Twelve Service delivery protests in South Africa: a case for community development?
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Lucius Botes
Abstract
This chapter takes the local community landscape of South Africa as backdrop and focuses on the rolling service delivery protests that started in 2004, ten years into the new democracy. It explores the idea that such forms of political action should be viewed as a phenomenon of community development and it considers the kinds of issues and concerns that animate these locally based protests. Critiques of the managerial or programmatic turn in community development often point to the associated de-politicisation of its theory and practice. This chapters sets out to achieve two aims. Firstly, to provide a descriptive overview of the current upsurge in community protests in South Africa as manifestations of civil society’s response to service delivery deficiencies and the unaccountability of South Africa’s young democracy. Secondly, to explain how notions of linking power and community development could help in understanding a potential nexus for service delivery protests and community development work.
Abstract
This chapter takes the local community landscape of South Africa as backdrop and focuses on the rolling service delivery protests that started in 2004, ten years into the new democracy. It explores the idea that such forms of political action should be viewed as a phenomenon of community development and it considers the kinds of issues and concerns that animate these locally based protests. Critiques of the managerial or programmatic turn in community development often point to the associated de-politicisation of its theory and practice. This chapters sets out to achieve two aims. Firstly, to provide a descriptive overview of the current upsurge in community protests in South Africa as manifestations of civil society’s response to service delivery deficiencies and the unaccountability of South Africa’s young democracy. Secondly, to explain how notions of linking power and community development could help in understanding a potential nexus for service delivery protests and community development work.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Rethinking Community Development ix
- Acknowledgements x
- Notes on contributors xi
- Politics, power and community development: an introductory essay 1
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Thinking politically
- The politics of deploying community 31
- Changing community development roles: the challenges of a globalising world 47
- Community organising and political agency: changing community development subjects in India 65
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Practising politics
- Identity politics, community participation and the making of new places: examples from Taiwan 85
- Community development, venture philanthropy and neoliberal governmentality: a case from Ireland 103
- A shifting paradigm: engendering the politics of community engagement in India 121
- The politics of diversity in Australia: extending the role of community practice 139
- The politics of environmental justice: community development in Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazonia 159
- The politics of democracy and the global institutions: lessons and challenges for community development 179
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Politicising the future
- Disability arts: the building of critical community politics and identity 199
- Service delivery protests in South Africa: a case for community development? 217
- Community development and commons: on the road to alternative economics? 235
- Index 253
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents vii
- Rethinking Community Development ix
- Acknowledgements x
- Notes on contributors xi
- Politics, power and community development: an introductory essay 1
-
Thinking politically
- The politics of deploying community 31
- Changing community development roles: the challenges of a globalising world 47
- Community organising and political agency: changing community development subjects in India 65
-
Practising politics
- Identity politics, community participation and the making of new places: examples from Taiwan 85
- Community development, venture philanthropy and neoliberal governmentality: a case from Ireland 103
- A shifting paradigm: engendering the politics of community engagement in India 121
- The politics of diversity in Australia: extending the role of community practice 139
- The politics of environmental justice: community development in Ecuadorian and Peruvian Amazonia 159
- The politics of democracy and the global institutions: lessons and challenges for community development 179
-
Politicising the future
- Disability arts: the building of critical community politics and identity 199
- Service delivery protests in South Africa: a case for community development? 217
- Community development and commons: on the road to alternative economics? 235
- Index 253