South African poor, black women are the face of health inequity [1].  Go to any public healthcare facility around the country's townships and you're likely to find snaking queues characterized by grant earners who are mainly there for their newborns, ailing or child immunization visits, or their own family planning services. This, unfortunately, happens on a daily. I should know because I am one of those women.    When my daughter was born on a cold June midday twelve months ago, I was immediately advised to take her to my nearest clinic for her three day's checkup. When I got there, the sister who had examined us then informed me that from then on, I would have to make use of the mobile clinic which operated around the area of Mailula Park in Vosloorus every Mondays and Thursdays. It was a relief to know that I wouldn't have to wake up in the wee hours of the morning, prepare myself and my newborn to brave the snaking queues every time just for her to get immunized. With the mobile clinic which always arrived at 10 O'clock on Thursday mornings, as per my day of preference, I would get there at the same time and got serviced without any hassles. However, with the main polyclinic, it was almost mandatory that parents bringing their children should get there before 8 O'clock or risk getting their heads bitten off by grumpy staff workers who didn't want to have to work overtime, understandably so.   The mobile clinic was a welcomed convenience, particularly for those women who lived in the informal settlement of Extension 20, that is far away from poly clinic as that meant that they no longer had to travel, either using money that they don't have for taxi fare, or by walking that long distance with sick children on their backs. However, when I took my baby for her nine month's immunization to the mobile clinic one March Thursday morning, I was shocked to find that I was the only one there with absolutely no queue in sight. A nearby neighbour eventually informed me that the service had been discontinued since January, apparently due to shortage of staff. I found it rather bizarre that that could've been an acceptable reason as it was just in September of 2018 that informal settlements that are not within 3 - 5 km radius from an established clinic around the city were promised to receive healthcare at a step closer through an additional 14 mobile clinics [2]. At my child's recent twelve month's immunization visit, I arrived at poly shortly after 7 O'clock to avoid her picking up germs by staying in the clinic longer than necessary while waiting to get serviced. Needless to say that that was a pointless exercise as not only was I beaten to the front of the queue, but there were scores of mothers who had brought their newborns to their three day's checkup, who arrived after me and had to be placed at the front of the queue as per the clinic's rule. No mother would have any problem with that as we had all been there before and appreciated the Ubuntu. In fact, it had already clocked 11am when one frail looking new mom came in and sat next to me at the reception where I was still waiting to get registered. I told her she didn't have to queue for the three day's checkup, to which she replied and said that she was already denied that privilege as she only arrived then and not before 8 O'clock. I could tell she had not slept a wink and was immediately reminded of my first 72 hours with a colicky infant. I felt it was unacceptable that she was expected to wait about four hours like I just had, just for herself and newborn to get examined. In summary, I asked those who came after me if she could at least be placed in front of us. I left the clinic two hours later, which makes it a total of six hours, with a flu infected child.    The World Health Organisation stated that any reform in primary healthcare represents a single great opportunity for the improvement of the lives of people and performance of the healthcare system as a whole [3]. Therefore, the convenience to basic healthcare services is not a privilege, it is a human right. Act now and let us remind the City of Ekurhuleni Municipality of the promise that they made in making basic healthcare services accessible to the poor. Sign this petition below.   [1] https://aho.org/news/south-african-poor-black-women-are-the-face-of-health-inequity    [2] https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/additional-mobile-clinics-ekurhuleni    [3] https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/new-mobile-clinics-enhance-school-health-programme-and-access-people-informal 

For years, there have been reports by community members that the staff at the Bez valley clinic have been abusing their powers as healthcare professionals. They have been engaging in unacceptable and criminal behaviour of medical xenophobia. This issue of medical xenophobia is pressing and very problematic. Most undocumented foreign national patients have reported on various platforms that they have been denied their rights to healthcare and are often subjected to xenophobic comments from the staff. As the community we need to make sure that this message is very loud and clear; what is happening at our clinic is against the law. Undocumented individuals have the right to access various healthcare services, these include free access to contraception, HIV/Aids treatment and other basic needs; when it comes to hospital treatment and emergency healthcare these have to be paid for [1]. The criminal behaviour of turning away pregnant undocumented foreign nationals needs to be thoroughly investigated. The laws in South African are very clear and the clinic needs to abide by these laws.    Numerous reports have also surfaced on social media platforms where community members have documented how the staff is rude to patients and fail to provide service delivery. The clinic has been documented, repeatedly closing earlier than the scheduled hours; the gates remain open however when you get to the security or the admin section; you will be told that no patient will be assisted after 11 AM. This has also been placing an extreme strain on other clinics around Bez valley, patients end up going to Bedfordview clinic, Hillbrow clinic and Jeppe clinic.   On the Facebook group called “The Bez valley Community”; multiple users have submitted posts and videos of evidence where they are being discriminated upon. When these videos are posted they amount massive views and comments from the community members, where different users document their ill experiences at the clinic.  In one video, a user called S. Tshuma provides evidence where one of the nurses has instructed the staff not to attend to anyone that comes after 11am. The mother seen in this video is in distress because her child needs emergency assistance, but she had to be turned away because according to the clinic one cannot have an emergency after 11 AM [2].    On the 17th of October 2023, there was another post by L. Tlhageng, where he asked community members to detail their experiences at the clinic. Going through the comment section, it was evident that the majority of the community were expressing the dissatisfaction with the clinic and the main issues was medical xenophobia and the utter disrespect and disregard of their basic healthcare rights. In another video; one of the nurses can be seen shouting abuse at patients that were in the waiting area and telling them that she doesn’t care even if they take the video.   What is happening at our beloved Bez valley clinic is against the law. The Constitution states that all people in South Africa, regardless of status or nationality, have the right to have access to health care services, and that ‘no one’ may be refused emergency medical treatment [4].    As a community member you have the power to stop these xenophobic and discriminatory acts! We need to act now! We need to rise, come together and stand up for our rights and make sure that the Bez valley Clinic Manager takes proper urgent decisive action. References: [1] Migrants & Refugees: Health access; www.scalabrini.co.za.  [2] S. Tshuma,  https://www.facebook.com/reel/645461107742183 [3] https://www.facebook.com/groups/160190411141/search/?q=fikile) [4] Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. By: Nomzamo Ngcobo

Exploitation should have no place in a democratic South Africa. When a reputable organization like the IEC exploits its workers, what kind of standard is it setting for the nation? "I was employed as a Counting Officer during the recent election. My shift began at 6 PM on election day. Upon arrival, I was immediately thrust into a grueling situation: the electoral staff who had been working since before 6 AM were exhausted, understaffed, and hadn't eaten or taken a proper break. Despite the dire conditions, I worked tirelessly until around 11 PM when voting was concluded, then started counting. The hall where we worked was freezing, forcing most of us to drink warm water just to stay warm because we had no coffee or tea. By 7 AM, we were ravenous. We continued to work on empty stomachs until 1 PM the next day, they did not even arrange breakfast for us. Just like most of the young people who worked during the election, I am a 32-year-old single mother of two, with a Bachelor’s degree and currently pursuing a Postgraduate Diploma with UNISA. My CV is rich with years of experience because, like my colleagues, I seize every job opportunity that comes my way. I just haven't found anything permanent.  To take this job, I had to borrow money for transportation and pay a childminder to look after my kids. When I received the pay notification, I broke down in tears. How am I supposed to repay the people I owe? On top of that, I caught a cold from the prolonged exposure to the harsh environment and lack of sleep. I applied for this job through their online recruitment system and had no contact other than with my manager. Since then, I have been calling all their HR offices and Payroll, only to be constantly referred to the next person, with no resolution in sight. We deserve to be paid for the hard work we put in. Please, pay us the money we earned through our dedication and sacrifice"  It is important to note that we are aware of the underfunding currently plaguing the IEC and other state entities but this should not mean that they should treat workers unfairly. It is not enough to simply dismiss workers by saying they did not sign a register as a reason they still haven't been paid. We live in a country with a high unemployment rate, the IEC as an organisation which values integrity and accountability should serve as an example in how their treat their workers.  References [1]  IEC staff frustrated over delayed and insufficient election payments.  https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/news/iec-staff-frustrated-over-delayed-and-insufficient-election-payments-20240613

Every South African is affected by an ECD | Grade R Teacher one way or the other; in a positive way of Education. These Practitioners | Teachers are very important and critical to the upbringing and grooming of our children with special skills imparted on infants at a preparatory stage, in which is a critical state in the life of a human being. We always ask a similar question: “Why are teachers underpaid and with less benefits while they produce all careers such as Medical Doctors, Lawyers, Social Workers, Police, Public Servants, Surgeons, Scientists, Corporate Business, Politicians, and more. It is well known that public servants such as teachers; must be well taken by the government after adhering pension. But it is not the case with the Grade R Teachers; the Ministry of Education is alleged to recompense or pay all pension teachers a once off payment for only two years of all the years they worked and without a government pension contribution. Justice for Workers and South African Early Childhood Development Teachers Union (SAECDTU) asks for your partnership and solidarity in this noble and matter of National Interest. We cannot allow the government’s maladministration and day-light robbery of hard earned monies of trusted servants (Teachers) who are responsible to care for our children on a daily basis for at least 8-12 hours. I have signed this petition already; join thousands of South Africans who advocates for justice. 

In South Africa, confusing and overly technical nutritional information is buried at the back of the tins, boxes, and bottles we buy at the store. But Front-Of-Pack Warning Labels would provide consumers with easy-to-understand information so we know what products are high in sugar, salt, fat, and added sweetener. Knowing what is in our food could help reduce diseases like type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure, which can lead to stroke or heart disease [1]. Some big businesses will do anything to protect their profits, even if it hurts our health. Cigarette companies have tried to stop government warning labels on their products, and already some big food businesses have been finding ways to lobby the health department behind closed doors [2]. We can’t afford any more delays. It’s been 10 years since the Health Department proposed new labelling regulations [3], but according to Daily Maverick, these regulations were “... shot down internally for reasons that remain obscure, according to a former health Department employee” [4]. References [1] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X(16)30113-9/fulltext  [2] Here’s why you should care about the food industry lobbying the health department behind closed doors, By Laura López González for Daily Maverick, 08 February, 2023 [3] Regulations: Labelling and advertising of foods: Amendment, Department of Health, 29 May 2014 [4] R3337 food labelling regulation changes delayed as health department drags feet in review process, By Adèle Sulcas for Daily Maverick, 16 February 2024

We have to act now, POWA urgently needs our help. If enough of us come together, we can force President Ramaphosa and Premier Lesufi to act. The team at POWA are doing everything they can, but they need our help. GBVF is a priority in South Africa and a serious social ill that affects women and children. Our President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa declared GBFV as a national pandemic. POWA provides critical services that help victims and survivors. Cutting funding undermines victims.  “While we wait, women continue to die at the hands of men!” - POWA's executive director, Thoko Budaza.

It is not right that the Department pays us below what the country's National Minimum Wage is. This is exploitative and impacts on us very negatively as we also have groceries and home expenses to pay for ourselves and our families. The service we provide is very important and our role as workers should be acknowledged and we should be given the respect we deserve like all the other staff members at the school" - An affected food handler, slightly edited for clarity and brevity. The Labour Research Service (LRS) put together this video to show the struggles food handlers face. Watch here it here: https://youtu.be/PBtWU-lVSdk?t=51 * Volunteer food handlers are employed under the Social Sector arm of the Expanded Public Work Programme (EPWP) for the School Nutrition Programme, where community members are identified and employed to cook and feed over 9 million learners in schools, thereby addressing malnutrition. According to the National Minimum Wage signed into law in 2024, the national minimum wage has been set at R27,58 per hour, while those employed under EPWP are only entitled to a minimum wage of R15,16 per hour. These rates have been adjusted for 2025 with the increase to be effected from 1 March 2025. The adjusted rates are as follows R28,79 per hour for the National Minimum Wage and EPWP is set at R15,83 per hour. References [1] Minimum Wage Increase in March 2025. LabourWise. 4 February 2025.  https://tinyurl.com/4kw9v56t

We live in a country where women are abused on a daily. “As of the 2022/2023 fiscal year, almost 53,900 South Africans reported being a victim of a sexual crime. Of those, around 80 percent registered being raped, while close to 7,600 South Africans disclosed being sexually assaulted [2].  ”On average, 75 people were killed every day over the last year the ability of the police to solve murders has dropped by 50% since 2012 . They were able to solve around 31% of dockets in 2012 and then they were only able solve 14.5% of murders last year. So, 85% of the more than 27 000 murders reported last year were not solved" [3]. The importance of keeping the alleged perpetrators is to ensure safety of women and children in our communities. We need to put a stop to these violent behaviours that have become a norm in our communities. It has been evident in the previous years that our justice systems are failing to solve about 80% of the cases [4]. The community needs to stand up and take action for justice and for a much safer environment for our children and women. If we do not act on this now, there will be a lot more unresolved problems, there will always be murders of women and children and perpetrators will always run freely in the community. Gender based violence must come to an end. We would hate to see what happened to Relebohile to happen to another girl child. That is why we are standing up, we don’t want another victim! References  [1] https://www.citizen.co.za/sedibeng-ster/news/2024/03/12/relebohiles-19-brutal-killing-sparks-outrage/ [2] https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/analysis/2023-09-18-saps-bungle-farm-murder-cases-as-much-as-other-killings/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBasically%2C%20the%20ability%20of%20the,not%20solved%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said. [3] https://mg.co.za/thought-leader/analysis/2023-09-18-saps-bungle-farm-murder-cases-as-much-as-other-killings/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CBasically%2C%20the%20ability%20of%20the,not%20solved%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20said [4] https://www.dfa.co.za/south-african-news/action-society-laments-completely-unacceptable-unsolved-crime-rate-45bfd8fb-e5e6-4b7b-ac7f-47f4ba6711bd/#:~:text=In%20a%20statement%20on%20Monday,in%20South%20Africa%20go%20unsolved

1. Hate Speech, incited by political parties is prevalent in South Africa and it fuels xenophobia in communities despite the IEC Code of Conduct forbidding such acts. 2. The Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill protects all people in South Africa against hate crimes and hate speech, particularly those based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other form of discrimination. 3. No political parties, their agencies or candidates should scapegoat migrants for their failures for service delivery in an attempt to rally public votes. 4. Hatred, racial discrimination, racism and other intolerances by any members of the political parties, their agencies or candidates is totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. 5. Hate speech challenges the dignity of others and causes harm. 6. The Independent Electoral Commission Code of Conduct prohibits political parties and candidates to: - Using language which provokes violence; - Intimidation of candidates or voters; - And publishing false information about other candidates or parties. etc 7. Various media houses reported on Hate Speech stemming from political parties who are scapegoating migrants for their failures to run the country: Despite the IEC’s efforts to combat hate speech towards elections through its Code of Conduct, hate speech still lingers from political parties, their members and individuals which needs to be addressed. We need free and fair elections that are devoid of using hate speech to gain public support. References [1] https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/pa-spurns-sahrcs-hate-speech-claims-against-mckenzie-as-it-doubles-down-on-xenophobic-stance-20230420 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/sep/26/south-africa-anti-migrant-vigilante-operation-dudula-registers-as-party-2024-elections

To unlock young children's' full potential, they need nurturing care across five key areas, as early as the first 1 000 days of their lives: nutrition; early learning; health; caregiving; and safety and protection. These forms of care lay an essential foundation for lifelong learning, well-being, and success. All young children have a right to access these quality services, whether at home with their families, at early learning programmes, at health clinics, or in other settings. Caring for young children is one of the most powerful investments the South African government can make. But, for too long, the government has neglected young children, and the parents, caregivers, and ECD practitioners who nurture them.  The amount the government spends on young children is not enough: children aged zero to five make up 10% of the population yet, in 2021/22, less than 2% of total government spending went to early learning, family support and early nutrition interventions for children in this age group. Families who take care of children at home do not get proper support. The health sector has not fulfilled its mandate to enable parents and caregivers to provide nurturing care. Many children without birth certificates cannot access the Child Support Grant, and when children have access to the Child Support Grant, it is not enough to cover nutritious food, let alone other essentials such as clothing.    Currently, only a third of children aged three to five have access to an early learning programme (such as a creche, nursery school, or playgroup). Even where children do access early learning programmes, practitioners often struggle to provide nutritious food, adequate infrastructure, and age-appropriate stimulation for learning, with the subsidy from the government frozen at just R17 per eligible child per day since 2019. This needs to change if we are committed to the just, equal, and caring society we strive to become.

It is a constitutional right for social grant recipients to receive social grants they are eligible for. All citizens have a right to a fair administrative process by SASSA. The R350 grant is crucial for unemployed and it gets worse when not paid for months because SASSA has not changed your cellphone number after informing the department"

We have been promised the bridge for the past 20 years, but not having the bridge is affecting us as residents, children are unable to get to school when it rains they are forced to only return to school in May after the rainy season, which impacts their schooling. High school learners are even forced to rent places closer to the school just so they are able to attend classes [2] We can’t go to the clinic to get treatment, we can't go to town. It's worse when someone passes on, we are forced to carry the coffin for a very long distance because we can't cross that river it's too dangerous. The river has claimed many lives and the delays by the municipality continue to threaten us as the community of Noqgala [3], if you add your name to this petition you can help us get the municipality to hear our cries we are tired of being ignored, 20 years is a long time and we need clear plans and a timeline of when will the bridge be completed. References [1] https://groundup.org.za/article/r97-million-spent-and-three-years-later-still-no-bridge/ [2] https://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2023-06-19-r10m-and-two-years-but-villagers-still-without-bridge/#google_vignette [3] https://youtu.be/XoMGTfRhokU