children jumping on a trampoline in South Africa.

OUR WORK IN SOUTH AFRICA

Quick facts

  • 50.9 million people
  • 18.9% living on less than USD $1.90 / day

South Africa has the potential to become a truly just, democratic and equitable society. One where all who live in it benefit from its wealth, can claim and enjoy rights and protections enshrined in the Constitution, and preserve the integrity of the natural environment for sustainable development. South Africa has a responsibility to use its voice, resources, global footprint and influence to contribute to a just African continent and world without poverty. However, South Africa is one of the most unequal societies, and emerging from its history of racial violence, the country continues to grapple with numerous challenges.

One of our key focuses in South Africa is on improving mining governance and facilitating equitable resource distribution. By strengthening transparency and accountability, improving the participation of marginalised populations, and promoting transformative linkages with the wider economy, Oxfam is working to ensure that everyone can share the wealth of natural resources in a sustainable and fair manner.

Areas of work

Governance and Social Accountability, Food Security, Gender Justice

Key projects

Inclusive and Transformative Extractives Industries in Southern Africa

Oxfam Australia is working to improve natural resources governance in extractives industries; by strengthening transparency and accountability mechanism, improving the participation of marginalised populations, and promoting transformative linkages with the wider economy. This three year project (2017-2020) is implemented in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe and is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP).

Alfred Nzo District Development Initiative

Oxfam Australia, in partnership with Oxfam South Africa, is supporting communities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa to support women to access equal rights, to foster resilient livelihoods and to promote good governance. Oxfam and partners seek to achieve this through supporting farmers’ cooperatives to grow and market their products, as well as working with women in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape Province to realise their right to land. Women in almost all traditional communities do not enjoy equal rights and status in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, community decision making and governance, and land ownership. Through this development initiative, Oxfam is working to enable women to advocate and demand equal rights in their communities.