June 11
South Africa: Forgotten Bellville Is Finally Getting an Overdue 'Glow-Up'
The Greater Tygerberg Partnership has convinced the City of Cape Town to stand behind a public-private initiative to illuminate the northern suburban area. Read more »
June 05
South Africa: Old-School Style and a Lonely Grand Piano At Level Four
Set in a classy boutique hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg, Level Four is redolent of older hotel restaurants where standards are high and the menu laced with the familiar. And… Read more »
May 19
South Africa: Municipality's Paper-Based Admin Processes Expose Gaps in Sustainability and Efficiency
Inconsistent delivery of printed council agendas exposes Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality's struggles with modernisation and highlights broader issues of environmental… Read more »
May 18
Southern Africa: The True Cost of SA's Housing Delivery Crisis Is Missing From the Funding Debate
South Africa's housing crisis is no longer simply about how many homes are being built, but whether the country's outdated funding model can keep pace with rising construction… Read more »
May 17
South Africa: Lower Houghton's Slide - Weak Municipal Enforcement Leaves Residents to Fight Urban Decline
A suburb once known as a refuge for Randlords is becoming increasingly vulnerable as absentee ownership, lack of service delivery and weak municipal enforcement take their toll. Read more »
April 29
Kenya: Paving Over a Sanctuary - Nairobi's Pallet Café to Be Replaced By Petrol Station
In Nairobi, the sudden closure of Pallet Café -- a rare shared space run almost entirely by deaf and hard-of-hearing staff -- has come as a blow to its community. As the… Read more »
April 22
South Africa: No Budget, No Plan - Joburg's Old-Age Homes Maintained Only If Funds Are Available
The City of Joburg has admitted that it has no dedicated budget specifically to maintain old-age homes, leaving residents forced to fund repairs. Read more »
April 12
South Africa: Majodina's Ultimatum to Municipalities - Deliver, or We Will Intervene
Minister of Water and Sanitation Pemmy Majodina says the time for talk is over, vowing that municipalities that fail to properly manage water and sanitation will bear the… Read more »
April 09
Zimbabwe: Spike in Unlicensed Dog Breeding in Zimbabwe Threatens Public Safety and Health
Unlicensed dog breeding in Zimbabwe is surging, leading to dangerous dog attacks and public health concerns, as enforcement of breeding regulations remains weak. Read more »
March 29
South Africa: Joburg's Upper Houghton Mansions 'Now Slumlord Dumps' - Government Admits Failure
The Joburg heritage area of Upper Houghton is facing severe pressure as historic homes are being vandalised, occupied and falling into disrepair. Read more »
March 03
South Africa: Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor - 'My Own Comrades Are Plotting My Demise'
Mayor Babalwa Lobishe accuses ANC comrades of undermining her leadership, while provincial officials warn that internal squabbles cannot derail governance in election season. Read more »
South Africa: Strand Residents Demand Action Over Persistent Sewage Leaks That Threaten Health and Endanger Beaches
As the City of Cape Town balances a billion-rand wastewater infrastructure overhaul with a collapsing estuarine system, the shadow of illness and ecological decay has fallen over… Read more »
South Africa: Rough Sleepers - The Mountain Keeps Us
The extraordinary story of two people who chose the mountain over the city - and built a life in a quiet hollow where nature kept them safe. Read more »
South Africa: Residents Roll Up Sleeves to Transform Neighbourhoods in Nelson Mandela Bay
Community-led initiatives in Nelson Mandela Bay are leading the charge in cleaning up neighbourhoods, transforming spaces and turning them into areas of pride and positivity. Read more »
South Africa: Nine Dead in Joburg Building Collapse As City Says Construction Was Illegal
Rescue teams retrieved the last body from the building collapse in Ormonde, Johannesburg, on Tuesday morning. Read more »
February 27
South Africa: Auctioning Off Public Land Amid Cape Town's Housing Crisis and Land Scarcity - What Gives?
While land is scarce and the need for developing affordable housing is very high, the City must look for alternative sources of revenue, rather than selling off public assets that… Read more »
February 26
South Africa: The City of Cape Town Has Valued Your Property - Here's How to Challenge It
Homeowners in Cape Town should by now have received their updated municipal valuation, which has knock-on effects for multiple aspects of their monthly bills. Here's what to know… Read more »
February 20
South Africa: Lost and Found in the Urban Jozi Jungle
There are more minibus taxis in the Joburg CBD than there are on the N1 between Cape Town and Johannesburg at Christmas. Luckily, I had a fearless Uber driver to get me out of… Read more »
February 18
South Africa: It's Crucial to Rethink Urban Decline and Reimagine Cities in SA's Current Transformation Phase
South Africa's urban future needn't be synonymous with erosion. It demands reimagining cities that work for everyone, investment strategies balancing development across all… Read more »
February 10
South Africa: While Joburg Battles for Water Tankers, They've Been Failing At Informal Settlements for Years
Joburg has deployed tankers across the city during the latest water crisis, leading to frustrations over access and availability. Informal settlements have been battling the failed… Read more »
South Africa: How Cape Town Families Discovered Their Loved Ones in Paupers' Graves
Paupers' graves are meant for the forgotten. But what happens when the people buried there were never forgotten at all? In Cape Town, an undertaker's alleged fraud has exposed a… Read more »
South Africa: Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Says Hair Sales, Not Illicit Funds, Triggered Capitec Compliance Check
Facing accusations from former Good party regional chair Siyanda Mayana, Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Babalwa Lobishe insists her bank account was frozen for compliance reasons, not… Read more »
South Africa: Residents' Nightmare As Uncontrolled Municipal Waste Site in Bluewater Bay Becomes Haven for Suspected Copper Thieves
The alarm has been raised about toxic smoke spewing from a mismanaged waste site at Bluewater Bay, where residents allege fires are being set almost daily by copper thieves --… Read more »
February 03
South Sudan: Students Moved to Temporary Housing As Cput Faces Ongoing Accommodation Crisis
In what has become a grimly familiar start to the academic year, Cape Peninsula University of Technology continues to struggle to place students in accommodation. Many have slept… Read more »
January 26
South Africa: Defaulting Municipalities - Treasury Crackdown Is to Avert Water Sector Collapse
South Africa's water boards are drowning in R28bn of municipal debt, leading to deferred maintenance and the looming threat of bankruptcy. The National Treasury's decision to… Read more »
