Membership-Based Organizations Of The Poor: The South African Experince

The broad question this paper seeks to address is whether the notion of a membershipbased organisation of the poor (“MBOPs”) has practical application in modern day South Africa. There are some obvious reasons why the concept is attractive. The object of an MBOP would be to give the poor a voice, through organisations that they belong to and democratically control. Such organisations could also be a vehicle for securing representation of the poor in local and national forums, shaping policy and ensuring accountability. Perhaps such organisation could also enable poor people achieve collectively the kind of public goods that the state cannot or does not provide.