Kagiso Trust has introduced the #StartWhereYouAre Playbook, a practical guide that empowers South Africans to address everyday issues such as potholes, water supply problems, and waste management. The playbook is part of the trust's nationwide active citizenship and voter education campaign leading up to the local government elections. It provides a framework for citizens to turn their concerns into action.
The playbook takes citizens through five practical steps to engage with local government: notice, understand, report, organise, and follow up. It uses relatable characters and real community scenarios to demonstrate the citizen action cycle. According to Dean Zwoitwaho Nevhutalu, Chairperson of the Kagiso Trust Board of Trustees, the playbook answers the question, "I want to get involved. But where do I start?"
The guide is designed to make active citizenship accessible to all South Africans. It structures active citizenship around the election cycle, recognising that citizen engagement varies at different moments. The playbook explains how ordinary South Africans can engage with local government on important issues, from checking voter registration to holding elected representatives accountable.
To ensure the guide reaches communities across all nine provinces, the campaign will have a dynamic multi-channel rollout. This includes a planned national radio programme and face-to-face community mobilisation. The Kagiso Trust's Civil Society Support Programme team will engage communities and distribute printed copies of the #StartWhereYouAre Playbook.
The playbook emphasises that active citizenship is everyday work, before, during, and after elections. It shows citizens how to engage with local government on practical issues that affect their daily lives. Nevhutalu stresses that voting is important, but it's just one moment, and real active citizenship happens before and after election day.
A central principle of the playbook is that no permission is required to participate in democracy. Ordinary people can act on issues affecting their communities. The playbook encourages citizens to start where they are and make a difference without needing to be an expert or wait for an invitation.
The #StartWhereYouAre Playbook is a tool for South Africans to take control of their communities and hold local government accountable. It provides a practical answer to the question of how to get involved and make a difference. The playbook is part of Kagiso Trust's efforts to promote active citizenship and voter education in South Africa.
Key points
- The playbook provides a framework for citizens to engage with local government on everyday issues.
- The guide structures active citizenship around the election cycle.
- No permission is required to participate in democracy, and ordinary people can make a difference.
