Aims of the workshop:
- To share & learn from activists’ experiences of community organising & civil society activism;
- To assess activists’ knowledge and understanding of municipal governance & the role of civil society organisations & social movements;
- To give an overview of the political history & development of civic movements in South Africa, pre-1994;
- To examine the role of civil society & social movements in the changed political landscape, post-1994;
- To introduce the concepts of participatory democracy & accountability;
- To explore the relationships between neoliberalism, civil rights & democracy;
- To discuss the relationship between protest & grievance procedures;
- To explore what can be done to address people’s problems in the community & what kinds of actions can be taken;
- To explore strategies & methods for organising & mobilising our communities for action;
- To explore what effective & efficient forms of organisation might entail;
- To discuss new forms of civil society organisation & social movements;
- To present case studies of new forms of organisation & similarities and relevance to South African experiences;
- To develop a draft local (west-rand regional) political education programme & activity plan;
- To establishment coordination task teams for sub-regional areas (Rand-west, Mogale and Merafong)