Movements such as March and March, Operation Dudula and others do not emerge in a vacuum. They arise when some people believe that government has been too slow, passive or disconnected from issues affecting citizens.
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s assertion that such movements create fear, coupled with assurances that government is already addressing the issue of undocumented migrants, raises a serious question.
Is government not overlooking the fact that sustained public pressure is often what forces action onto the national agenda?
These movements are rarely a sign of a healthy relationship between citizens and the state. They are often evidence of a gap that government failed to close.
It is particularly poignant that the height of protest season often coincides with the commemoration of the June 16 Soweto uprising.
Many of the figureheads leading these movements are now in their 40s. They are the generation born in the ’80s, raised during the final years of apartheid and witnesses to the country’s transition into democracy.
Ours was the generation that entered newly integrated schools, embraced the promise of a non-racial society and genuinely believed that democracy would unlock opportunities unavailable to those who came before us.
We were taught to believe that education, hard work and participation in the democratic process would yield a better future.
Yet, many now find themselves confronting a reality far removed from those expectations.
The migration towards these movements is, therefore, not merely political activism, it is a collective expression of disillusionment.
It reflects a growing belief that traditional channels of governance have failed to respond adequately to persistent challenges.
In that sense, these movements are not the cause of dissatisfaction but rather a symptom of deeper frustrations that have been left unresolved for far too long.
History has repeatedly shown that frustrations left unanswered do not disappear, they grow, organise and eventually find expression through alternative platforms.
The real test for government is not whether it approves of these movements, but whether it is willing to confront the issues they continue to raise.
If communities are speaking about crime, illegal migration, unemployment, failing services or ineffective governance, then those concerns deserve a response grounded in action rather than condemnation.
