South Africa is currently facing an acute housing crisis (3), with people unable to afford accommodation due to a number of socio-economic issues. The issues range from historical landlessness, which makes it hard for most people to access land and plant their roots, especially in urban areas, where they can easily access employment opportunities.  One of the other factors is unemployment, low wages, low social grants, etc., all these things have made affording rent a nightmare for most South Africans. People are being excluded from land and housing, so they do not occupy land out of lawlessness; rather, they simply do not have a choice.  All these issues have to be taken into account, and any amendment that weakens protections against eviction into homelessness, criminalises activism, or dilutes the state's obligations would be an alarming step backwards from the transformative vision of the Constitution. We call for an amendment process that is guided by constitutional principles, grounded in the lived realities of affected communities, and committed to strengthening, rather than eroding, existing protections. It is almost as if the government is trying to shift the burden rather than ensuring that all those living in South Africa have access to adequate, dignified housing.  This petition is run jointly by the following organisations:  Ndifuna Ukwazi Abahlali basemjondolo Reclaim the city Inner City Federation Rent Control General Industries Workers' Union of South Africa (GIWUSA) Abanhlali base Freedom Park South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) Socio Economic Rights Institute (SERI) Housing Assembly Tshisimani African Water Commons Collective (AWCC) Bonteheuwel Dvelopment Forum Solidarity Space References  1. Draft Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Amendment Bill, 2026. https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/253910.pdf 2. Media statement by the Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, MP, on the release of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from Unlawful Occupation of Land Amendment Bill for public comments, 16 April 2026. https://www.dhs.gov.za/sites/default/files/speeches/PIE%20AMENDMENT%20BILL%20MEDIA%20STTEMENT%202026%20FINAL.pdf 3. South Africa: Government is failing millions of people trapped in informal settlements and impacted by the climate crisis – new report by Amnesty International, 04 November 2025.

1. Lives and health are at risk Ambulances and clinic vans get stuck in mud during rain. In emergencies, minutes save lives. Our sick and elderly cannot wait for gravel to dry. Pregnant women are at risk at delivering babies on the roadside because they couldn’t reach the S.S.Gida hospital. 2. Children’s education suffers Kids walk to school in knee-deep mud in winter and choke on dust in summer. When it rains, taxis won’t enter, so learners miss school. How do we break poverty if children can’t get to class safely? 3. Economic damage to the poorest Taxi owners/car owners spend huge amounts of money monthly on shocks, tyres, and repairs because of dongas. That cost is passed to commuters. Small businesses avoid Keiskammahoek because delivery trucks refuse to use the road. 4. Dignity and democracy It’s 2026 – 30+ years into democracy. Yet we still live with apartheid-era roads. Democracy promised dignity and equal services. A tar road is basic dignity. 5. Government accountability If other towns have tar, why not us? After 30 years, silence from Amahlathi Municipality looks like neglect of rural, black communities. Gravel roads with deep dongas and no streetlights become dangerous at night. 

Our children have no way to entertain themselves, and this is why we find ourselves with a rising drug problem. We need to keep our children busy and off the streets. We need them to enjoy sports and other activities outside of school. The poor maintenance of our available facilities has prevented our children from engaging in sports or developing healthy hobbies.  To keep children off the streets and away from drugs and alcohol, they can develop into the best sportsmen and women and represent the country at the highest level once they have the space to nurture their craft. Art Centres play a vital role; without them, we deprive our children of a healthy and holistic development.  Please sign this petition so we can come together and fight for our children's right to grow up in safe environments that make it possible for them to discover talents and hobbies, as well as nurture them.

This campaign matters because decisions are being made without accountability and that cannot continue. Public Employment Programmes are not charity, and they are not temporary relief. They are a bridge into the economy, a source of dignity and income, a tool for delivering essential public, community services and a driver of local economic activity. Failure to fund and scale these programmes is not a neutral decision. It is a decision to limit access to opportunities for young people. It is also a decision that risks deepening inequality and entrenching long-term economic exclusion. Add your voice and share this petition to help amplify the message, re squeeze(eng) In! To learn more about the work Youth Capital is doing, subscribe to the mailer here: youthcapital.co.za/get-involved/

1. Environmental impacts • Mining removes sand from beaches and dunes, destroying sensitive ecosystems. • These coastal areas protect inland communities from storms and rising sea levels, so their loss increases coastal erosion,making flooding and storm damage more likely. • Mining creates dust clouds causing sediment settlement in the rivers and the sea, making it muddy and blocking sunlight needed for aquatic life. This sediment also settles on sealife, such as shellfish, and suffocate them. • Mining processes release toxic chemicals, causing pollution, damage to underground water and possible health risks to people. • Noise and vibrations from heavy machinery, and shockwaves from blasting during open-cast mining affect people, animals and housing negatively, and in the case of marine life, can affect their very survival. 2. Impacts on Communities and Livelihoods • Fishing, which many coastal communities rely on, are negatively affected by mining. Damage to marine ecosystems reduces fish stocks and income for fishers. • Destruction of natural coastal areas can reduce tourism, farming, and other local business opportunities. • Mining projects can lead to conflict within communities, especially when people feel their rights are ignored. • Disputes often arise over land use and access to natural resources. • The removal of archeological and heritage materials, and family graves impact communities' human cultural rights and heritage. 3. Economic and Sustainability Concerns • There is NO urgent global shortage of "rare" earth minerals; they are found widely in the environment. • Coastal dune systems take thousands of years to form and cannot easily be restored once destroyed. These ecosystems also help store carbon, so their loss contributes to climate change. • Most financial benefits from mining go to large global companies. Local people often face negative impacts and an increased number of economic and social problems. This includes short-term unstable work, work related injuries, and high levels of violence and the loss of other traditional livelihoods through displacement.

The current income threshold for the Child Support Grant does not reflect the lived reality of many South African families. While some caregivers may earn above the set limit, this does not mean they are financially secure. The rising cost of living, covering essentials such as food, transport, rent, electricity, and education, continues to place immense pressure on households. As a result, many caregivers who still struggle to meet their children’s basic needs are excluded from receiving support, leaving vulnerable children without the assistance they require. At its core, this issue is about fairness and the well-being of children. The Child Support Grant was designed to protect and uplift children in low-income households, but the current criteria undermine that purpose by creating a rigid cutoff that fails to account for real economic conditions. A slight increase in income should not result in the complete loss of support, especially when families remain under financial strain. When policies fail to align with reality, they risk deepening inequality instead of reducing it. By signing this petition, you are calling for a more just and compassionate system, one that recognises the challenges faced by ordinary families and prioritises the best interests of children. This is a call for the government to review and increase the income threshold, ensuring it keeps pace with inflation and the true cost of living. Every child deserves access to basic support, and no family should be excluded because outdated criteria no longer reflect the realities on the ground.

  Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkosizana Meth, stated in an interview that there is no law that allows people to be excluded from jobs because of their age [1]. She went on to quote section 6(1) of the Employment Equity Act, which prohibits unfair discrimination. Yet we are constantly excluded [2].  We therefore ask: • How can equality exist when an entire working-age group is locked out of economic opportunities? • How can dignity survive when South Africans are treated as disposable at 36? • How can social security be real when age-based cutoffs exclude breadwinners from relief and upskilling? • If you keep restricting those aged 36+ from job opportunities, the Old-age Grant (pension) must start at 36, or a Basic Income Grant must be implemented. We are not fighting against the youth. We are fighting against exclusion. We are fighting against policies that forget us. We are fighting for fairness. The forgotten generation is rising. We will not be ignored. Join the campaign because this age exclusion affects us all, even those who are still under the age of 35; the majority of 35 and under are there, and there are those who are not working, who are in learnerships, who are still casuals. By 2029, others will be 36,38 years, still not permanent. Every year, a person grows by 1; we end up depending on our mothers' and fathers' social grants, which are not enough for the family, as everything is very expensive nowadays. References 1. Jobs cannot be denied to South Africans aged 34-50, says Labour Minister by Mthobisi Nozulela for IOL, 07 January 2026. https://iol.co.za/business/2026-01-07-jobs-cannot-be-denied-to-south-africans-aged-3450-says-labour-minister/ 2. Employment Equity Act, No. 55 of 1998. https://www.labour.gov.za/DocumentCenter/Acts/Employment%20Equity/Act%20-%20Employment%20Equity%201998.pdf

Why is this important "I live in a one-room shelter. I don't work. I depend on SASSA child grants as I have three children….I don't understand why they would raise the price of paraffin that much because it is my main source of energy." - Andile Chonco [3] According to Stats SA, only 94% of people in South Africa have access to electricity [4]. This is because of a number of reasons that all have to do with government neglect.  The poorest families in South Africa depend on paraffin because they have no other reliable energy sources. In some areas, the government has not provided electricity lines, while others have no access to electricity simply because they cannot afford it. Not only that, the constant power cuts in South Africa are felt more by low-income communities, as their outages tend to last longer. All these factors force them to dig into their already stretched financial resources to find alternative energy, and paraffin is mostly their go-to.  Public pressure forced the government to take action on the price of petrol and diesel. If we keep building momentum, we can ensure paraffin price relief. Minister Godogwana mentioned that they have put measures in place to support households [5], which is a great step in the right direction, but these measures should also be extended to households that rely heavily on paraffin.   This couldn’t be more urgent. Winter is on our doorstep, and without paraffin, families across the country are facing freezing homes where the food is cold, and even lights can’t be turned on. The socio-economic impact of this paraffin crisis will be devastating. And this is why we have to pressure both the Treasury and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to move quickly and subsidise paraffin.  References 1. Minister Gwede Mantashe announces adjustment of fuel prices effective from the 1st of April 2026, by the South African Government, 31 March 2026. https://www.gov.za/news/media-statements/minister-gwede-mantashe-announces-adjustment-fuel-prices-effective-1st-april 2. Free Basic Alternative Energy Policy https://www.cityenergy.org.za/uploads/resource_71.pdf 3. Paraffin price surge: a devastating blow to low-income households by Xolile Mtembu for IOL, 04 April 2026. https://iol.co.za/thepost/news/2026-04-02-paraffin-price-surge-a-devastating-blow-to-low-income-households/ 4. 30 years of democracy: The electrification of South African households https://www.sanews.gov.za/south-africa/30-years-democracy-electrification-south-african-households 5. WATCH | Godongwana and Mantashe agree to temporary fuel levy cut by Khulekani Magubane for Times Live, 31 March 2026. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2026-03-31-godongwana-and-mantashe-agree-to-temporary-fuel-levy-cut/

Making a simple phone call can feel impossible in our community. Imagine being in a dangerous situation and unable to reach the police or an ambulance because your phone has no signal. It's a terrifying thought. This is our current reality, and we are tired of it. We desperately need the government to step in and help us. The struggles we face without reliable internet are so frustrating. When some of us are trying to work from home, the signal keeps dropping, making it hard to do our jobs and getting us in trouble with our bosses. Even our children are suffering; they can’t do their schoolwork properly because they cannot research. We cannot even entertain ourselves by streaming our favourite shows online. The lack of the internet is affecting our lives in so many ways.  We all have to come together and request the government to do something. Enough people signing this petition will show the government just how serious this is and Act. 

 According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2021), approximately 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa cannot read for meaning in any language  (Mullis et al., 2023). This represents a regression from the 2016 PIRLS cycle, where 78% of learners were unable to read for meaning, indicating that literacy outcomes have worsened over time (Howie,2017). Further evidence in the Funda Uphumelele National Reading Panel Report (Department of Basic Education, 2025) highlights that:   • By the end of Grade 3, approximately 15% of learners cannot read a single word • Learners assessed in English were more likely to reach minimum benchmarks than those assessed in other languages, reflecting persistent inequities in literacy outcomes.  These findings confirm that a significant proportion of children are not acquiring foundational reading skills during the critical early years of schooling. Without intervention, these learners are at increased risk of long-term academic underperformance, school dropouts and reduced economic opportunity. Public libraries are uniquely positioned as accessible, community-based institutions capable of providing structured after-school literacy support, developmental programming and safe learning environments.   Considering the above, this By-law seeks to formalise the role of municipal libraries in supporting literacy development, educational equity, and lifelong learning through structured programming, qualified staffing, and regulated child-safeguarding mechanisms. References  1. Department of Basic Education. (2025). Funda Uphumelele National Survey: Summary Report. 2. Howie, S. J., Combrinck, C., Roux, K., Tshele, M., Mokoena, G., & McLeod Palane, N. (2017). PIRLS literacy 2016: South African highlights report (Grade 4). Centre for Evaluation and Assessment (CEA). 3. Mullis, I., von Davier, M., Foy, P., Fishbein, B., Reynolds, K., & Wry, E. (2023). PIRLS 2021 International Results in Reading. https://doi.org/10.6017/lse.tpisc.tr2103.kb5342 

The Cuban people and the Cuban revolution are under attack. As Africans who believe in justice and self-determination we commit to support the Cuban people materially and in principle against the attacks of U.S imperialism.  For more than 70 years, Cuba has supported African liberation and sovereignty in words, action, and spirit. From the fields of Angola in the fight against the southern African apartheid regime, to hospitals in the Caribbean during the COVID-19 pandemic, to the safety and protection of African liberation fighters Assata Shakur and Nehanda Abiodun, Cubans have maintained principled and revolutionary solidarity with African peoples around the world.  The United States regime cannot erase, however hard it tries, the history of Cuba that is written in the soil across the lands of Africa. While words are insufficient in the face of the brutal attack being waged against Cuba by the United States, we write because, to echo Che Guevara's words in 1964, "we must fulfill the obligation of our...people to state clearly and categorically to the world that we morally support and stand in solidarity with peoples who struggle anywhere in the world to make a reality of the rights of full sovereignty." There have been few states willing to stand to the imperialist onslaught that comes when you dare to affirm life, not capital, when you dare to affirm freedom, not subjugation. Despite the imperial attempts at strangulation and sabotage, Cuba has not betrayed its revolutionary commitment.  While the Cuban people have been through a special period in the past, the coercion, violence, scale and coordination of what is happening in this moment is different. We will not be silent nor complicit because we know that the defeat of Cuba would be the defeat of us all. It would mean, we are all on our knees, kissing the ring of multiple empires. We, the people of this world who believe in life and the planet, cannot afford another defeat. This is not Cuba before, but because of, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Western Sahara, Palestine, Rojava, Venezuela, Iran, and all people facing the wrath of imperialists.   We are not romantic about any political project. We can debate what is working in the Cuban socialist project, what could have worked without a choking blockade, and what didn’t work for the people. But what is important now is not to let imperialism win, again.  Act now in defense of Cuba!  Here are examples of what you can do:  • Sign onto this statement and assert your resistance to imperialism.  • Donate materials and funds to Solidarity for Cuba groups. • Join the delegation to Cuba and future delegations. • Engage in political education with your community to expand the understanding of the Cuban revolution, the criminal U.S blockade and the history of African-Cuban solidarity. 

Our children are missing classes because there’s no water. Even if they come home, there is still none, and we cannot afford to buy. The bathrooms at school are filthy, and there’s no drinking water. Recently, the municipality put Jojo tanks at the school, but the water is dirty and unsafe [1]. This situation is denying our kids their right to an education. As parents, we are deeply worried that they will fall behind. We must unite as a community and urge the municipality to take action now, so our children can learn and thrive without these challenges. References [1] South Africa: No Teaching At Botshabelo School for Nine Months Due to Water Shortages by Molefi Sompane for Health E-News https://allafrica.com/stories/202603030471.html.