It's exactly a year since the Lily Gold mine disaster near Barberton in Mpumalanga. The bodies of three workers are yet to be recovered. The trio disappeared when the lamp-room container they were working in fell into a massive sinkhole. Twelve months later there is still no word on when the bodies would be recovered. Earlier attempts to retrieve the three failed as the surface was unstable and the rescue […]
Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud has outlined his top priorities if the country’s parliament grants him another term, in presidential polls to be held on February 8. In an interview with VOA, the leader vowed to focus on establishing security and political stability if he is re-elected. The 62 year old former academic and activist from the Hawiye clan said he wants to “complete unfinished business.” “Security was our first […]
Hundreds of refugees and migrants attempting to reach Europe have been intercepted in recent days by Libyan authorities, according to a coastguard spokesman. The announcement on Saturday came a day after European Union leaders agreed on a controversial new plan to help stem the flow of migrants from the North African country. Coastguard spokesman General Ayoub Qassem said 431 people on four inflatable boats were rounded up between Thursday and […]
The US justice department has appealed a temporary block of Donald Trump's immigration ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, as the US president unleashed fiery statements towards the judge who stopped implementation of the order. Speaking in Florida, Trump said he was sure that the department would win the appeal filed against US District Judge James Robart's order in Seattle late on Saturday. "We'll win. For the safety of […]
The South African Social Services Agency (SASSA) this week addressed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Social Development outlining options available for their payment process. While the agency has in recent years received much criticism for its choice of Net 1 Cash Paymaster Services to process grant payments to beneficiaries, it confirmed that it has requested that its contract with the company be extended for another year. In a bold move, SASSA […]
A Pretoria man has been arrested on a charge of assault and attempted murder after pepper spraying a group of men in another alleged racist attack in the capital. The man allegedly pepper-sprayed the men in the suburb of Villieria and his daughter then allegedly sprayed them with a fire extinguisher on Thursday. The four men struggled to breathe and were covered with white powder. This is the second alleged […]
Henri van Breda, 21, is expected back in the Western Cape High Court on Friday on charges of killing his parents and older brother. He faces three counts of murder, one of attempted murder, and one of obstructing the course of justice. He handed himself over to police in June and was granted bail of R100 000 on June 14. His parents, Martin, 54, and Teresa, 55, and his brother […]
On Wednesday the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) defended its decision to extend its grant payment contract with Cash Paymaster Services (CPS). On the same day, many social grants were paid out. GroundUp visited several pay points to talk to recipients. Sassa's current contract with CPS — the company tasked with distributing social grants — was declared invalid by the Constitutional Court in 2014. Rather than appoint a new […]
Thousands of people have gathered in Montreal to mourn and honour the memory of three of the six Muslim men who were killed as they prayed at a mosque in Quebec City on Sunday evening. The families of Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane and Aboubaker Thabti were joined by members of the public, Muslim religious leaders, and political figures in Quebec, during a public funeral service on Thursday afternoon. Belkacemi, Hassane […]
VOC became the first Muslim radio station in South Africa when a special events license was granted to the station in Ramadan/January 1995. Subsequent temporary broadcast licenses were granted, permitting the station to broadcast for 24 hours.
