Our approach to building a national civil society coalition dedicated to anti-corruption efforts, accountability, and human rights is to first service a series of meetings in each of the seven provinces the project is working in to introduce the project to key stakeholders, identify CBOs and CSOs conducting accountability work, to assess the strength of these organisations, and to get consensus on a set of clear demands aimed at placing pressure from civil society on public office. The meetings are designed to initiate alliances that work democratically to maximise an exchange of knowledge, experience and best practices among members in order for the sum of the parts of the coalition to enhance capacity to advocate for systemic change and drive meaningful impact in promoting transparency, integrity, and good governance. The establishment of regional alliances in each of the seven provinces will be consolidated into a series of national meetings that will take place predominantly online.
Launch of the Civic Action for Democracy and Equality (CADE) Assemblies
On 17 January 2025, over 185 participants representing more than 40 organisations gathered at Truth Ministry in Soweto for the first Civic Action for Democracy and Equality (CADE) assembly. This landmark meeting marked the beginning of a series of 12 assemblies to strengthen a unified civic coalition focused on municipal accountability and the right to water in Greater Johannesburg. Facilitated by leaders from grassroots movements, the event created space for community-led input into a petition calling for a human rights-based approach to water delivery. With strong participation from women and trade unions, the assembly laid the groundwork for coordinated civic action ahead of key policy moments and future provincial expansion.
CADE Water Justice Strategy Meeting Strengthens National Mobilisation
On 8 February 2025, the Civic Action for Democracy and Equality (CADE) coalition convened at SAFTU Offices for a strategic follow-up meeting focused on water justice demands developed in Soweto earlier that month. Attended by activists, researchers, and community leaders, the session reinforced the principle that access to clean water is a fundamental human right, not a commodity. Participants detailed the failures of municipal water delivery, the injustice of prepaid meters, and the insufficiency of the Free Basic Water Allowance—calling for bold reforms, including 100 litres per person per day and community-led governance structures. The meeting consolidated demands for presentation to Joburg Water and City Council and mapped out immediate actions—ranging from legal challenges to public protests—signalling an intensifying campaign for water rights and municipal accountability.
Western Cape Assembly Advances Unified Demands on Housing, Land, and Water
On 15 February 2025, the State Capture and Beyond Campaign (SCAB) hosted its third assembly at Community House in Cape Town—marking the first such gathering in the Western Cape. Forty participants representing 19 organisations came together to discuss shared struggles around access to housing, land, and water, and to explore forming a unified civic platform for action. Rich discussions exposed challenges such as undemocratic land use decisions, exclusionary housing practices, and distrust in NGO engagement—but also revealed shared visions for dignity, equality, and participatory governance. Breakaway groups developed a common set of demands, including land nationalisation, inner-city housing, and full transparency in government planning.
Western Cape Water Justice Coalition Builds Momentum at Second Assembly
The Western Cape Water Justice Coalition held its second meeting on 14 March 2025 in Cape Town, uniting 24 representatives from diverse grassroots organisations and communities. Emphasising collective leadership, the gathering focused on feedback from member organisations, the deepening of campaign planning, and urgent issues such as water cut-offs, unjust billing, and evictions. Groups like AWCC, Singabalapha, TCOE, and CER shared local struggles and offered models for resistance and mobilisation. A working group was formed to coordinate the next steps, including pamphlet development, youth mobilisation, and a planned workshop and film screening in May. The Coalition is rooted in shared values of justice, collaboration, and action.
Durban Assembly Sets Foundation for Water and Disaster Justice Coalition in KZN
On 12 April 2025, the State Capture and Beyond Campaign convened its sixth A3.2 assembly—and the first in KwaZulu-Natal—at the Balmoral Hotel in Durban. With 26 participants representing over 19 organisations, the meeting focused on deepening collaboration between CBOs and CSOs around water access, municipal mismanagement, and disaster recovery, particularly in the aftermath of the 2023 floods. Groups shared testimonies and outlined systemic failures affecting vulnerable communities, including infrastructure neglect, trauma among flood victims, and environmental injustice. Six breakaway groups developed transformative demands, including investment in flood-resistant housing, greywater recycling systems, early warning protocols, and pro-poor billing models. The meeting marked a pivotal step toward forming a regional coalition to drive civic participation and hold local authorities accountable.
Limpopo Assembly Deepens Coalition Dialogue on Mining and Water Justice
On 3 May 2025, the State Capture and Beyond Campaign hosted its seventh A3.2 assembly at the Park Inn Hotel in Polokwane—the first of its kind in Limpopo. Eighteen participants from over ten organisations gathered to confront escalating water shortages and the unchecked impacts of mining across the Waterberg and Sekhukhune districts. Community leaders and CSOs discussed contaminated water supplies, extractive mining practices, and the exclusion of communities from governance processes. Participants revisited a draft list of demands, calling for strengthened water monitoring, inclusive decision-making, and collaboration with educational institutions to promote Indigenous knowledge systems. The meeting marked a critical step toward formalising a provincial coalition to challenge environmental injustice and advance a people-centred, rights-based approach to water governance.
North West Communities Unite to Tackle Land, Housing, and Water Injustice
The coalition-building meeting held in Rustenburg on the 24th of May brought together community members from across the North West province to confront deepening crises around land, housing, and water access. Participants voiced urgent concerns about displacement linked to mining operations, insecure housing tenure, and unsafe water—especially in hotspots like Marikana, Rustenburg, and Clearstop. The gathering concluded with a strong resolve to form a provincial coalition, inspired by successful organising models in Potchefstroom. Once community representatives are confirmed, follow-up engagements will focus on developing grassroots-driven demands and coordinated advocacy strategies.
Date: 12 November 2024
Venue: Johannesburg
The first media training session under the State Capture and Beyond Campaign brought together 25 participants, including journalists and civil society representatives. Moderated by Rehad Desai, the session provided tools and strategies to effectively communicate complex issues surrounding state capture and governance failures. With interactive workshops and practical exercises, the training aimed to bridge the gap between investigative journalism and grassroots activism, empowering participants to amplify anti-corruption efforts through impactful reporting.
Date: 19 February 2025
Venue: Atlas Studio, Johannesburg
The State Capture and Beyond Media Training Workshop brought together journalists, media professionals, and civil society representatives to enhance reporting on corruption, transparency, and public procurement. Led by the Human Rights Media Trust team and Media Monitoring Africa the session explored newsroom censorship, whistleblower protections, and forensic investigative tools. Through interactive discussions, media monitoring exercises, and practical training in countering disinformation, participants gained critical skills to navigate South Africa’s media landscape. The workshop fostered collaboration between journalists and activists, equipping them to strengthen accountability and ethical journalism in the fight against corruption.
Date: 24 April 2025
Venue: University of Johannesburg
The State Capture and Beyond Campaign, in partnership with the Legal Resources Centre and Media Monitoring Africa, hosted a dynamic media training workshop at Johannesburg Business School, attended by 50 participants from journalism, civil society, and academia The event aimed at targeting community and student journalists. The day featured documentary screenings, interactive sessions, and practical training on media monitoring, disinformation, and ethical reporting. Highlights included deep dives into the role of investigative storytelling, digital literacy tools like Real411, and values-based critiques of media bias. Through film, dialogue, and scenario-based exercises, the workshop-built skills for holding power to account and sparked powerful reflections on media’s role in democracy.
Date: 16 May 2025
Venue: Marikana Community Hall in Rustenburg
Media Training Empowers Youth and Communities to Counter Disinformation
On 16 May 2025, the State Capture and Beyond Campaign hosted a highly engaging media training workshop at the Marikana Community Hall in Rustenburg, attended by 105 participants—63 of them women and the majority under the age of 35. The full-day event empowered youth, activists, and civic leaders with skills to identify disinformation, monitor media bias, and investigate corruption. The SCAB team lead sessions on media ethics, digital verification, and narrative framing. Participants responded enthusiastically, calling for similar trainings across neighbouring wards. The workshop strengthened civic confidence in community-led media, promoted youth leadership in accountability efforts, and laid the groundwork for an ongoing media empowerment programme in the region.
State Capture and Beyond Campaign: A Year of Urgent Conversations
In 2024, the State Capture and Beyond Campaign hosted eight important stakeholder meetings across South Africa to talk about the serious harm corruption and poor leadership have caused. From Johannesburg to Makhanda, we heard the anger and frustration felt by South Africans suffering under the weight of corruption. People told of how public trust in government and private companies is broken and that government has failed to act during a growing national crisis.
People shared heartbreaking stories of how corruption has hurt their lives and they demanded bold action to fix a system that has let them down. The discussions focused on key problems:
Water Crisis
Misuse of funds meant for just energy transition
Failure to act on the recommendations of the State Capture Commission
Community leaders, legal experts, and activists came together to make urgent calls for accountable and transparent governance, with solutions driven by local communities and grassroots organisations.
Despite the challenges, there was hope. People at the meetings agreed to work together, share resources and make the voices of ordinary South Africans louder. The campaign sent a strong message: South Africa’s democracy is in danger unless we take action to demand change and hold leaders accountable. These meetings were a first step towards the building of an anti-corruption coalition.
Date: 7 June 2024
Venue: Johannesburg
The State Capture and Beyond Campaign hosted a public meeting featuring a screening of the acclaimed documentary How to Steal a Country. The event highlighted the systemic corruption that undermines South Africa’s democratic institutions and sparked a powerful discussion on the need for whistleblower protection and citizen-driven accountability measures. Over 50 attendees, including filmmakers, activists, and community members, engaged in a lively dialogue about actionable steps to confront corruption and rebuild public trust.
