Question

Suggest ways in which a community can voice their concerns in a responsible way to ensure that the government will provide safe environments for communities.

Answer 1

Possible suggestions for responsible voicing of concerns.

• Write letters to the authorities, clearly explaining the nature of the poor service delivery and what is expected from the government to address the problem.
  
• Write a petition to the local and provincial municipality to highlight the plight of the local residents and request a favourable response within a certain timeframe.
  
• Involve civil rights organisations to negotiate on behalf of the residents as they have the skills and knowledge to deal with such problems.
  
• Take part in legal mass action such as picketing and peaceful marches to create awareness of the problem in the community. 
  
• Report the human rights violation to the Human Rights Commission so that they can assist the residents in solving the issue.
  
• Report apathetic and corrupt officials to the relevant authorities so that they can be held accountable for their actions.
  
• Inform the media, like the local newspaper, to create awareness of the problem faced by local residents.