
In South Africa, when expectations collapse the poor revolt against the downtrodden foreigners
I want to explore the underlying logic of social revolts, not through the lens of history, but in light of South Africa's unfolding reality. In doing so, I draw on a theory advanced by James C Davies in
Davies argued that revolutions do not erupt at the point of total despair, but at the point where hopes were once raised, only to be sharply reversed. That is, when people experience material and social improvement and begin to believe in a better future, only to watch it stall or decline, their anger becomes combustible. People do not revolt when they are hungry; they revolt when they are disappointed.
Is this not South Africa today?
We often forget how much South Africa has tried. The post-apartheid project promised not merely political freedom but social transformation. Millions gained access to housing, electricity, and education. Expectations surged. Black professionals entered middle-class suburbs. New universities opened their doors. A black president governed from the Union Buildings.
But somewhere in the past 15 years, the curve bent the wrong way. Service delivery collapsed. Power cuts became the norm. Schools decayed, hospitals were under-equipped, and local government became synonymous with dysfunction. Corruption became casual, and state capture industrialised. For many, especially the youth, hope turned into a cruel joke.
When the state retreats from its responsibilities, society reorganises itself often along dangerous lines. Into the void stepped the
Government hospitals and clinics have become
Let us be clear: targeting the poor because they are foreign is not a solution. But we must also be honest about what fuels these sentiments. It is not hatred of Africans. It is fear of losing what little remains, fear that democracy has stopped delivering.
Davies warned us: revolts are not always rational. They
Davies argued that revolts require more than the agitation of the poor. They demand the disillusionment of the middle class and the discomfort of those inside the state apparatus.
South Africa's middle class, once viewed as democracy's success story, is now anxious. The
Professionals grumble about medical aid premiums they can no longer afford. School fees continue to rise above inflation. Mortgages are already stretched thin. The possibility of future interest rate hikes adds to their anxiety. Even emigration, once an escape valve, is now difficult because the global economy is struggling. The cost of living is more expensive in other countries, which are less welcoming to migrants. There is a growing sense of being trapped: too educated to qualify as desperate, too exposed to shrug off decline.
In January, more than 1800 junior doctors
Davies warned that the state may not fall because the poor are angry. It may fall because those who once defended it stop believing it can be fixed. The cost-of-living crisis is not just an economic issue; it is a political warning shot. When the middle class feels it has more to lose than gain from the current order, history suggests that discontent is no longer a rumble but a drumbeat.
In 2024, South Africans voted in an unprecedented way. The ANC
The question that haunts most is this: if elections do not restore faith, what will?
Davies would caution us: if the gap between expectation and reality widens, and if elections fail to bridge that gap, revolt is not a matter of if, but when.
South Africa still has time. It is not yet in flames. But smoke is visible. The discontent is real. The warnings are present, in blocked roads, in looted trucks, in
To restore faith, the state must punish corruption and deliver services. It must address migration through policy and consistent enforcement. It must invest in poor communities beyond slogans. It must make visible the gains of democracy, especially for those who have stopped feeling them.
As Davies wrote, revolts begin in the mind long before they reach the streets. As has been seen throughout history, people will join revolutions when their expectations are frustrated, deliberately or through mistakes or miscalculations.
May South Africa not be remembered as the country that inspired democratic hope, only to abandon it through neglect, inequality, and silence. Action is urgent, so that history remembers South Africa not for its failure to respond to deepening discontent, but for choosing accountability, justice, and renewal over disorder and decline.
Tinashe Sithole is a post doctoral research fellow at the SARChI Chair African Diplomacy and Foreign Policy at the University of Johannesburg.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


eNCA
an hour ago
- eNCA
The Constitution's preamble on foreigners is misinterpreted
JOHANNESBURG - Operation Dudula's clean-up in the Gauteng province continues, on Saturday the organisation raided hijacked buildings in Rosettenville, in the south of Johannesburg. The group forcibly removed undocumented foreign nationals who were occupying these buildings illegally. Operation Dudula denies having xenophobic motives, and says its actions are meant to stamp out crime and criminality. In the past weeks, the movement and other affiliated groups blocked the access of foreign migrants to hospitals and clinics in Gauteng and other provinces. These acts have led to intense clashes between these groups and foreigners in which police had to intervene and defuse the situation. Operation Dudula's President, Zandile Dabula says the country's preamble on foreigners is misinterpreted. She says South Africa is for South Africans and can only accommodate legal and documented foreigners.


Mail & Guardian
5 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Kenny Kunene steps away from Joburg and PA roles
Suspended Patriotic Allianc deputy president Kenny Kunene. (X) Suspended Patriotic Alliance (PA) deputy president Kenny Kunene has resigned from his roles in the City of Johannesburg. His resignation follows his official suspension from the PA pending an investigation into his relationship with murder-accused Katiso 'TK' Molefe, who was this week arrested for allegedly orchestrating Oupa Sefoka (DJ Sumbody's) murder in 2022. Kunene has agreed to 'cooperate with an investigation' and will step aside from his political role in the Patriotic Alliance until he is cleared of the allegations. He will also not act and work in any official capacity in the party while on suspension, its leader Gayton McKenzie said in a statement. Kunene tendered his resignation as Proportional Representation Councillor and transport MMC in the city of Johannesburg with immediate effect. 'I am stepping aside from public life, for a period, while my party satisfies itself to certain allegations that have been raised against me, which are unfounded, but I have nevertheless agreed it would be in the public interest for me to await the clearing of my name before considering a return to public service and duty,' Kunene said in a statement. This week, Kunene, who also owns the online publication African News Global, said the purpose of his visit to Molefe's property was to facilitate an exclusive interview on various topics for one of his journalists. He added that he only knew Molefe from a distance. Molefe was arrested for allegedly orchestrating DJ Sumbody's murder in 2022, and he was also on R100 000 bail for another murder case at the time of his arrest. The Democratic Alliance, which has been critical of the Patriotic Alliance following these recent revelations, said it notes Kunene's resignation, but demands investigations into the projects that Kunene was overseeing. These include a full investigation into all contracts and procurement processes at the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA), a full investigation into the contractors and procurement of the Lilian Ngoyi street repairs and a full investigation into contracts, appointments and procurement processes at the Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC). 'Should the executive mayor fail to respond to the DA within seven days, the DA will use all avenues at our disposal, including approaching law enforcement with the information available to us, to hold the executive mayor as shareholder representative himself responsible for the alleged irregularities at JRA and MTC,' the party's Johannesburg caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku said in a statement.


The Citizen
6 hours ago
- The Citizen
WATCH: Operation Dudula protests Rosettenville hijacked building and illegal connections
Members of the anti-migrant group operating under the slogan Put South Africa First gather at JC Lucas Park in Rosettenville on Saturday morning to protest what they claim are hijacked buildings and illegal electricity connections in the area. Led by Operation Dudula, protesters carry the movement's banner and wave the South African flag while chanting anti-immigrant slogans through the streets, including Main, Verona, Mabel and Violet. Traffic backed up on Main Street The march causes traffic disruptions along Main Street as the group moves through the area. Officials from Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) and City Power are seen at one of the buildings in question. A strong police presence is also evident, comprising officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). @ Traffic backed up on Main Street The march causes traffic disruptions along Main Street as the group moves through the area. Officials from Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) and City Power are seen at one of the buildings in question. A strong police presence is also evident, comprising officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD). Full story on ♬ original sound – Southern Courier Claims of hijacked buildings and illegal connections Siphiwe Shabangu, a national executive committee member of Operation Dudula, alleges that the building being inspected is hijacked by Congolese nationals and the City of Johannesburg is not collecting any municipal revenue from it. 'This building is hijacked. There is only one South African staying here, and he works as a caretaker,' says Shabangu. 'The City is losing revenue. This building owes R12 million in electricity and R20 million in water.' Shabangu also claims that illegal electricity connections are common in such buildings and that many are owned by the government. 'We don't know who the police are protecting. Even at hospitals, police are present. We suspect they are here to arrest illegal immigrants and help restore order,' he says. Officials refused entry During the protest, police refused entry to both the Operation Dudula marchers and City officials on the premises. 'We are here so that South Africans can occupy this building and the City can collect revenue,' Shabangu says. Tensions with law enforcement Shabangu alleges that a police officer, identified as Captain Mathebula, instructs officers to prevent City Power from carrying out disconnections. @ Siphiwe Shabangu, a national executive committee member of Operation Dudula, alleges that the building being inspected is hijacked by Congolese nationals and the City of Johannesburg is not collecting any municipal revenue from it. 'This building is hijacked. There is only one South African staying here, and he works as a caretaker,' says Shabangu. 'The City is losing revenue. This building owes R12 million in electricity and R20 million in water.' Full story on ♬ original sound – Southern Courier 'We want to know if Captain Mathebula works for City Power or is an electrician to interfere,' says Shabangu. 'Police are stopping officials from disconnecting illegal power lines and restoring hijacked buildings. We want law and order to return.'