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Preliminary Overview of Service Delivery – Related Protests

Explore protests related to service delivery in local government from 2004-2007, analyzing causes and implications for governance frameworks. Case studies and key findings from reputable sources are outlined.

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Preliminary Overview of Service Delivery – Related Protests

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  1. Preliminary Overview of Service Delivery – Related Protests 20th November 2007

  2. Outline • Background: Governance Context • Overview of Protests • Preliminary Analysis • Conclusion

  3. Key Features of Local Government Local government is one component of the system of cooperative government 5th December 2000: new local government system - “Developmental local government is local government committed to working with citizens and groups within the community to find sustainable ways to meet their social, economic and material needs and improve the quality of their lives” Regulatory framework Municipal elections, March 2006: Voter turn out: 48,4% - 2006 283 municipalities 3895 Ward Committees Over 9300 Councillors Main Interventions Project Consolidate (2004 – 2006) Provision of hands-on support to targetted municipalities Local Government Strategic Agenda (2006 – 2011) 3 Strategic Priorities Background: Governance Framework

  4. Overview of Service Delivery – Related Protests (1) • 2004 (Total: 9) • Gauteng (2) • Johannesburg (Diepsloot) – July • Erkhuruleni (Harry Gwala Informal Settlement) - September • Free State (3) • Phumelela – September • Warden – September • Harrismith & Vrede - March • North West (1) • Vryburg – September • Western Cape (1) • Cape Town (Mitchells Plain) – September • KwaZulu Natal (1) • Forman Road Settlement – September • Mpumalanga (1) • Delmas – September Source: Mail and Guardian, July 6-12, 2007

  5. Overview of Service Delivery – Related Protests (2) • 2005 (Total: 17) • Free State (6) • Harrismith & Vrede – March • Frankfort – May • Clarens – May • Bothaville – August • Mathjabeng – August • Mantsopa - August • Mpumalanga (2) • Emalenhle Township – March • Secunda - May • KwaZulu Natal (1) • Harding – March • Eastern Cape (5) • Uitenhage – March • Nelson Mandela (Motherwell, New Brighton and Veeplaas) – May • King Williams Town – May • KwaNomzamo – May • Matatiele - September • Western Cape (2) • Cape Town (Ocean View) – May • Khayelitsha and Gugulethu • North West (1) • Merafong (Khutsong) - September Source: Mail and Guardian, July 6-12, 2007

  6. Overview of Service Delivery – Related Protests (3) • 2006 (Total: 2) • Free State (2) • Mangaung – February / March • Matjabeng – February / March • 2007 (Total: 3) • North West (1) • Wolmaranstad – May • Free State (1) • Deneysville – July • Gauteng (1) • Johannesburg (Vlakfontein Informal Settlement) - July Source: Mail and Guardian, July 6-12, 2007

  7. Preliminary Analysis: Some studies • No comprehensive research exists on “service delivery-related protests”; and • Focused / thematic / case study research undertaken. • South African Institute of Race Relations (SAIRR) (2007): about 6 000 protests in South Africa since 2002 • M&G analysis, July 2007: 3 protests between July 2004 – July 2007 • CDE (2007): Case Study on Phumela and Khutsong • Centre for Development Support (UFS) (2007): Two publications • Municipal IQ (2007): Hotspots Monitor • Policy Review Research, commissioned by dplg(2007): various

  8. Preliminary Analysis:Emerging Views (1) The Metsimaholo (Deneysville) killing appears to have been the result of political turf war between a United Democratic Movement (UDM) councilor and the ANC … (M&G, 6 July 2007) Khutsong does not easily fit into any template of municipal protest, especially one that emphasises the “service delivery as the principal axis of discontent (CDE) The usual refrain is that these protests are about poor service delivery. While at face value this may be true, research suggests that the underlying motivations for social unrest are far more complex… (Isandla) In general, the protests were regarded as having been sparked by deficient service-delivery … (CDS)

  9. Preliminary Analysis:Emerging Views (2) In many ways the (report’s) detailed analysis of the causes is useful to debunk the myth caused by the use of the catch-all phrase,‘service-delivery protests’… (Sikwebu: 2007) "In a sense, and no doubt quite controversially, it is true that the government is in this case a victim of its partial success (SAIRR) Citizens also seek to have their voices heard outside of formal channels of public participation. The most obvious example of informal channels is social protests… (Ntswera: 2007) Protests are an expression of legitimate community grievances and should be taken seriously by authorities as a legitimate form of community participation (Ntswera: 2007)

  10. Preliminary Analysis:Case Study 1: Phumelela Local Municipality (FS) • In March 2004 violent protests took place in this municipality. Various assessments, including that of Project Consolidate, pointed to poor access to basic services and infrastructure in this municipality, e.g. 45.5% of households had buckets / no sanitation (Census 2001) • The protests that ended in November 2004, highlighted a number of complaints: • Inadequate and dirty water supplies; • Persistence and poor management of the bucket system; • Sewage spills; • Irregular electricity supplies; and poor road conditions; and • Allegations of nepotism and corruption in respect of housing allocations.

  11. Preliminary Analysis:Case Study 2: Ditsobotla Local Municipality (NW) • Residents in Boikhutso Township complained about the bucket toilet system, unemployment (especially for youth), nepotism, slow delivery of low cost housing, congestion at local clinic and demanded the resignation of the Mayor. • The protesters attacked and destroyed public infrastructure also destroyed all local businesses operated by foreign nationals. The local and District Mayors, and the MEC for Developmental Local Government and Housing, engaged both the leaders and the community in discussions in order to find ways of addressing their grievances. In this engagement tt was discovered that most of the community’s grievances were actually being addressed by the municipality. The problem was that the people were not aware of some of the positive developments relating to service delivery. This could be attributed to lack of effective communication between the municipality and the community. (April 2007)

  12. Preliminary Analysis:Causes / Factors influencing Protests • Small town stresses • Fragile institutions • Restructuring strains • Ill-advised appointments • Lack of accountability and responsiveness • IGR: powers and functions and unfunded mandates • Categories: • Structural • Systemic • Locality-specific • Project-Specific • Poor governance • Political struggles • Poor communication • Ineffective client interface & responsiveness • Ineffective management • Housing administration and management • The economic impact of poor service delivery • Affordability issues • Regional identities at local municipal level

  13. Preliminary Analysis Initial Observations • In 2005 there was a strong correlation between the protests and the targeted Project Consolidate municipalities • Spatial distribution of protests is uneven: research suggests a concentration in Free State, North West and Gauteng provinces • Multiplicity of factors have contributed to the protests • Poor relationship and communication between councils and local communities is key challenge

  14. Conclusion (1):Service Delivery Progress BROADENING ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES (2001 Census) 1996- 2001: • Households with access to clean water: 80.0% - 85% • Households using electricity for lighting: 57,6% - 69,7% • People who have completed Grade 12 schooling: 16,3% - 20,4% • Households in formal housing: 57,5% - 63,8% • Households with chemical or flush toilets: 50,5% - 51,9% COMMUNITY SURVEY, 2007 2001 – 2007: Access to, • Water: households obtaining water from piped water inside the dwelling increased from 32,3% in 2001 to 47,3% in 2007; • Sanitation: households with access to flush toilet connected to a sewerage system increased from 49,1% in 2001 to 55,1% in 2007; and • Housing: 71% of the households live in formal dwellings compared to 64% in 1996

  15. Conclusion (4):Way Forward Key areas of focus for the Department (dplg): • Ongoing analysis of local protests and various research; • Improving internal Departmental capability to monitor protests; • Continued close collaboration and support to provinces on addressing the key causes underlying the protests; • Intensified implementation of the 5 Year Local Government Strategic Agenda (2006 – 2011); and • Policy review process (White Paper on Provincial Government and Revised White Paper on Local Government) will reflect on key issues / lessons on, inter alia, community participation, accountability, municipal responsiveness, obstacles to accelerated service delivery, building municipal capacity etc.

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