Protest in South Africa

Chapter 4 introduces the second section of the book by situating the theoretical framework of protest brokers within the South African context. Often referred to as the “protest capital of the world,” South Africa offers a rich and complex setting for studying protest dynamics and the role of intermediaries. The chapter begins by justifying the choice of South Africa as the primary case study location, highlighting its history of protest from the apartheid era through the democratic transition and into the present day. It provides a concise historical overview of protest in South Africa, emphasizing how evolving political conditions have shaped the forms, frequency, and actors involved in collective action. The chapter also outlines the empirical foundation of the book, detailing the case selection process and introducing the twelve communities at the heart of the study, as well as providing an overview of the data collected. This groundwork sets the stage for the chapters that follow. By anchoring the study in South Africa, this book demonstrates the value of contextually grounded research in developing and testing new theoretical insights.