The country is still a very different political space. It’s a noisy democracy with a free media, lots of dissenting voices, and insulting the government doesn’t carry any overt sanction.
Academic rigor, journalistic flair
Articles on Service delivery protests
Displaying 1 - 20 of 21 articles
The evidence shows that political risk in South Africa has increased markedly in certain areas over the past two decades.
Much of the commentary on the July riots, which cost over 300 lives and billions of rands in damage to the economy, has neglected the long history of violent protests in the country.
The problem in municipalities is not that the wrong people are being chosen. It is that the wrong people are doing the choosing – not only of candidates but of what they do if elected.
South Africans deserve a fuller picture of the extent of police brutality, and the level of accountability, especially when people die at the hands of police.
There has been growing discontent with many local authorities and calls by concerned citizens for the municipalities to be dissolved.
Delivery riders are paying the ultimate price for the fact that our cities, their infrastructure and the rules governing them make cycling much more dangerous than it should be.
The challenge for the deepening of South Africa’s democracy is that the very existence of vanguardism prevents the realisation of empowered citizens.
A readable and important new book on the struggle for justice in South Africa’s Oukasie township does not go far enough to question the feasibility of grassroots resistance.
The survey findings show that people who had taken part in protests over the last five years were more likely to vote for opposition parties.
In spite of noble promises in their constitutions, many countries have a very restrictive approach to demonstrations.
Community radio stations have thrown themselves into the political discussion with gusto.
The current crisis in British politics is significant for countries like South Africa where a change in electoral systems is needed.
To claim that protests are being organised suggests sinister motives. But all protest is organised. So are cake sales and shopping expeditions.
The African National Congress faces two big challenges: fewer South Africans trust it, while its electoral support has been waning.
Polls indicate that South Africans are unlikely to totally abandon the African National Congress.
Troubles in South Africa’s coalition-led local governments are affecting accountability, governance stability and service delivery.
Nearly a third of South Africa’s municipalities are not financially viable.
Governing parties and officials need to take note of the frustration being expressed by ordinary South Africans.
The International Monetary Fund’s view of how to fix South Africa’s economy deserves to be seriously considered.
Top contributors
-
Professor of Political Studies, University of Johannesburg
-
Chief Research Specialist in Democracy and Citizenship at the Human Science Research Council and a Research Fellow Centre for African Studies, University of the Free State
-
Professor of Sociology, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Divisional Executive, Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research division, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Associate professor, University of Cape Town
-
Professor of Urban Governance, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Extraordinary Senior Lecturer at the School of Public Leadership, Stellenbosch University
-
Senior Research Specialist., Human Sciences Research Council
-
Senior lecturer, The University of Edinburgh
-
Associate researcher, University of the Witwatersrand
-
Professor of Political Science, Department of Political Studies and Governance, University of the Free State
-
Director and Professor of International Human Rights Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria
-
Senior Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Research Director, Development Capable and Ethical State, Human Sciences Research Council
-
Research Director: Developmental, Capable and Ethical State (DCES) research division, and Coordinator of the South African Social Attitudes Survey (SASAS), Human Sciences Research Council
