Impact of Repetitive Protests on Economic Development : A Case of South Africa

Protests come as a way to show disagreement on issues that concern the public or a group of people imposed on them by authorities in power. Government’s purpose is to regulate the country, and this however should be done with balance. There is an increase in the number of in protests in South Africa for the past decade, a nation that has topped the economic development ranks in Africa. The reasons for taking development lessons by other African nations from South Africa are slowly ceasing when protests continue to rise. Getting an analytical grip on this protest wave is essential for policymakers and political observers. Protests indicate instability. Protesting usually is a response to a bad policy or a bad act imposed on an individual representing a society or a group of people and/or businesses. The public or the affected group usually express dissatisfaction by protesting. Protests should be peaceful, but depending on the issue of concern may turn to be violent. Protests in South Africa are no longer increasing in frequency alone, but are increasingly turning violent. There are plenty of long term effects on economic development emanating from these protests. The effects will never easy to recover. The paper recommends, the government to increase its engagement when making policies. The culture of protesting should be addressed to end violent and destructive protests. Genuine political reforms to ensure political stability is a necessity