The Big Issue

High quality, varied and entertaining content for readers across age, culture, religion, gender and other demographics. Stories include reporting on local and international happenings with a ‘bigger issue’ about an individual, and unusual news or events that impact us all. The Big Issue shares in-depth interviews with local and international celebrities, artists, change-makers and thought leaders. It also focuses on local people or organisations committed to making positive changes in society – intent on finding innovative ways to effect change.

The Big Issue

OCEAN GRAB • While our backs were turned, our sacred seas have been allocated for oil and gas mining. New developments in this area are shocking, but South Africans are fighting back. Read our special Ocean Issue, with words from Guest Editor Dr Dylan McGarry …

SMALL SCALE FISHERS ARE OCEAN DEFENDERS

A FRIENDLY FACE • Our vendors sell The Big Issue to generate a living. They operate as self-made entrepreneurs and their sole earnings are profit made from each magazine they sell. We appeal to you to donate to our vendors' wish lists below, enabling them to further their opportunities. If you can make a dream come true, please reach out to us. The Big Issue is a social enterprise, creating opportunities to end poverty and exclusion.

VENDOR SUPPORT • Our Big Issue vendors will be in the care of our new Social Worker Melody Gombakomba who discusses her new role.

NEW LIFE • Megaphone [a member of The Big Issue family of publications located in Vancouver, Canada] vendor Terry Haub's journey to wellness spanned a quarter-century, from losing his life savings and struggling with alcoholism and suicidal ideation, to finding shelter, rehabilitation and the street paper.

The Human Library - unjudge someone • There's a place you can go to rent a 'human book'. The Human Library is a place where real people are on loan to readers. A place where difficult questions are expected, appreciated and answered and where people who are marginalised, discriminated against or who have a personal story to tell (even a positive one), are available to 'readers' in a non-judgmental forum.

A Spell of Good Things

The Wait • The seed of a story starts with the glimpse of a shadow, writes Ayòbámi Adébáyò.

THE CLOISTERS

A tale of obsession and magic • The Cloisters is a sinister, atmospheric novel about the discovery of a mysterious deck of tarot cards. Author Katy Hays speaks about the setting of the story, fortune, and the idea behind her riveting debut.

Incapable in Ekurhuleni • The Big Issue brings you vital news from Fanie Mthumpha reporting for the Benoni City Times on the area of Ekurhuleni - the East Rand in Gauteng. One of the most vital economic metropoles, Ekurhuleni (meaning 'place of peace' in Tsonga) looks like an apocalyptic war-zone due to non-services to the area. Here, political parties, ANC and EFF particularly, are indulging in ongoing political squabbles and in-fighting in an abuse of power. The provision of services hangs in the balance, as the continuing political vacuum in the metro worsens the already crippled delivery of services.

Petty politics destroys livelihoods • Outsourced guards accused Ekurhuleni municipality recently of failing to pay them. Protesting security employees say non-payments have become a problem since the coalition government took over, but mayor’s office says payments to security companies are up-to-date.

Does your child's future lie overseas? • Do your kids have a future in South Africa? This is a question that plagues many of us, and why wouldn't it? We live in a country facing multiple challenges, and the view that the grass is greener on the other side is constantly punted in SA's media. Children's Mental Health Specialist Natasha Freemantle explains …

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