6 - Party identification and service delivery protests in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape, South Africa
Corresponding Author(s) : Lucius Botes
African Sociological Review,
Vol. 21 No. 2 (2017): African Sociological Review
Abstract
Service delivery protests against municipalities in South Africa have become common. This
article discusses the relationship between party identification and these protests. It presents an
in-depth analysis of two qualitative case studies: one in the Eastern Cape Province, where
protests have mainly been about the shortage and poor quality of housing, and one in the
Northern Cape, where protests were mainly aimed at getting the mayor to resign. A widely
held view in the social movement literature is that the stronger the identification with the
ruling party the less likely people are to protest, even when they have cause to do so. In South
Africa, the connection between party affiliation and social movement is blurred. We found
that partisan protesters were consequently able to navigate successfully between the party and
concerned residents’ groups. There is a pressing need to consider what norms and values these
protests will transmit to future generations.
Keywords
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- Alexander, P. (2010). Rebellion of the poor: South Africa’s service delivery protests – a preliminary analysis. Review of African Political Economy, 37(123), 25–40.
- Arce, M., & Mangomet, J. (2012). Competitiveness, partisanship, and subnational protest in Argentina. Comparative Political Studies, 46(8), 895–919.
- Auyero, J., Lapegna, P., & Poma, F. P. (2009). Patronage politics and contentious collective action: a recursive relationship. Latin American Politics and Society, 51(3), 1–31. doi: 10.1111/j.1548-2456.2009.00054
- Bernstein, A., & Johnston, S. (2007). Voices of anger: protest and conflict in two municipalities.
- Centre for Development and Enterprise, Johannesburg. Retrieved from www.cde.org.za/voices-of-anger-phumelela-and-khutsong- protest-and-conflict-in-two-municipalities/Bond , P. (2010). South Africa’s bubble meets boiling urban protest. New Left Review, June 2010.
- Retrieved from https://monthlyreview.org/2010/06/01/south-africas-bubble-meets-boiling-urban-social-protest/Booysen, S. (2009). Public participation in democratic South Africa: from popular mobilisation to structured co-optation and protest. Politeia, 28(1), 1–27.
- Buhlungu, S., & Tshoaedi, M (Eds.). (2012). COSATU’s contested legacy. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
- Chen, P., & Goren, P. (2014). What moves the ‘unmoved mover’? Operational ideology and party identification. APSA 2014 Annual Meeting Paper, (August 2014).
- Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=2451876 City Press. (2012). Pupils away from three N. Cape schools, 8 October.
- Dawson, M. C., & Sinwell, L. (2012). Transforming scholarship: soberly reflecting on the politics of resistance. In M. C. Dawson & L. Sinwell (Eds.). Contesting transformation.
- Popular resistance in twenty-first-century South Africa (pp. 1–22). London: Pluto.
- DeNardo, J. (1985). Power in numbers. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Friedman, S(2006).
- Participatory governance and citizen action in post-apartheid South Africa. Geneva: International Labour Organisation.
- Green, D, Palmquist, B., & Schickler, E. (2002). Partisan hearts and minds. Political parties and the social identities of voters. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
- Greffrath, W., & Duvenhage, A. (2014). South Africa and the 2014 national election: a shift to the left? Journal/Joernaal, 39(2), 196–224.
- Hamil, J. (2014). South Africa’s 2014 Election could be next step in ANC’s steady decline. World Politics Review, February. Retrieved from www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/13562/south-africa-s-2014-election-could-be-next-step-in-anc- s-steady-decline Hodder, R. (2014). High-level political appointments in the Philippines. Patronage, emotion and democracy. London: Springer.
- Kabane, N. (2011). An emerging funding crisis for South African civil society. NGO Pulse, 12 January. Retrieved from www.ngopulse.org/article/emerging-funding-crisis-south-african-civil-society.
- Karamoko, J., & Jain, H. (2010). Community protests in South Africa: trends, analysis and explanations. Local Government Working Paper Series No. 1, August, Cape Town: University of the Western Cape.
- Klandermans, P. G. (2014). Identity politics and politicized identities: identity processes and the dynamics of protest. Political Psychology, 35(1), 1–22. doi: 10.1111/pops.12167
- Langa, M., & Von Holdt, K. (2012). Insurgent citizenship, class formation and the dual nature of a community protest: a case study of ‘Kungcatsha’. In M. C. Dawson & Sinwell, L. (Eds.). Contesting transformation. Popular resistance in twenty-first century South Africa (pp. 80–100). London: Pluto Press.
- Lewis-Beck, M. S., Nadeau, R., & Elias, A. (2008). Economics, party, and the vote: causality issues and panel data. American Journal of Political Science, 52(1), 84–95.
- Lodge, A. G. (2000). Deliberative democracy and the limits of partisan politics: between Athens and Philadelphia. In E. B. Portis, A. G. Gundersen & R. L. Shively (Eds.), Political theory and partisan politics (pp. 97–116). New York: State University of New York Press.
- Lowrance, S. (2006). Identity, grievances, and political action: recent evidence from the Palestinian community in Israel. International Political Science Review,(2), 167–190.
References
Alexander, P. (2010). Rebellion of the poor: South Africa’s service delivery protests – a preliminary analysis. Review of African Political Economy, 37(123), 25–40.
Arce, M., & Mangomet, J. (2012). Competitiveness, partisanship, and subnational protest in Argentina. Comparative Political Studies, 46(8), 895–919.
Auyero, J., Lapegna, P., & Poma, F. P. (2009). Patronage politics and contentious collective action: a recursive relationship. Latin American Politics and Society, 51(3), 1–31. doi: 10.1111/j.1548-2456.2009.00054
Bernstein, A., & Johnston, S. (2007). Voices of anger: protest and conflict in two municipalities.
Centre for Development and Enterprise, Johannesburg. Retrieved from www.cde.org.za/voices-of-anger-phumelela-and-khutsong- protest-and-conflict-in-two-municipalities/Bond , P. (2010). South Africa’s bubble meets boiling urban protest. New Left Review, June 2010.
Retrieved from https://monthlyreview.org/2010/06/01/south-africas-bubble-meets-boiling-urban-social-protest/Booysen, S. (2009). Public participation in democratic South Africa: from popular mobilisation to structured co-optation and protest. Politeia, 28(1), 1–27.
Buhlungu, S., & Tshoaedi, M (Eds.). (2012). COSATU’s contested legacy. Cape Town: HSRC Press.
Chen, P., & Goren, P. (2014). What moves the ‘unmoved mover’? Operational ideology and party identification. APSA 2014 Annual Meeting Paper, (August 2014).
Retrieved from http://ssrn.com/abstract=2451876 City Press. (2012). Pupils away from three N. Cape schools, 8 October.
Dawson, M. C., & Sinwell, L. (2012). Transforming scholarship: soberly reflecting on the politics of resistance. In M. C. Dawson & L. Sinwell (Eds.). Contesting transformation.
Popular resistance in twenty-first-century South Africa (pp. 1–22). London: Pluto.
DeNardo, J. (1985). Power in numbers. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Friedman, S(2006).
Participatory governance and citizen action in post-apartheid South Africa. Geneva: International Labour Organisation.
Green, D, Palmquist, B., & Schickler, E. (2002). Partisan hearts and minds. Political parties and the social identities of voters. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
Greffrath, W., & Duvenhage, A. (2014). South Africa and the 2014 national election: a shift to the left? Journal/Joernaal, 39(2), 196–224.
Hamil, J. (2014). South Africa’s 2014 Election could be next step in ANC’s steady decline. World Politics Review, February. Retrieved from www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/13562/south-africa-s-2014-election-could-be-next-step-in-anc- s-steady-decline Hodder, R. (2014). High-level political appointments in the Philippines. Patronage, emotion and democracy. London: Springer.
Kabane, N. (2011). An emerging funding crisis for South African civil society. NGO Pulse, 12 January. Retrieved from www.ngopulse.org/article/emerging-funding-crisis-south-african-civil-society.
Karamoko, J., & Jain, H. (2010). Community protests in South Africa: trends, analysis and explanations. Local Government Working Paper Series No. 1, August, Cape Town: University of the Western Cape.
Klandermans, P. G. (2014). Identity politics and politicized identities: identity processes and the dynamics of protest. Political Psychology, 35(1), 1–22. doi: 10.1111/pops.12167
Langa, M., & Von Holdt, K. (2012). Insurgent citizenship, class formation and the dual nature of a community protest: a case study of ‘Kungcatsha’. In M. C. Dawson & Sinwell, L. (Eds.). Contesting transformation. Popular resistance in twenty-first century South Africa (pp. 80–100). London: Pluto Press.
Lewis-Beck, M. S., Nadeau, R., & Elias, A. (2008). Economics, party, and the vote: causality issues and panel data. American Journal of Political Science, 52(1), 84–95.
Lodge, A. G. (2000). Deliberative democracy and the limits of partisan politics: between Athens and Philadelphia. In E. B. Portis, A. G. Gundersen & R. L. Shively (Eds.), Political theory and partisan politics (pp. 97–116). New York: State University of New York Press.
Lowrance, S. (2006). Identity, grievances, and political action: recent evidence from the Palestinian community in Israel. International Political Science Review,(2), 167–190.