Protest_in_South_Africa

Protests in South Africa

Protests in South Africa

Add article description


South Africa has been dubbed "the protest capital of the world",[1] with one of the highest rates of public protests in the world.[2]

It is often argued that the rate of protests has been escalating since 2004,[2] but Steven Friedman argues that the current wave of protests stretches back to the 1970s.[3] The rate of protests "rose dramatically in the first eight months of 2012",[4] and it was reported that there 540 protests in the province of Gauteng between 1 April and 10 May 2013.[5] In February 2014 it was reported that there had been "nearly 3,000 protest actions in the last 90 days – more than 30 a day– involving more than a million people".[6][7]

Since 2008, more than 2 million people have taken to the streets in protest every year.[8] Njabulo Ndebele argued, "Widespread 'service delivery protests' may soon take on an organisational character that will start off as discrete formations and then coalesce into a full-blown movement".[9] There has been considerable repression of popular protests.[10] The most common reasons for protests are grievances around urban land and housing.[11][12] It has been reported that "Nearly 75% of South Africans aged 20-29 did not vote in the 2011 [local government] elections" and that "South Africans in that age group were more likely to have taken part in violent street protests against the local ANC than to have voted for the ruling party".[13]

In September 2013 the police reported that they had "made more than 14,000 arrests at protests in the past four years".[14]

According to The Times "Informal settlements have been at the forefront of service delivery protests as residents demand houses and basic services".[15]

During the 2004–05 financial year, about 6,000 protests were officially recorded, an unknown number of protests went unrecorded, and about 1,000 protests were illegally banned. This meant that at least 15 protests were taking place each day in South Africa at this time.[16][17] However the number of protests has escalated dramatically since then and Business Day reports that "2009 and 2010 together account for about two-thirds of all protests since 2004".[18] There was a dramatic surge in protests shortly after Jacob Zuma first took office and the number of protests was ten times higher in 2009 than in 2004 and even higher in 2010.[19] The number of protests reached an all-time high in 2010–2011[2] and then a further all time post-apartheid peak in July 2012[20] with more protests occurring in the Western Cape than in any other province[21] and just under half of all protests occurring in shack settlements.[22] In early 2013 it was reported that popular protest had reached its highest rate since the end of apartheid in 1994.[23] In early 2013 it was argued that there have been as many as 3,000 protests in the last four years.[24]

Between 1997 and 2013 most protests were related to labour issues or crime and were only very rarely disorderly. In 2013 the overall number of protests decreased but the rate of disorderly protests increase dramatically. Notable South African journalist Phillip de Wet estimated that nine out of eleven protests were peaceful.[25]

In the first five months of 2018 a total of 144 service delivery protests were recorded with the Eastern Cape, followed by Gauteng and the Western Cape provinces having the most protests.[26]

Rebellion of the Poor/Municipal Revolts/Ring of Fire

No Land! No House! No Vote! protest in 2009

There has been a major wave of popular protests since 2004.[27][28] Just under 40% of all protests take place in shack settlements.[18] There has been a significant degree of repression of popular protests.[29][30][31]

These protests are usually referred to as "service delivery protests" in the media but although there is evidence of growing unhappiness with service delivery,[32] most analysts argue that this description is overly narrow and misleading.[33][34][35][36] A number of poor people's movements have insisted that their protests should not be referred to as "service delivery protests".[37][38][39] But others have termed the rapidly increasing wave of protests since 2004 as a "rebellion of the poor"[27][28] or a series of "municipal revolts".[40] Zwelinzima Vavi, COSATU Secretary General, has described the increasing rate of popular protests as a "ring of fire" closing in on major cities that could result in a Tunisia-style revolution.[41][42]

Some of the most notable protests during this period occurred in Harrismith, Kennedy Road, Durban, Diepsloot, Balfour, Thokoza,[43][44] Khutsong,[36] Macassar Village, Lansdowne Road[45][46] and Mandela Park[47][48] in Khayelitsha, KwaZakhele, downtown Durban,[49] Masiphumelele, Ermelo,[50] Grahamstown[38] and Thembelihle (Lenasia).[51]

Protests continue and some analysts take the view that protests are becoming increasingly radical.[52] Some commentators have concluded that "a large majority of South Africans feel that conventional mechanisms of engaging the state are failing, and that alternatives may be more effective".[53]

According to Professor Peter Alexander: "As many commentators and activists now accept, service delivery protests are part of a broader Rebellion of the Poor. This rebellion is massive. I have not yet found any other country where there is a similar level of ongoing urban unrest. South Africa can reasonably be described as the 'protest capital of the world'."[54]

A number of community organisations and movements have emerged from this wave of protests,[55][56] some of which organise outside party politics.[57] However, in most cases this wave of protest has not led to sustained organisation.[58]

Protest by trade unions

The national trade union federation, COSATU, has also organised a number of large protests, most notably against labour broking and highway tolls.[59][60]

Protest by workers organised outside trade unions

The 2012 Marikana miner strike, organised outside the ruling tripartite alliance, resulted in 34 strikers being killed by the police with 78 being wounded on 16 August 2012.[61]

Curtailment of the right to protest

It has been argued that the state is actively seeking to curtail the right to protest.[62]

Notable protests

Notable post-apartheid protest campaigns

Zuma Must Fall campaign

From 7 April until 10 April 2017, large crowds protested against President Jacob Zuma's recent cabinet shuffle and the subsequent ratings agencies downgrade to junk status.[112] The Zuma Must Fall campaign, whose organisers included members of the DA, EFF,[113] African People's Convention and United Democratic Movement planned further demonstrations in the days leading up to Zuma's birthday.[114] 50,000 South Africans, many of whom were black, expressed their anger at corruption within the ANC government, unfair trade deals by the government that favoured the powerful Gupta family, and economic problems that had resulted in the downgrading of South Africa's credit rating.[115][116][117] More demonstrations occurred from 12 April onwards,[118] with Julius Malema addressing the crowd in Pretoria before they marched on the Union buildings.[119]

Reasons for protests

Research has consistently shown urban land and housing to be the most common reasons for protest.[12] However, there are multiple reasons for protest including:

  • Unequal and segregated distribution of land in both rural and urban areas[11]
  • The demand for housing[11][32][120]
  • Poor service delivery[121] (especially with regard to water[122] and sanitation[123])
  • Government corruption (especially at the local level)[124][125][126][127]
  • Undemocratic structure of wards and development forums[128][129]
  • Top down selection for party positions within the ANC[128][130][131][132][133]
  • Top down and authoritarian approaches to governance (or a lack of consultation)[134][135][136][137][138]
  • Evictions and forced removals[139]
  • Rampant crime[32][38]
  • Unemployment[32]
  • Police brutality[140][141]
  • Municipal and Provincial border demarcation issues[36][142]
  • Increases in transport prices[83]
  • Electricity disconnections,[143][144] increases in electricity prices[145][146][147] and the failure to provide electricity to shack settlements[87]
  • Over crowding in schools[147]
  • Failure to install traffic calming measures on roads adjacent to shack settlements[148]
  • Low wages[94][110]

Tactics

The toyi-toyi originally a Zimbabwean dance, has been used for decades in South Africa as a protest tool. Road blockades,[149] land occupations, the mass appropriation of food[49][71][150] and vote strikes[151][152][153][154][155] are also common tactics. A choreography of dance performing a call and response song, protest performance, is a tactic that is often used to beckon bystanders to a march or demonstration [156]

In areas with high rates of popular protests residents tend to boycott elections, to support independent candidates or to support parties other than the ANC.[157]

Misuse of the criminal justice system to intimidate grassroots activists

It has been argued that the criminal justice system has been misused to intimidate grassroots activists.[158]

Violence

Violence from the state

A number of people have been killed by the police in these protests over the years[50][65][159][160][161][162][163] including Andries Tatane.[80][164][165][166][167][168][169][170] The number of deaths of protestors after apartheid is currently standing at fifty four. Four people were killed by the police during protests between 2000 and 2004, two in 2006, one in 2008, two in 2009, three in 2010 and eleven in 2011.[171]

There have also been constant allegations of non-fatal police brutality against protestors.[162][172][173][174][175] It has been argued that people organizing independently of the ruling African National Congress are more likely to face state repression.[10][176]

The worst incidence of police violence in post-apartheid South Africa was the Marikana Massacre in August 2012 in which 34 striking miners were killed and 78 were injured. One pistol was recovered from the strikers after the massacre.[177]

Violence from protesters

Violence on the part of protesters, including attacks on ward councilors and their homes, has been escalating.[178][179] In two years nine houses belonging to ward councillors in Gauteng were burnt down.[180]

See also

Further reading

Other resources


Notes and references

  1. Rodrigues, Chris (5 April 2010). "'Black boers' and other revolutionary songs". Thought Leader | Mail & Guardian.
  2. Alexander, Peter (April 2012). "Protests and Police Statistics: Some Commentary". Amandla Magazine.
  3. Friedman, Steven (16 May 2013). "Calm down, the poor are not about to revolt". Business Day.
  4. 'The year that anger boils over', Nirhsa Davids, The Sowetan, 11 October 2012
  5. Patelnewspaper=The Daily Maverick, Khadija (16 May 2013). "Public protests: Gauteng's rising pressure cooker".
  6. Our protest culture is far from dead, Max Du Preez, Pretoria News, 11 February 2014
  7. Our protest culture is far from dead, by Max Du Preez, Pretoria News, 11 February 2014
  8. Behind the Marikana massacre, by Martin Plaut, The New Statesmen, 20 August 2012
  9. Liberation betrayed by bloodshed Archived 26 August 2012 at the Wayback Machine, by Njabulo S. Ndebele, City Press, 26 August 2012
  10. Media underplaying police, state brutality, Jane Duncan, Sunday Independent, 26 August 2012
  11. Service-delivery protests getting uglier – report, Nashira Davids, The Times, 11 October 2012
  12. SAHRC: People need access to land and housing, Koketso Moetsi, The Daily Maverick, 24 November 2015
  13. Herskovits, Jon (29 January 2013). "Deep Read: 'Born free' voters may not choose ANC". Mail & Guardian.
  14. Evans, Sarah (17 September 2013). "Crime stats: Worst violent crime figures in 10 years". Mail & Guardian.
  15. Dlamini, Penwell (2 April 2014). "Gauteng under shack attack". The Times.
  16. "Amandla! Protest in the New South Africa". FXI. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 2 October 2009.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. Are fiery street protests replacing the vote?, Karen Heese and Kevin Allan, Business Day
  18. Municipal Hotspots Monitor research as reported in the City Press newspaper, 20 February 2011
  19. Marrian, Natasha (7 August 2012). "Mangaung ANC 'link' to new wave of protests". Business Day.
  20. ‘Steep increase’ in service protests, by SETUMO STONE, Business Day, 17 JANUARY 2013
  21. Wet, Phillip de (8 June 2016). "New stats show that nine out of 11 protests a day are peaceful". The M&G Online. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  22. Makhafola, Getrude (11 July 2018). "144 service delivery protests recorded in 2018 so far | IOL News". iol.co.za. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  23. Rebellions of the poor, by the poor, for the poor Archived 9 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Khadija Patel, The Daily Maverick, May 2011
  24. Buccus, Imraan (2011). "Political tolerance on the wane in South Africa". SA Reconciliation Barometer. University of KwaZulu-Natal.
  25. Benjamin, Chantelle (13 May 2011). "Dismay over service delivery growing, survey shows". Business Day.
  26. Pithouse, Richard (23 July 2009). "Burning message to the state in the fire of poor's rebellion". Business Day.
  27. The Service Delivery Myth, Richard Pithouse, The Daily Dispatch, 2011
  28. "We are Gauteng People" Challenging the politics of xenophobia in Khutsong, South Africa Archived 2 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Seminar Presentation, Joshua Kirshner, 23 February 2011, Rhodes University
  29. "Living Learning". Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  30. South African rebellion comes to Grahamstown, Unemployed People's Movement, 2011
  31. The Uprising Archived 14 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Dylan Valley interviewed by Sean Jacobs
  32. Making sense of municipal revolts, by Mandisi Majavu, Foundation for Contemporary Research, 2011
  33. "Protest violence: cops blamed". News24. Archived from the original on 6 September 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
  34. "An Urgent Update on AbM-WC Protest". Khayelitsha Struggles. Archived from the original on 10 September 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
  35. "Cop fires on Cape Argus team". Cape Argus. Archived from the original on 30 April 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
  36. Ermelo Residents See No Reason to Vote, Diane Hawker, Independent Online, 2010
  37. Five lessons from Themb'elihle, Phillip de Wet, The Daily Maverick
  38. The 'Gatvol' Factor Archived 19 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Jane Duncan, 2011
  39. A Massive Rebellion of the Poor, Peter Alexander, Mail & Guardian, April 2012
  40. The 'new' ANC and the Alliance, Shawn Hattingh, Z Mag,2009
  41. Marikana: What really happened? We may never know., by Mande de Waal, The Daily Maverick, 23 August 2012
  42. Harrismith police killing follow-up, Freedom of Expression Institute, 2004
  43. Tatane’s death opens old wounds for family Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Lucas Ledwaba, City Press, 24 April 2011
  44. Housing and Evictions at the N2 Gateway Project in Delft, by Kerry Chance, Abahlali baseMjondolo, 2008
  45. McMichael, Christopher (5 January 2012). "The Cape Town model, state violence and military urbanism". Open Democracy.
  46. Bearak, Barry (September 2009). "South Africa's Poor Renew a Tradition of Protest". The New York Times.
  47. South Africa's Outraged Poor Threaten President, Megan Lindow, Time Magazine, 24 July 2009
  48. "Shack dwellers up in arms". The Sowetan. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2010.
  49. "%%sitename%". Retrieved 13 April 2017.[permanent dead link]
  50. The Flames of Phaphamani, by Pedro Alexis Tabensky, LibCom
  51. Bullets fly as township erupts Archived 29 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Thabo Jijana, Grocott's Mail, 10 February 2011
  52. "Protests in Zandspruit". abahlali.org. Archived from the original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
  53. Police fire rubber bullets in Zandspruit Archived 12 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Jacob Moshokoa, Eye Witness News, April 2011
  54. SAPS, SABC under fire after Ficksburg killing Archived 17 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Times, 14 April 2011
  55. Andrew, Miranda (14 April 2011). "Ficksburg protesters torch buildings". Mail & Guardian.
  56. Hall torched in housing protest Archived 10 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Mandla Mnayakama, The New Age, 29 April 2011
  57. Fatal turn in taxi fare protest, By Lungi Langa and Nompumelelo Magwaza, IOL, 8 June 2011
  58. Army dispatched to ‘hot spot’, 13 May 2011, Cape Argus, BRONWYNNE JOOSTE and ESTHER LEWIS
  59. Sege, Adam (10 June 2011). "'Police fired rubber bullets without provocation'". The Star.
  60. de Wet, Phillip (15 September 2011). "Themb'elihle: Arresting a protest". The Daily Maverick.
  61. Western Cape hit hardest by service-delivery protests, Setumo Stone, Business Day, 6 June 2012
  62. Service failure: next step, silence the dissent, Many de Waal, Daily Maverick, 25 June 2012
  63. KZN to build homes after fatal protest, by NONDUMISO MBUYAZI, Independent on Saturday, 2012
  64. Pillay, Kamcilla (24 July 2012). "Residents protest over lack of housing". Daily News.
  65. http://www.peherald.com/news/article/7185 Archived 29 January 2016 at the Wayback Machine Premier Noxolo Kiviet slams protest violence, Zandile Mbabela and Luyolo Mkentane,The Herald, 6 July 2012
  66. The Marikana Massacre: A Turning Point for South Africa?, By Nigel Gibson, Truthout, 1 September 2012
  67. de Waal, Mandy (8 November 2012). "Western Cape's grapes of wrath". The Daily Maverick.
  68. Davis, Rebecca (23 January 2012). "Farmworkers' strike may be over – but everyone's a loser". Daily Maverick.
  69. Marinovich, G; T Lekgowa (23 January 2013). "Blood, smoke and tears: Zamdela's burning". The Daily Maverick.
  70. Sparks, Stephen (25 January 2013). "Fighting for scraps in the Republic of Sasol(burg)". Mail & Guardian.
  71. Simelane, Bheki C. (12 August 2013). "Protea South protests, from the inside". The Daily Maverick.
  72. Patel, Khadija (16 September 2013). "Shack dwellers take the fight to eThekwini – and the ANC takes note". Daily Maverick.
  73. Eliseev, Alex (2014). "Bonfires of discontent, in horrifying numbers". The Daily Maverick.
  74. Simelane, Bheki (4 July 2014). "Klipspruit, Soweto: Blackout meets violence". The Daily Maverick.
  75. Whittles, Govan. "Protests flare up in Zandspruit". Eyewitness News. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  76. "South Africa: Nationwide strikes and protests possible in response to fuel hikes through June". South Africa: Nationwide strikes and protests possible in response to fuel hikes through June | Crisis24. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  77. Mahlakoana, Theto. "NATJoints on high alert following threats of national shutdown on Friday". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  78. Polgreen, Lydia (16 August 2012). "Mine Strike Mayhem Stuns South Africa as Police Open Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  79. Majavu, Anna (15 November 2012). "The Farm Workers' Strike: It's Far From Over". SACSIS.
  80. Cowan, Kyle (12 April 2017). "High spirits in Pretoria as protesters prepare for anti-Zuma march". Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  81. media, The standard (9 April 2017). "Anti-Zuma protests in South Africa as economic woes mount – KDRTV". Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  82. Xposé, Weekly (12 April 2017). "Opposition parties take their call to Union Buildings". Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  83. Xposé, Weekly (12 April 2017). "Malema warned his marchers to behave". Archived from the original on 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  84. Nicholson, Greg (22 March 2011). "The broken vows and blocked roads of Kya Sands". The Daily Maverick.
  85. How poo became a political issue, Steven Robbins, Daily News, 3 July 2013
  86. Mucking out the Durban City Hall, Richard Pithouse,SACSIS, 22 March 2011
  87. ANC’s tinkering won’t make democracy work, Steven Friedman, Business Day, 4 May 2011
  88. The poor should also have a voice on corruption, Steven Friedman, Business Day, 26 March 2014
  89. ANC faces fury over candidate selection Archived 23 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Sabelo Ndlangisa, Sizwe sama Sende and Cedric Mboyisa, City Press, 2011
  90. ANC List Sparks Fury, Sibongile Mashaba, Sowetan, March 2011
  91. ANC lacks internal democracy, William Gumede, Pambazuka, 20/22/2001
  92. Zamdela: A failure of the public consultation process, Khadija Patel, Daily Maverick, 31 January 2013
  93. Free State of municipal chaos and lip service delivery, by Paul Berkowitz, The Daily Maverick, 7 February 2013
  94. Cities Need to Plan with the Poor, Not for the Poor, by Felicity Kitchin, SACSIS, 6 February 2013
  95. 'Blacklisted' farmworker urges politicians to listen, Ben Fogel, Mail & Guardian, 15 February 2013
  96. Ficksburg killing sparks riot, Deon de Lange, Pretoria News, 15 April 2011
  97. ‘We are being deprived’, NIYANTA SINGH, Sunday Tribune, 2011
  98. Tembisa protests and the shadow of things to come, by Phillip de Wet, The Daily Maverick, 21 September 2011
  99. Why SA is burning: Power to the people still a pipe dream, Phillip de Wet, Mail & Guardian, 23 March 2012
  100. Ratanda residents rekindle Heidelberg protests, Phillip de Wet, Mail & Guardian, 20 March 2012
  101. Dead kid sparks riot, AMUKELANI CHAUKE, The Times,1 August 2012
  102. Pithouse, Richard (21 October 2010), "The Enduring Rationality of Revolt", libcom.org.
  103. The Witness]=25560 No mercy, no grants, says Mkhize, Nalini Naidoo, Sharlene Packree and Sapa, The Witness, 2009.
  104. Pithouse, Richard. "The Thoroughly Democratic Logic of Refusing to Vote". SACSIS. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2009..
  105. Tabensky, Pedro Alexis (March 2011), The revolt of South Africa’s untouchables, Pambazuka.
  106. Fred Khumalo (March 2011), Give ANC a sign – but without boycott Archived 14 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Sunday Times.
  107. De Waal, Mandy (17 October 2012), "The self-limiting politics of the SA people", The Daily Maverick.
  108. Daneel Knoetze (17 February 2014), "Enkanini: there’ll be no voting here", Cape Argus,
  109. Hotspot voters dump ANC Archived 27 April 2011 at the Wayback Machine, by Sizwe sama Yende, Lucas Ledwaba, Dumisane Lubisi and Cedric Mboyisa, City Press, 24 April 2011
  110. Charge three senior cops with murder -- ICD Archived 10 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Bate Felix, City Press, 5 June 2009
  111. Dissent Can Still Get You Killed, Richard Pithouse, The Witness, 16 June 2006
  112. Two student protesters killed by police in Durban, South Africa, Trevor Johnson, World Socialist Website, 2001
  113. Independent Report into Political Violence Against Landless People's Movement, Jared Sacks, International Alliance of Inhabitants, 2010
  114. Most feel let down by their municipality Archived 9 March 2011 at the Wayback Machine, Brendan Boyle, The Times, 5 March 2011
  115. Tatane's Death Underlines Need for Government to Deliver by Andile Mngxitama, Sowetan, 19 April 2011
  116. Only police chiefs can end it, David Bruce, Sunday Times,24 April 2011
  117. Police violence in Ficksburg is not anything new, Steven Friedman, Business Day, 20 April 2011
  118. Murdered by the Ruling Classes, by Shawn Hattingh, Anarkismo, 21 April 2011
  119. Police brutality and service delivery protests, by Mphutlane wa Bofelo, Pambazuka News, 21 April 2011
  120. Protester's death not an isolated case, ILHAM RAWOOT AND GLYNNIS UNDERHILL, Mail & Guardian, 15 April
  121. "A collection of articles and statements on police brutality". abahlali.org. Archived from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 20 February 2011.
  122. The Flames of Phaphamani, by Pedro Alexis Tabensky, LibCom
  123. Profile of a town on fire, Kwanele Sosibo, Mail & Guardian, March 2011
  124. Activists decry talk of 'third force' at Marikana, by Niren Tolsi, Mail & Guardian, 2012
  125. Engage citizens to stem rise in violent protests, Karene Heese & Kevin Allen, Business Day, 22 June 2012
  126. A revolution’s dreams betrayed, Malaika wa Azania, Sunday Independent, 30 March 2014
  127. Our councillors are vulnerable – ANC, Dominic Mahlangu, The Times, 25 June 2012

Share this article:

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Protest_in_South_Africa, and is written by contributors. Text is available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 International License; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.