Vanessa Burger

“The eThekwini Municipality must take appropriate measures to promote a safe and healthy environment at the Glebelands Hostel [and] ensure that the community is allowed equitable access to the municipal services to which they are entitled.” - Public Protector’s

Babsy Mpheshwa returned to St Patrick’s Hospital, Bizana, last week to check on conditions after his sons and nephew had been forced to seek emergency medical assistance in Durban – some 200km away from the nearest local hospital – when they were involved in a seriou

Babsy Mpheshwa was introduced to me by a Glebelands community leader, as a friend from the same area of the Eastern Cape.

On 17 April 2016 Glebelands Hostel Community Violence Victims hosted a press conference to announce their appeal to the United Nations for assistance in bringing an end to the violence which has beset this comm

I bumped into Philani* during yet another fruitless visit to a public hospital, where I had accompanied someone who was attempting to obtain follow-up medical treatment after being tortured by police last year.

I do not usually give much credence to government officials’ whitewashing, excuses or blame games.

According to a statement issued by the Presidency yesterday, the theme of this year’s Day of Reconciliation celebrations will be: “Bridging the Divide: Building a Common South African Nationhood towards a National Developmental State.” It goes on to claim the day “promotes and is entrenched on co

The call came at about 11pm. The late night dread ringing in my ear. Richard was sobbing so hard I could scarcely understand him. "They've killed Commander," he finally spat out.

“How many times can a man turn his head pretending he just doesn't see?
How many ears must one man have before he can hear people cry?
How many deaths will it take till he knows that too many people have died?
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind…” - Bob Dylan

The Easter weekend brought more tragedy to Glebelands Hostel in uMlazi, Durban, South Africa. Fikile Jumbile was shot at pointblank range at around 19h45 on Thursday 2 April when returning from Umlazi MegaCity with two friends.