Party Politics and Public Goods in a Racially Divided Space: A Study of Community Policing in Hout Bay, South Africa

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the political and historical roots of collective action problems around community policing in Hout Bay, South Africa. Utilizing a social capital approach, it argues that party politics has exacerbated a racialized politics of public goods provision in the community, with implications for the local governance of security. Using original data from semi-structured interviews and secondary sources, the paper analyzes the community’s environment of social capital, the influence of local and provincial party agendas on inter-group relations there, and its ultimate impact on community policing in Hout Bay.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 2011 census numbers, Stats SA (Accessed May 2022, https://www.statssa.gov.za/?page_id=4286&id=332).

2 Cape Times ‘ANC Jazzes Up Election Campaign’ 26 April 2011’ (Accessed September 2019, https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/cape-times/20110426/281663956568153).

3 News 24, ‘Zille: Truth Behind the Toilet Saga’ 05 July 2010 (Accessed February 2020, https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Zille-Truth-behind-toilet-saga-20100705).

4 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum chairman, Hout Bay, June 12, 2015.

5 Ibid, June 12, 2015.

6 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum chairman, Hout Bay, June 12, 2015.

7 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum, Imizamo Yethu area leader, June 15, 2015.

8 Interview with Hout Bay Neighborhood Watch chairman, June 12, 2015.

9 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum, Imizamo Yethu area leader, June 15, 2015.

10 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum, Imizamo Yethu area leader, June 15, 2015 and Hangberg community leaders, June 17, 2015.

11 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum chairman, Hout Bay, June 12, 2015.

12 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum and Hangberg community leaders, June 17, 2015.

13 ‘Hout and About’, May 2013 (Accessed September 2019, http://www.houtbay.org.za/RAHB_Newsletters.html).

14 Pearlie Joubert, ‘DA Rep Calls for Forced Removals’.

15 Electoral commission of South Africa (Accessed September 2019, https://www.elections.org.za/content/Elections/Municipal-elections-results/).

16 This refers to groups of white European immigrants that have, in recent years, moved to neighborhoods in the Valley.

17 ‘Hangberg Peace Process Flawed’ Cape Argus, 7 February 2011 (Accessed September 2019).

18 ‘Hout Bay is not just a wealthy white enclave’ COSATU press release, 25 August 2015 (Accessed September 2019, https://allafrica.com/stories/201508251750.html).

19 ‘Hout Bay is not just a wealthy white enclave’.

20 Electoral commission of South Africa (Accessed September 2019, https://www.elections.org.za/content/Elections/Municipal-elections-results/).

21 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum and Hangberg community leaders, June 17, 2015.

22 Ibid, June 17, 2015.

23 ‘Battle for Hout Bay (Land Grabs by ANC & Cosatu)’.

24 ‘DA Rep Calls for Forced Removals’.

25 ‘Letters: February 23 to March 1 2007’ Mail & Guardian 28 February 2007 (Accessed October 2019, https://mg.co.za/article/2007-02-28-february-23-to-march-1-2007).

26 ‘Letters: February 23 to March 1 2007’.

27 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum chairman, Hout Bay, June 12, 2015.

28 Interview with Hout Bay Community Policing Forum and Hangberg community leaders, June 17, 2015.

29 Ibid, June 12, 2015.

30 Interview with Hout Bay Neighborhood Watch chairman, June 12, 2015.