Lessons for the ANC in street protests

The author analyzes the causes of popular uprisings in countries such as Egypt, Libya, Bahrain, and Iran—citing unemployment, corruption, and authoritarianism—to warn the South African government. The text argues that constitutional democracy and voting are insufficient if elected officials remain unresponsive to the needs of the electorate, noting that dissatisfaction in places like Wesselton and Ermelo over jobs and service delivery mirrors the triggers of international unrest.

• Popular uprisings in various countries are attributed to several common factors: unemployment among well-educated youth, the use of social media for organization, corruption within the ruling elite, and governments that are authoritarian and unresponsive to citizens' needs.
• In Libya, protests were driven by authoritarian governance, the arrest of a lawyer in Benghazi, and discontent regarding the president's sons using their positions for personal enrichment and the benefit of cronies.
• The author contends that the ANC is mistaken if it believes that the existence of a constitutional democracy and the act of voting are sufficient to maintain stability, as a government that is unresponsive to the nation's needs will lead to dissatisfaction.
• Recent rioting in Wesselton and Ermelo is cited as evidence of local-level failure, specifically stemming from a lack of jobs, poor service delivery, and the disconnect between municipal councillors and the people.
• The document warns that if South Africans feel they cannot hold leaders accountable through the ballot box, they will resort to street protests similar to those in North Africa.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2011). Lessons for the ANC in street protests. https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-for-the-anc-in-street-protests/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Lessons for the ANC in street protests. 2011. https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-for-the-anc-in-street-protests/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Lessons for the ANC in street protests |date=22 February 2011 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-for-the-anc-in-street-protests/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2011lessons, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Lessons for the ANC in street protests}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/lessons-for-the-anc-in-street-protests/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }