Deprivation, Governance Deficit and the Dudula Movement: Understanding Social Cohesion and Collective Violence in Alexandra

This report presents findings of research conducted by the African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS) in the Alexandra Township (Johannesburg, South Africa) in April and October 2022. Conducted as part of -and for- the Kagisano programme, this research builds on -and updates- an original study conducted in the same area in 2017. The output of the 2017 study was the Alexandra Case Study Report (hereinafter referred to as the ‘original report’). As an update of the original research, the current report should be read together with the above-mentioned detailed original report.

Like the original study, this research aims to identify obstacles to -and opportunities for- social cohesion to inform interventions to address collective or group-based violence and foster social cohesion in 16 selected sites and the country. Social cohesion generally refers to the ability of different population groups and people to peacefully live together differently (Freedom House, 2017). Updating the original research was important to assess whether there may have been significant changes in the empirical reality in the targeted, highly mobile and fluid communities, and by doing so, ensure that new interventions are not based on outdated data and information. Further, the new research envisaged to collect additional baseline qualitative and quantitative data. This baseline data is not available in original reports but is required for the new, planned community-based programmes.

This report comprises three main sections. The first section provides a brief discussion of the research methods and data methods. The second section provides a summary and detailed presentation and analysis of the research findings. The last and concluding section reflects on the implications of the research findings for the promotion of social cohesion and the prevention of collective violence.

Read the report here.