Social and environmental conflict in sa

These problems of urbanisation caused the government of the time to start moving away from apartheid.

The pre-election period (from 1990 when Mandela was freed up to the general elections of 1994) was characterised by violence. The ANC and Inkhata Freedom Party (IFP) were involved in a struggle for control of the state.

The pre-election period was complicated even further by economical problems. The downward trend in the economic growth that had already begun in 1980, dropped to negative figures when the economy started to shrink, at a stage when the population was growing at 2,5% per year. The number of people who had to find jobs was increasing, while job opportunities were decreasing. Approximately one out of every three persons was unemployed. The new government implemented the so-called Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP). This programme was and is still aimed at mobilising the country’s people and its resources to eradicate apartheid and build a democratic, non-racial an non-sexist future.

In 1994 the economy was growing with 2,3%. Many people believed that the new government’s economic policy and discipline would soon address the development priorities of South Africa. However, the legacy of apartheid as mentioned earlier, remains a factor which will determine to what extent the state and society will succeed in meeting the objectives of the RDP.

3. Environmental needs and violent conflict

There are three kinds of environmental needs:

Availability-driven shortages resulting from the impoverishment and depletion of an environmental resource, for example the erosion of land which is suitable for cultivation.

Demand-driven shortages resulting from population growth in a specific area or the growing per capita utilisation of a resource, which then leads to an increased demand for that resource.

Structural shortages resulting when the utilisation of a resource is controlled by a small group of people, while the rest of the population suffer a serious shortage.

The three kinds of shortages often occur at the same time and influence one another. Some of the most common consequences include:

a decrease in agricultural productivity;

economic deterioration;

migration from areas experiencing environmental shortages; and

a deterioration of institutions.

Such shortages and their effects on society can lead to complaints and grievances, which may eventually result in civil violence if two additional factors are present:

Groups with strong collective or unifying identities that might coincide to challenge the state.

Opportunities for violent action against authorities that hold obvious advantages.

This means that grievances may lead to civil rebellion if the dissatisfied parties see themselves as members of groups that can stand together, and if they believe that the best way to address their grievances successfully, includes violence.

Grievances may cause people to stand together because they identify with one another, as they share the same grievances.

Civil violence is an indication of tension between the state and society. If groups in society are of the opinion that the state reacts to their grievances, the level of dissatisfaction with the state remains low.

Environmental shortages upset this delicate balance between state and society. A decrease in agricultural production, urbanisation and economic deteriorisation often lead to hardship. On the other hand it also hampers the state’s ability to address the grievances in an appropriate manner because of a decrease in state income. This results in poor communication and interaction between the state and society, and eventually the state loses its legitimacy, while it is no longer representative of society and it stops being sensitive to society.

As long as this situation is allowed to prevail, grievances continue, which may eventually be expressed in deeds of crime.

Assessment