The privatisation and commoditisation of basic services in South Africa (water, electricity, healthcare, housing, etc) is resulting in reduced access to these services and increasing impoverishment for South Africa’s poorest communities. It is compounding poverty and inequality in a country already ranked as one of the most unequal in the world.
The constitution adopted by the South African government in 1996 is one of the most progressive in the world. It states that “everyone has the right to … adequate housing … healthcare … food and water … [and] to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being”.
However, despite Constitutional pledges, the legacy of apartheid persists. 20% of urban households have no electricity, 25% have no running water and 33% have no flush toilet.
Privatisation of water and electricity has led to huge price rises in these services in recent years, and services are often cut off completely.
The Anti-Privatisation Forum is a broad based coalition of community organisations, NGOs and unions that have come together to strengthen the ability of poor communities to organise and demand their rights for basic services.
War on Want supports APF programmes that provide community organisations with trainaing on how to better fight privatisation processes that negatively impace on the poor. This programme also helps co-ordinate the actions of community organisations on local and national levels.
Internationally, the programme links communities organising around anti-privatisation struggles so they can share and learn from each other's experiences, and develop global strategies for action.
| APF's activities |
- Intensive campaigning on issues of water, electricity, housing, education and local government budgets/priorities
- 12 workshops run annually on local government legislation, macro-economic conditions, basic services, housing provision, and tariffs for basic services
- Leadership training implemented throughout communities, with particular focus on increased women's participation
- An APF resource centre was established containing books, magazines and multimedia to provide communities with the information and resources they need to engage in the public services debate
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| The Facts |
- Unemployment in South Africa reached a staggering 42% in 2003
- South African black household incomes fell by 19% between 1995 and 2000, while white household incomes rose by 15%
- Cost-recovery policies for public services provision have devastating consequences for poor people, who can no longer afford to pay for them, even if the service infrastructure reaches them
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Working with the Anti-Privatisation Forum, War on Want aims to support and strengthen new and emerging community organisations that are mobilising to prevent the negative impacts of privatisation on the poor.
