Agents of Change? The Impact of Social Movements in Post-apartheid South Africa

2 Richard Ballard et al, ‘Social Movements in South Africa: Promoting Crisis or Creating Stability?’ In V. Padayachee (ed.), The Development Decade? Economic and Social Change in South Africa, 1994-2004, Cape Town: HSRC Press, 2006, p.403

3 Nigel Gibson, Challenging Hegemony: Social Movements and the Quest for a New Humanism in Post-apartheid South Africa, Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, 2006, p.6.

4 Trevor Ngwane, ‘The Anti-Privatisation Forum (APF)’ South African Labour Bulletin. Vol. 27, no. 3, (2003), p. 32.

5 Ran Greenstein, ‘Civil Society, Social Movements and Power in South Africa’, Paper presented at RAU Sociology Seminar: unpublished, 2003.

6 Richard Ballard et al, Voices of Protest: Social Movements in Post-apartheid South Africa, Scottsville: University of KwaZulu-Natal Press, 2006, p.415

7 Franco Barchiesi, ‘Classes, Multitudes and the Politics of Community Movements in Post-apartheid South Africa’ Research Report No.20,Durban: Centre for Civil Society, 2004, pp.3-4.

8 Tshepo Madlingozi, (2007) Post-Apartheid Social Movements and the Quest for the Elusive 'New' South Africa. Journal of Law and Society. 34(1): 76-97; Ballard et al, Voices of Protest.

9 Dale McKinley, ‘Democracy and Social Movements in South Africa’ in In V. Padayachee (ed.), The Development Decade? Economic and Social Change in South Africa, 1994-2004, Cape Town: HSRC Press, pp.418-419.

10 Ballard et al, Voices of Protest, p.400.

11 Ashwin Desai, We are the Poors: Community Struggles in Post-Apartheid South Africa, New York: Monthly Review Press, 2002.

12 McKinley, ‘Democracy and Social Movements’.

13 Ballard et al, Voices of Protest, p.403.

14 Gibson, Challenging Hegemony, p.9.

15 Ibid, p.5.

16 Ballard et al, Voices of Protest, p.413.

17 Ibid, p.402.

18 McKinley, ‘Democracy and Social Movements’.

19 Demosthenes (384 BC - 322 BC).

20 Maj Fiil-Flynn, The Electricity Crisis in Soweto. Johannesburg: Municipal Services Project, 2001.

21 Interviews with Trevor Ngwane, Anti-Privatisation Forum and SECC, 17 March 2004 – 25 June 2009, Soweto, Johannesburg and Durban.

22 Peter Alexander, ‘Anti-globalisation Movements, Identity and Leadership: Trevor Ngwane and the Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee’, South African Sociological Association Conference, Durban: unpublished, 2003.

23 Interviews with Wendy Pekeur, General Secretary, Sikhula Sonke, Feb - May 2007, Stellenbosch; Sikhula Sonke, ‘Profile’, Stellenbosch: unpublished, 2006.

24 Interview with Sara Claasen, President, Sikhula Sonke, 19 April 2007, Stellenbosch.

25 Interview with Evelien Ockers, Organiser, Sikhula Sonke, 19 April 2007, Stellenbosch.

26 Sikhula Sonke, ‘Profile’.

27 Interviews with Bongani Lubisi, SECC Organiser, March - May 2005, Soweto.

28 SECC, The Struggle for Affordable Electricity for All, unpublished, undated.

29 SECC Forum meeting 28 June 2011. Soweto. Interview with Zodwa Madiba, SECC Organiser, 4 July 2011, Soweto.

30 Jeff Radebe, ‘Speech by Minister of Public Enterprises’, Workshop on Service Delivery Framework, Gauteng, 2001.

31 Konstantinos Papadakis, Civil Society, Participatory Governance and Decent Work Objectives: The Case of South Africa. Geneva: International Institute for Labour Studies, 2006, p.72.

32 Zodwa Madiba.

33 Ibid.

34  Bongani Lubisi.

35 See Tankiso, ‘Beyond Dreadlocks and Demagogy’, Umrabulo, (June 2003).

36 Interview with Nandi Mayethula-Khoza, Speaker, Johannesburg City Council, April 2005, Johannesburg. 

37 Interview with Masego Sheburi, Public Petitions, Office of the Speaker, April 2005, Johannesburg.

38 Interview with Lesego Lebuso, Divisional Manager for New Services, Johannesburg Water, April 2005, Johannesburg.

39 Ibid.

40 SECC forum meeting, 9 March 2005, Soweto. 

41 SECC Political Committee, Ideas on the SA Local Government Election 2006, unpublished, 2004.

42 Siphiwe Segodi, Thembelihle Crisis Committee contesting elec­tions through Operation Khanyisa Movement, 2011, http://tinyurl.com/3u2w46x (accessed 9 August 2011).

43 Interview with Executive Committee Member B, SECC, 23 May 2006, Soweto.

44 Ministry of Agriculture: Western Cape, Statement by Cobus Dowry, Minister of Agriculture Western Cape: Road Forward for Jonkershoek, unpublished, 2006.

45 Department of Labour, Farm Workers' Minimum Wage Increases 2007/8. [online] (2 March 2007), www.labour.gov.za (accessed June 2007).

46 Interview with Alie Van Jaarsveld, Spokesperson: Western Cape Ministry of Agriculture, 30 April 2007, Cape Town.

47 Interview with Clarence Johnson, Cape Winelands District Mayor, 8 May 2007, Stellenbosch; Interview with Gwebs Qonde, Cape Winelands Deputy Municipal Manager, 8 May 2007, Stellenbosch.

48 Interview with John Appolis, Anti-Privatisation Forum, May 2005, Johannesburg. Subsequent to this interview the government shifted economic focus towards a developmental state. The influence of social movements in this shift is difficult to trace.

49 Interview with Administrator, SECC, 5 May 2005, Soweto; Zodwa Madiba.

50  Trevor Ngwane.

51 Interview with Ida Jacobs, Organiser, Sikhula Sonke, 8 May 2007, Stellenbosch.

52 Interviews with branch members from: Dube, 4 July 2011, Soweto; SECC Senaone Branch Meeting, 17 March 2005, Soweto; SECC Rockville Branch Meeting, 10 March 2005, Soweto; SECC Noordgesig Mass Meeting, 7 April 2005, Soweto.

53 Interview with Estelle Coetzee, Organiser, Sikhula Sonke, 8 May 2007, Stellenbosch.

54 Interview with Sikhula Sonke member and CCMA case applicant; Interview with farm worker A, De Klapmuts Farm, 25 April 2007, Western Cape.

55 Employer – employee relations do differ from farm to farm and there are examples of good practice on some farms, although these are in the minority.

56 Interviews with Sikhula Sonke members from farms in the Cape Winelands, March - May 2007, Western Cape.

57 Luke Sinwell, ‘Is ‘another world’ really possible? Re-examining counter-hegemonic forces in post-apartheid South Africa’, Review of African Political Economy Vol. 38, No. 127 (2011).

58 Bongani Lubisi and Zodwa Madiba.

59  Interview with Virginia Setshedi, Soweto Electricity Crisis Committee, 10 March 2004, Johannesburg; Bongani Lubisi; Zodwa Madiba.

60 SECC Dube Branch Meeting, SECC Senaone Branch Meeting; SECC Rockville Branch Meeting; SECC Noordgesig Mass Meeting.

61 Protests observed were: March to Protea Magistrates Court, April 2005, Soweto; Demonstration at Moroka Police Station to hand over Memorandum, April 2005. Soweto; Anti-War Coalition Solidarity March, 19 March 2005, Johannesburg.

62 City of Johannesburg, (undated), http://www.joburg-archive.co.za/2008/sdf/soweto/soweto_statusquo_context.pdf. (accessed 3 August 2011).

63 Michael Nefale, A Survey on Attitudes to Prepaid Electricity Meters in Soweto, Johannesburg: Centre for Applied Legal Studies, 2004.

64 Telephonic interview with Sandra Hendricks, Administrator, Sikhula Sonke, 7 July 2011.

65 Josep María Antentas ‘Resistance to neoliberalism’ IV Online magazine, IV380, (July-August 2006) http://www.internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article1088 (accessed 15 July 2011).

66 Zodwa Madiba.

67 Dale McKinley, ‘The Crisis of the Left in Contemporary South Africa’, Paper presented to ‘Decade of Dissent’ Symposium, University of Johannesburg (2010).

68 For discussion see Madlingosi, ‘Post-apartheid Social Movements’ and Ballard et al, Voices of Protest, p. 408

69 Interview with Abie Ditlake, Director, SADC NGO Council, 04 August 2009, Harare

70 From May 2009 a large number of protests occurred in all parts of South Africa. Protests centred on a range of concerns including service delivery problems, labour conditions and wage negotiation strikes.

71 Comments made at the Global Governance Learning Network (GGLN) meeting, 2009.

72 Luke Sinwell, The Centre for Sociological Research.

73 Interview with Russell Ally, Ford Foundation, 17 August 2009, Johannesburg.

74 Interview with Leonard Gentle, Director, International Labour Research and Information Group (ILRIG), 4 June 2009, Cape Town.

75 Trevor Ngwane.

76 Interview with Mazibuko Jara, ALARM, 03 June 2009, Cape Town.

77 Focus group with community activists. Centre for Civil Society, 22 June 2009, Durban.

78 For more detail see: Fiona White, ‘Strengthening Democracy? The Role of Social Movements as Agents of Civil Society in Post-Apartheid South Africa’, University of London: PhD Thesis, 2008.

79 Crystal Prince, Conditions on Farms: A Draft Paper, Unit for Social Research, Western Cape Department of Social Services and Poverty Alleviation, 2004, p.3.

80 De Toqueville in Ricardo Blaug and John Schwarzmantel, Democracy: A Reader. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1988, p.477.

81 Charles Tilly, ‘When Do (and Don't) Social Movements Promote Democratization?’ in Pedro Ibarra (ed.) Social Movements and Democracy, New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003.

82 Gordon White, ‘Civil Society, Democratization and Development: Clearing the Analytical Ground’ in Peter Burnell and Peter Calvert (eds.) Civil Society in Democratization, London: Frank Cass, 2004, pp.13-14.

83 John Gaventa, ‘Triumph, Deficit or Contestation? Deepening the 'Deepening Democracy' Debate’, IDS Working Paper 264, Brighton: Institute of Development Studies, (2006) p.19.

84 Interview with Adam Habib, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of Johannesburg, 14 September 2009, Johannesburg.

85 Fiona White ‘2009 Elections’, South African Labour Bulletin, Vol.33 No.3 (2009).