The controversial River Club development in Cape Town. File photo. Image: Esa Alexander Bobby Jordan – 22 June 2022 Veteran trade unionist Zwelinzima Vavi has slammed the world’s biggest company, Amazon, for its “deafening silence” on Cape Town’s River Club development dispute. The e-commerce and IT giant is scheduled to be the anchor tenant at…
Water Stories Community Connection
You are invited to an online mixer to share your water stories, work, inspirations and ideas, as we collectively imagine a sustainable and clean wetland city. Date: Friday 1 July 2022 Time: 15.00 to 17.00 RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/bdd54sw3 Queries to [email protected]
Amazon plans to expand into South Africa in early 2023 – leaked documents
Business Insider – 20 June 2022 Amazon plans to launch its online marketplace in 5 new countries by early next year, even as it dials back parts of its retail business in the US, Insider has learned. The moves will likely mean more competition for local e-commerce companies, including Jumia, which operates across Africa, and…
LLPT can’t buy truth even though they try
Professor Leslie London, chairperson of Observatory Civic Association, and Tauriq Jenkins, high commissioner of Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Indigenous Traditional Council We write in response to the advertorial (“LLPT files urgent leave to appeal to the SCA against the legally flawed, job killing River Club interdict,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, June 16). The Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust…
What’s up, Obs?
Observatory Library hopes to become an essential part of the community again. It has been slow progress due to COVID and the library had to literally fight to reopen last year because of it. Unfortunately, due to City budget, many small community libraries are in danger of closing. Including Observatory Library. We want to re-establish…
What does “Rainbow Nation” really mean for Observatory? Race, racism and other forms of discrimination in our everyday interactions
In 1994, South Africa was heady with excitement and hope. We had just negotiated a peaceful transition from apartheid a system based upon the most profound denial of human dignity for black people in the country, to one where respect and dignity became the bedrock of a new constitution. We were children of the “Rainbow…
Dr Diana Ferrus and the Mengelmoes Digters – A Poetry evening
The Mengelmoes digters/poets came into being in 2013 at the Breytenbach centre in Wellington. They were formed during the time when Dr Diana Ferrus presented and facilitated poetry workshops at the Centre. They have since read at various festivals and published a few anthologies. They will be participating in different festivals this year and to…
Urban gardens one solution to corruption and hunger
11 June 2022: Loraine Gay Mfeka, 72, started her urban farm on an overgrown, illegal dumpsite in Montana Park, Pretoria. She cleared the brush and now grows organic vegetables for the community and passers-by. (Photograph by Ihsaan Haffejee) Anna Majavu – 20 June 2022 Academics and pavement gardeners say growing food in the city can…
Public Employment Program (PEP)
Dear Obs Residents I am writing to alert you to three updates which include two appeals 1. The OCA along with other partners is calling on Obs Residents to sign a petition appealling to the City not to discontinue the Public Employment Program (PEP) tackling homelessness in Cape Town. Organisations supporting programmes to address homelessness…
Social Issues report may 2022
It is with sad news we say good-bye to Donovan Swartbooi our infamous obs community member who passed this month. Donovan will be remembered for his upcycling of beautiful flowers sold door to door in Observatory. He is missed by all his clients and family on the village green and at the Obs Rainbow House…