Coming up on
Special Assignment (17 November 2009):
Episode Title: Fallen Off The Map
Broadcast date: Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Teaser ...The year 2010 kicked off with the highest surge in service delivery protests since the dawn of democracy in South Africa. At the same time the instances of payment boycotts by rate payers associations in reaction to poor service delivery by their municipalities have also risen sharply.
Industry experts say this national revolt against failing municipalities will keep on escalating and could render certain local municipal areas ungovernable or even contribute to renewed xenophobic violence amid a struggle for basic services.
Is there any truth behind statements from certain government corners that a third force could lie behind the countrywide violent service delivery protests? Is political factionalism to be blamed?
Is it fair to label rate payers’ boycotts undemocratic and racially motivated? Or have disgruntled residents simply had enough of poor performances by their local governments?
Special Assignment visits the North West province, which has become symbolic of this growing revolt against poor service delivery, to investigate.
In one town the residents of Braklaagte took to the streets to show their dismay and in another, rate payers from Sannieshof embarked on a full scale payment boycott due to years of ongoing service delivery problems.
The episode is produced by Adel van Niekerk.
Special Assignment is on SABC3 on Tuesdays at 20h31.