List of social movements in South Africa

There are a number of high-profile independent

social movements A social movement is a loosely organized effort by a large group of people to achieve a particular goal, typically a Social issue, social or political one. This may be to carry out a social change, or to resist or undo one. It is a type of Group ...

in South Africa. The majority have a particular focus on the housing crisis in the urban areas but others range from focusing on HIV/AIDS, working conditions, unemployment, access to service delivery and issues of democracy, transparency and accountability, corruption, poverty, crime, xenophobia, economy, drought, racism, sexism, health conditions etc... This is a partial list of social movements in South Africa: *

Abahlali baseMjondolo Abahlali baseMjondolo (AbM, , in English: "the residents of the shacks") is a socialist shack dwellers' movement in South Africa which organises land occupations, builds communes

, the shackdwellers movement based in KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape *

Equal Education Equal Education (EE) is a member-based, mass democratic movement of learners, post-school youth, parents and community members striving for quality and equality in South African education system through activism and research. Equal Education bui ...

based in the Western Cape and Gauteng * InkuluFreeHeid, based in Gauteng with chapters elsewhere in the country. * The

Landless People's Movement The Landless People's Movement was an independent social movement in South Africa. It consisted of rural people and people living in shack settlements in cities. The Landless People's Movement boycotted parliamentary elections and had a history ...

, based in Gauteng * The

Mandela Park Backyarders The Mandela Park Backyarders or just Backyarders is an unfunded Khayelitsha-based South African social movement made up of poor and marginalised residents of Mandela Park that is working for housing rights and against evictions. The focus of the ...

based in the Western Cape * The

Poor People's Alliance The Poor People's Alliance is a network of radical grassroots movements in South Africa. It was formed in 2008 after the Action Alliance, formed in December 2006, was expanded to include two more organisations. The following organisations are ...

, a national alliance of grassroots movements
SANARA
the South African National Resistance Army, a 'defend democracy' organization *

Reclaim The City Reclaim The City (RTC) is a non-racial social movement fighting for land and housing in Cape Town's inner-city and wealthy suburbs. Reclaim The City is known for its campaigns for affordable and low-income housing as well as spearheading the occu ...

, a social movement fighting for land and housing in Cape Town's inner-city and wealthy suburbs *

Sikhula Sonke Sikhula Sonke farmworkers union is a women led Western Cape based independent trade union. Its focus include issues such as labour rights, domestic violence, food insecurity and alcohol abuse. The union has over 4000 employed and unemployed member ...

women's farmworkers union based in the Western Cape * The Social Justice Coalition based in the Western Cape * The

South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement The South African Unemployed Peoples' Movement is a social movement with branches in Durban, Grahamstown and Limpopo Province in South Africa. It is often referred to as the Unemployed People's Movement or UPM. The organisation is strongly critical ...

based in Durban, KZN and in Grahamstown in the Eastern Cape * The

Treatment Action Campaign The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) is a South African HIV/AIDS activist organisation which was co-founded by the HIV-positive activist Zackie Achmat in 1998. TAC is rooted in the experiences, direct action tactics and anti-apartheid background ...

, based in the Western Cape but with branches elsewhere in the country * The

Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign The Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign was a non-racial popular movement made up of poor and oppressed communities in Cape Town, South Africa.

, based in the Western Cape {{DEFAULTSORT:Social movements in South Africa Sociology lists