The End of Tyranny: How Civil Society in South Africa Fought Back

This text is a summary of a chapter by Ivor Chipkin within a larger playbook titled 'Rising to the Populist Challenge' by Dejusticia. It examines the role of civil society in South Africa in resisting the 'tyrannical' governance of the African National Congress (ANC) under former president Jacob Zuma.

• The African National Congress (ANC) government under former president Jacob Zuma is described as having become tyrannical by positioning itself against the rule of law and the constitution. This shift was not solely due to corruption but was a political reaction to racially defined inequality in South Africa, with the constitution being wrongly viewed as a barrier to radical economic transformation.
• The transition toward tyranny led to increased lawlessness within key government sectors and facilitated extensive corruption within the 'state marketplace,' which refers to the sector where businesses perform outsourced government work.
• In an effort to compel the government to adhere to established rules, civil society in South Africa has experienced a reinvigoration and the formation of several new coalitions.

APA

Chipkin, I. (2018). The End of Tyranny: How Civil Society in South Africa Fought Back. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/chapter-end-tyranny-civil-society-sa-fought-back/

Chicago

Chipkin, Ivor. The End of Tyranny: How Civil Society in South Africa Fought Back. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2018. https://pari.org.za/chapter-end-tyranny-civil-society-sa-fought-back/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chipkin |first1=Ivor |title=The End of Tyranny: How Civil Society in South Africa Fought Back |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=24 April 2018 |url=https://pari.org.za/chapter-end-tyranny-civil-society-sa-fought-back/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chipkin2018end, author = {Chipkin, Ivor}, title = {{The End of Tyranny: How Civil Society in South Africa Fought Back}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2018}, month = apr, url = {https://pari.org.za/chapter-end-tyranny-civil-society-sa-fought-back/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }