‘Lives over profits! Bread not bullets!’: A people’s coalition for good governance in South Africa’s state of disaster

ABSTRACT

While the COVID-19 pandemic and state response negatively impact government and society alike, the need for public accountability and responsiveness, and the role of civil society in ensuring this has not declined. This article examines how the Covid-19 People’s Coalition in South Africa navigated lockdown restrictions to mobilize civil society for participation in governance by demanding effective, just, transparent and responsive COVID-19 policy and practice. Based on analysis of over 40 public statements, the article shows a predominantly negative sentiment in the Covid-19 Coalition’s reaction to South Africa’s COVID-19 response. Government response was primarily assessed as inadequate, exclusive, anti-poor and vulnerable, violent, and prioritizing socioeconomic concerns that are removed from the realities of the masses. The Coalition offers an example of innovative, people-centered, contextual and bottom-up approach to civil participation. It spoke for the vulnerable and demanded accountable leadership, while highlighting longstanding challenges that have not been effectively addressed. Overlooking such problems undermines the government's ability to tackle crises and achieve good governance. It is recommended that the Coalition balances its criticism with more hands-on and constructive approaches such as exploring avenues for collaboration with government to achieve desired change.

KEYWORDS:

• Covid-19
• good governance
• civil resistance
• South Africa

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the National Research Foundation for its support through the SARChI Chair in Sustainable Local (Rural) Livelihoods, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Disclosure Statement

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

Notes

1 The Marikana massacre refers to the incident of 16 August 2012 when the South African Police Force opened fire on striking mineworkers who were protesting low wages. 34 mineworkers were killed, 78 seriously injured and 250 arrested (https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/marikana-massacre-16-august-2012).