AfriForum Announces 10 Days of Self Reliance campaign

25 September

State dependence must make way for community self-reliance. According to AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, this decision was made by AfriForum branch structures during the organisation’s recent congress. In order to start the practical implementation of the resolution, AfriForum branches will launch more than 100 local do-it-yourself projects from 28 September 2015 to 9 October 2015.

The project, known as 10 Days of Self Reliance, aims to show communities that they are not dependent on the state to solve their service delivery problems. For nearly 20 years, communities have been involved in talks with local authorities in an effort to get them to do their job. This strategy had mixed success at best. The time has come for communities to roll up their sleeves and to take responsibility for their basic services and security.

According to the campaign spokesperson, Ian Cameron, the 10 Days of Self Reliance campaign will kick off with a national patrol in which more than 60 neighbourhood watches, CPFs and security networks across the country will be involved.

During these 10 days, AfriForum branches will launch a large number of DIY projects, such as the repairing of potholes, the fixing of street lights, the treatment of polluted rivers, the cleaning up of dumps and the restoring of critical infrastructure in towns.

In some places, AfriForum will work together with the municipalities and police, but where this is not possible, AfriForum branches will mobilise communities to revamp their towns themselves.

Statement issued by Kallie Kriel, CEO, AfriForum, 25 September 2015