Hell is 16 000 unanswered telephones. The low tech problem blocking abortions
Abortion services only got a national “how to” document for doctors 23 years after termination of pregnancy was legalised in South Africa. And while the new rules go a long way to remove barriers to ending a pregnancy, non-profits say crucial information such as a simple list of telephone numbers is still lacking.
Need an abortion? Find clinics you can trust here
This database shows you where you can find safe family planning services near you. It’s verified two to four times a year by a dedicated team of data capturers and ‘secret shopper’ callers.
Farmers vs. pharmacists: How South Africa’s ivermectin use slips through the cracks
There’s less demand for human ivermectin in South Africa when the country is in between COVID waves. But nobody is tracking how many people may be using the animal formulation.
What it’s like to be hospitalised and diabetic: ‘Vaccination saved my life’
Karyn Maughan lives with diabetes and was partially vaccinated when she contracted the virus that causes COVID-19. But because of vaccination she survived the illness — unlike two of her unvaccinated colleagues, who also had diabetes, and died.
‘If men are these monsters’: Life in the fray of SA’s gender-based violence projects
South Africa is rushing to roll out its first national gender-based violence action plan. But as bureaucracy and the coronavirus pandemic stall progress, violence against women continues unabated. And the hot spots that will receive extra resources, it seems, have been wrongly identified.
#SayHerName: The faces of South Africa’s femicide epidemic
This is an ode to the women whose names made it into news outlets between 2018 and 2020. It’s also a tribute to those who didn’t – the faceless, nameless women whose stories will remain untold. This project is a collaboration among Bhekisisa, Media Hack and the Canon Collins Trust.
Trials, tinsel & tango: Go inside Linda-Gail Bekker’s COVID world
Linda-Gail Bekker says researching infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and HIV is like a colossal round of the murder mystery cluedo. Follow the story of the scientist with the purple pixie-cut from a farm in Zimbabwe to her inauguration as the first African president of the International Aids Society and beyond.
[PHOTOS]: ‘We need staff, psychological help’: Go inside a Gauteng COVID ICU fighting the...
Driven by a more infectious new COVID variant, the second wave of South Africa’s coronavirus pandemic has seen considerably more infections than the first wave. This meant health workers have had to deal with more hospitalisations and deaths — and pressure. Bhekisisa visited George Mukhari Academic Hospital north of Tshwane to document the second wave realities experienced by doctors and nurses.
‘Where the governments see statistics, I see the faces of my friends’
Yvette Raphael describes herself as a ‘professional protester, sjambok feminist and hater of trash’. Government officials would likely refer to her as ‘a rebel’. She’s fought for equality her entire life, she says. And she’s scared of no one.
What developing countries can teach the Global North about how to respond to a...
When it comes to leadership and innovation, there's much that industrialised nations can learn.
Nine months into the pandemic, Europe remains one of...
Sexual violence and unintended pregnancy in South Africa: Is there a link?
A study among adolescents and young women in South African universities found that girls who had experienced sexual violence were more likely to report...
How COVID-19 took hold in South Africa
We take you on the new coronavirus's journey through the country — and tell you how it got it.
Why COVID school closures are making girls marry early
The pandemic’s impact is long-term: the UN warns that it could lead to 13 million more child marriages over a decade.
‘I had to kill so many people’: The battle to protect children in conflicts
25,000 grave violations were committed against children in conflict in 2019, says the UN, which hopes to highlight issue with new international day.
From stranded to solitude: How the short-lived relief of repatriation could be people’s tipping...
As South Africa enters level two of its national lockdown, international travel remains restricted. One of the few exceptions are repatriation flights, which require a mandatory quarantine period. But the toll of mounting stress and isolation may have long-term consequences on people’s mental health.
Behind the masks: Meet the people who keep Gauteng’s field hospital going
Get to know the cleaners, plumbers and therapists who work at the Nasrec field hospital. Plus, find out what happens to newspapers, food, and medical...