On 12 May 2026, Planact, SIVIO Institute and ACT Ubumbano hosted a Town Hall in Johannesburg to share findings from the 2025 Citizens’ Perceptions and Expectations Survey. 40 residents from Skoonplaas, Rabie Ridge, Lawley Station, Wattville, Thembelihle, Choba, Msholozi, the Inner-City Forum, Freedom Park, Kuvuki, and Brakpan Old Location confirmed that the survey reflected the lived realities and challenges faced by these communities. They spoke about how many public participation processes often feel like “tick-box exercises” that fail to result in meaningful change. Despite this, there remains a strong commitment to collective action and citizen-led solutions, and they discussed practical responses such as petitions, social media advocacy, civic education, community monitoring committees, and community manifestos to clearly articulate local priorities.
Keep an eye out for a podcast conversation featuring community members and a survey enumerator, hopefully in our next newsletter. Click here to see Town Hall Photos.
