Service delivery protests, struggle for rights and the failure of local democracy in South Africa and Uganda: parallels and divergences
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Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Centre for Applied Legal Studies, Wits University
Abstract
Although the two countries are thousands of miles apart, Uganda and South Africa have both
experienced service delivery protests in recent years. The protests have been directed mainly
at local governments, although in Uganda some are directed at private service providers
such as the electricity distributor, Umeme. There are a number of parallels and divergences
between the two countries, particularly in relation to the causes and the nature that the protests
have taken. Both countries are experiencing challenges in implementing decentralisation,
which has mainly been characterised by a failure to effectively involve local communities
in decision-making as a way of effecting local democracy. Mismanagement, corruption,
and incapacity to deliver at the local levels are common to both countries. The divergences
relate mainly to the level of organisation, frequency and magnitude of the protests. The local
government legal framework of Uganda does not emphasise service delivery as much as the
South African legal framework does. There is an urgent need for both countries to make
local democracy work by building civic competence and creating operational and effective
structures for civic participation in local affairs.
Description
Keywords
Local government, Service delivery, Democracy, Uganda, South Africa
Citation
Mbazira, C. (2013). Service delivery protests, struggle for rights and the failure of local democracy in South Africa and Uganda: parallels and divergences. South African Journal on Human Rights, 29: 251-275