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This year could go down in history as the time service delivery protests exploded in South Africa. Approximately 80% of uprisings have become more violent—- especially during Winter months.

These were some of the findings by the Multi-level Government Initiative (MLGI) which tracked protests between February 2007 to August 2012 through media reports. The project released its Service Delivery Protest Barometer in Cape Town yesterday.

The research corroborates the findings of local government data and intelligence service Municipal IQ —- that in addition to the unprecedented spike in protests this year and the increase in violence, the Western Cape has had to shoulder most of the unrest in the country.

The term protest, was defined during the MLGI research as: “Any complaint or issue cited by protesters in reports, whether related to the delivery of municipal services or not, over which citizens decide to and actually engage in organised public protest activity”.

Other findings included that:

Overall, protest activity has risen dramatically in the first eight months of 2012, with 226 protests;

Should current trends continue, 2012 will have more than twice as many protests as 2011 and more protests than 2010 and 2011 together;

The Western Cape has surpassed Gauteng as the province with the highest number of violent protests in 2012;

Prior to 2012, Western Cape recorded its highest protest activity during election years;

The Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng account for 56.98% of all protests; and

“Land and housing issues are the most oft-cited with 303 incidents over the 6-year period, with poor service delivery second most frequent at 218 incidents. Grievances related to broken promises and government officials ignoring protesters’ grievances risen exponentially since 2010 but still account for less than 10% of total complaints.”

The Western Cape has also shot past Gauteng as the province with the biggest number of violent protests this year.

Professor Nico Steytler Director of the Community Law Centre at the University of the Western Cape highlighted the fact that protests increased in Winter.

“Often it is because the grievances and the issues are the most severely felt in Winter — like housing, electricity, access to roads,” said Steytler.

But MLGI researchers have warned not to draw too many conclusions from the study and that much more research is needed.

Head of the MLGI, Professor Jaap de Visser, said they have just started to collect information on a very complicated issue.

“Let us build up our knowledge about protests over a period of time continue the research. It is not just something we should do— government should put serious effort into analysing protest activity and use that information to improve its performance and its engagement,” said De Visser.

- The Times

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Fri May 24 05:07:59 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 11, 2012

KasiKid

THANKS TO THE STUPID SHOWERHEAD...
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Oct 11, 2012

MAGAOGAO

OL DE MANI GOS TO NKANDLA. NXESI IS A SELL-OUT, O THULA MABOTA. INTERESTS OF THE POOR CITIZENS NOT TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. ONE INDIVIDUAL'S LUXURY IS ANOTHER'S SUFFERING. IT'S HIGH TIME POOR PEOPLE FORCIBLY OCCUPY ZUMA'S HOUSES. DON'T YOU THINK?
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Oct 11, 2012

WarrenG

And next year will be worse. It'll keep getting worse until people get fed up with the thieving ANC and violently overthrow them.
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Oct 11, 2012

guiliano

This is just the beginning the worst is yet to come especially if "mr i know what i'm doing" gets a second term.
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Oct 11, 2012

!!!Sinudeity!!!

The worst is, the WCape protestors are refugees who moved here from ECape. Couldnt be provided with basic services in ECape, now they move here, and start buuurning stuff, instead of buuurning stuff in the ECape.
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Oct 11, 2012

Shredder

@!!!Sinudeity!!!
The worst is, the WCape protestors are refugees who moved here from ECape. Couldnt be provided with basic services in ECape, now they move here, and start buuurning stuff, instead of buuurning stuff in the ECape
========================================================================
Now that is Zille's mentality at best. You have outdone yourself.
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Oct 11, 2012

cornelius

@Shredder - Zille made the refugee remark as a criticism of the EC government, not once has she said anything adverse about the " refugees" themselves, in fact she has made it clear that they are welcome, so please don't fall for the ANC rubbish on this point.
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Oct 11, 2012

!!!Sinudeity!!!

Shredder - Merely the truth, but yet 75% of all tax income generated in WCape goes to other provinces. We should be getting a bigger cut from the ECape provincial budget. The money is being wasted that side.
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Oct 11, 2012

McCountryMan

11 Oct 2012guiliano
This is just the beginning the worst is yet to come especially if "mr i know what i'm doing" gets a second term.

Ke Mr Double CAB (2Heads)
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Oct 11, 2012

mthosam

mugabe is better than ANC. protest more than the number of service delivery, no action taken, this ANC likes to see horror and its coming. they way inequality and injustice of the passed was addressed, the service delivery will be addressed. watch the space.
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