As South Africa celebrates 20 years of democracy, many communities countrywide are still without proper sanitation, access to water or a decent place to live. This has resulted in a rise in violent service delivery protests in recent years.
With the elections just weeks away – eNCA.com has gone back to some of the country’s most notorious hot spots. We asked if municipalities are battling to cope with a growing demand for services? Or are corruption, maladministration and a lack of skills in local government crippling service delivery?
On 13 February 2014 during his State of the Nation Address in Parliament, President Jacob Zuma laid the blame for a rise in service delivery protests on government success over the past 20 years.
“The dominant narrative in the case of the protests in South Africa has been to attribute them to alleged failures of government. However the protests are not simply the result of failures of government but also of the success in delivering basic services. When 95% of households have access to water, the 5% who still need to be provided for, feel they cannot wait a moment longer. Success is also the breeding ground of rising expectations,” said Zuma.
But on the ground, in hundreds of communities across South Africa, anger over services is resulting in violent protests. Topping the list of grievances is a lack of services, nepotism in municipalities and corruption….
South Africa Today – South Africa News
