, Harmony, and Sibanye – are trying to negotiate a settlement, involving the departments of Health and Mineral Resources and the mine workers’ representatives. This would involve setting up a trust fund to pay “top-ups” to workers who have already been paid compensation. It would also involve bringing mine workers under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) and the Department of Labour, instead of the Occupational Diseases in Mines and Works Act (ODIMWA) and the Department of Health. This would prevent any future civil claims by mineworkers for damages for employer negligence causing silicosis and TB. The mining companies’ choice to use appeals to delay any trial on the merits of the case for as long as possible while they manage a negotiation process away from judicial oversight is an underhanded move aimed at undermining its role, and shortchanging the claimants and their families. We have seen evidence of this in earlier settlements where 4 365 workers were paid a maximum of R464 million [1] by Anglo mines. When this figure is divided amongst the number of workers claiming it averages to a measly R106 300 per claimant. There is also a real possibility that not all claimants will be paid based on tests of a ­random sample. Just recently, Anglo American announced a $101m (R1.3bn) “best estimate” for settling its liability in the now 13-year-old legal battle to compensate mine workers suffering from lung diseases [2]. This also coincided with Gold Fields announcing its provision for a settlement amounting to $30.2m. We need to ensure that other gold mining companies implicated stop the delay tactics and pay mine workers compensation. [1] Silicosis claims: Anglo has to cough up nearly R500m, Dewald van Rensburg for News24. 6 March 2016. [2] Mines make room for silicosis settlements, Dewald van rensburg for News24. 30 July 2017.

There's a group of boys going around our streets in Atteridgeville with pitbulls in chains. These boys need to be stopped ASAP. Just last week a child was brutally bitten by one of their dogs. Though I'm not sure if the incident is tied to these boys but I highly suspect it's them. A few months back they were seen in Ramushu street setting their dogs to fight one of the neighborhood's small dogs. The dog annihilated the small dog and the puppy died on the spot with bloody guts all over the place. The boys ran off after the incident. The Animal Matters Amendment Act, 1993 (Act 42 of 1993) among others, provides that a court may make certain directions in respect of injuries caused by animals. Any person as a result of whose negligence an animal causes injury to another person, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding two years. A court convicting a person may make an order regarding the removal, custody, disposal or destruction of the relevant animal and the recovery of any costs incurred. As stated above, the owner of the dog is liable for compensating the victim for medical expenses, wage losses, pain and trauma suffered due to the injury. Medical expenses may include, but are not limited to: emergency medicine, plastic surgery, orthopedic surgery, hospital stay, antibiotics, X-Rays, CAT scans, physiotherapy and psychotherapy. South African laws states that dogs must be leashed unless confined in its home. If the dog was off the leash at the time of the attack, or was not compliant with the laws, the owner may be required to pay a higher penalty. Someone needs to stop these boys. They think they're in a rap video or something and putting our little brothers\sisters\sons\daughters in danger because once that dog grabs a small person, it doesn't let go till the person stops moving. This is something owners often train dogs to do. We need to create awareness about this and stop these boys ASAP. If you stay around Atteridgeville please share this and get the word out. It could be your family member that falls victim to their beasts.