Daily Maverick Query Responses | THE FUTURE IS EQUAL

Q1: What is Oxfam South Africa’s plan to combat the issue of inequality in South Africa> Is there a long-
term plan?

Oxfam South Africa leverages its local to global footprint and access to 60 years of experience working for
change to advance its goals. We work at multiple levels, employing a range of strategies and combining
long-term development programming with catalytic, responsive and timeous interventions. Oxfam South
Africa’s programming spans South Africa, Madagascar and the Comoros.

Our impact goals for 2030 span four main areas; women, justice and power; just economics; just and
accountable governance; and climate justice - streamlined across all programmes as envisaged in our
2023-2030 Strategic Framework.

We support the transition to a just economy that is redistributive, and inclusive. It promotes equality,
protects the planet, and contributes to the fight to end poverty and inequality. We contribute to a just and
equitable distribution of resources, wealth and opportunities through advocating for more inclusive and
sustainable economic growth and development models and supporting sustainable livelihood initiatives.

The rural-urban divide in access to services is widening and entrenching the vulnerability of rural
communities and woman. The failure of rural development has a negative ripple effect on the country’s
urban and peri-urban social landscape.

Economic justice will be achieved through our efforts to support, organise and advocate for more effective
rural transformation strategies, promote sustainable and innovative livelihoods initiatives, and build
movements that advocate just economic and development policies.

Our goal is to support and collaborate with marginalised groups, especially woman, to self-organise to find
just economic models that benefit people to increasingly live lives of dignity, respect and equity. Through
our efforts, we advocate for an equal future for all.
Q2: Are the measures that Oxfam South Africa has already put in place to combat the issue of inequality?
What are they? And how successful are they proving to be thus far?

Oxfam South Africa interacts with the private sector to influence policies through research to hold private
and public actors to account. Oxfam South Africa’s work in the mining and extractive sectors concentrates
on influencing targets in government, multinational companies and regional economic communities,
strengthening and amplifying CSO voices, to advance a socially inclusive just transition that is capable of
creating jobs.

Oxfam South Africa also works with waste recyclers to build sustainable resilience, promoting solid waste
management in the city of Ekurhuleni in Gauteng. The Private sector partners on these initiatives buying
back the recyclable waste, building the capacity of the community-based organization. Through this
initiative, Oxfam South Africa has created jobs for 6 000+ waste pickers in Ekurhuleni, bringing together
cooperative structures that are led by communities. Our project has also witnessed the establishment and
registration of a ‘Social Recycling Factory’ whose majority shareholding lies with over 60 community-based
enterprises (CBEs) – please refer to our video here. This project is partnership with the City of Ekurhuleni.