Afesis

28/05/2026

26/05/2026

𝗔𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲!

On Thursday the 21st of May 2026, at the World Urban Forum in Baku, our work as Afesis came to life on the big screen, being premiered for the international audience.

We are incredibly proud to share the "𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙃𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙎𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣 4: 𝙄𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜"—a mini-documentary capturing the heart, grit, technical innovation, and social justice core behind the Phola Park Re-blocking Pilot Project in Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.
👉WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/4pv4WU9lItA
A massive, heartfelt thank you to Kalya Brown and the brilliant team at Our Future Cities for making this video. Your lens perfectly captured the transformation of the Phola Park informal settlement, the hard work of local labour, and the undeniable power of community-led development.

We hope this pilot project serves as an urgent reminder to metros across South Africa that equitable, safe cities are entirely possible when we share power with the people.

Please watch, share, and help us champion this model. We hope that this pilot doesn't just stop in South Africa, but serves as a blueprint for community-led spatial justice implemented across the entire SADC region. 🌍✨

| Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality | Ronald Eglin | Urban Forum | Future Cities | Ntongana (Pr.Pln) | Brown | Department of Human Settlements | UN-HABITAT | South African Cities Network | South African Local Government Association (SALGA)

In this Good Hood Story, an NGO called Afesis has partnered with the local community as well as the Buffalo City Municipality to "reblock" the Phola Park set...

26/05/2026

22/05/2026

21/05/2026

𝗔𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀: 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮!

We are delighted to share that the Phola Park Informal Settlement Re-Blocking Pilot Project has been officially included in the South African Country Report on the National Progress Report in the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda!

This national recognition highlights the profound impact of participatory urban planning on the global stage at Urban Forum. Non-profit organisations, like Afesis, are continuously proving that when you work with communities rather than for them, sustainable informal settlement upgrading becomes a reality.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙖 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙎𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙩 𝙖 𝙂𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚:
• 𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙚 & 𝘼𝙞𝙢: Launched by Afesis in partnership with the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) and the Phola Park community, the project aimed to fundamentally improve immediate living conditions while laying a solid foundation for future formal upgrading.
• 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: Collaborating closely with a dedicated resident-led Project Steering Committee, we reorganized shack layouts to clear spatial blockages. This opened up critical space for proper roads, pedestrian pathways, and infrastructure, directly enabling better stormwater management, reduced flood risks, and clear access for emergency vehicles. The methodology combined community mapping, co-design workshops, formal surveying, and local job creation.

This inclusion in the National Progress Report validates our belief that spatial justice starts on the ground. This would have never been possible without the community of Phola Park and BCMM walking this transformative journey together!

🔗 Read the official South Africa National Report 2026 here:https://www.urbanagendaplatform.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/South-Africa-National-Report-2026.pdf

Afesis | Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality | Department of Human Settlements | Ronald Eglin | Ntongana (Pr.Pln) | Urban Forum

20/05/2026

𝗔 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿.

The Mnquma judgment is more than a legal victory for communities in Ward 28; it is a painful reflection of the deep structural inequalities that continue to define life in many rural and historically marginalised communities across the Eastern Cape.

For years, residents reportedly relied on rivers for survival while promises of sustainable water access failed to materialise. As Afesis, we visited Nombanjana in the recent past to witness the injustice, yet years later, nothing has changed.

We believe this case exposes three critical realities:
* Communities are increasingly forced to litigate for basic rights that should already be guaranteed.
* Rural communities continue to experience the weakest infrastructure investment and institutional response.
* Sustainable development cannot happen where access to water remains uncertain.

The court’s directive for a long-term sustainable water plan is important. But South Africa cannot continue governing through crisis management and emergency interventions while communities endure years of neglect.

The real measure of democracy is whether rights can be lived equally — regardless of geography, poverty, or political visibility.

Villagers in the Mnquma municipality have won a major court battle after the Mthatha High Court ruled that Premier Oscar Mabuyane and Minister Pemmy Majodina failed in their constitutional duty to intervene in the area's water crisis.

https://tinyurl.com/4yc8a8xx

19/05/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟯𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺

The 13th session of the World Urban Forum ( Urban Forum) is officially underway in Baku, Azerbaijan, running from 17 to 22 May 2026.

This year’s critical global theme, “𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙙: 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨,” strikes at the very heart of the challenges and opportunities facing our cities today. As urban centers rapidly expand, ensuring safe, dignified, and climate-resilient human settlements is no longer just a policy goal—it is a human rights imperative.

We want to extend our highest regards and support to the South African Delegation representing our nation on this global stage. Their involvement is crucial in shaping international urban policy and sharing the unique spatial realities of the Global South.
However, sustainable urbanization cannot be achieved by government policy alone. True transformation lives in the interplay between state frameworks and the tireless work of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs). CSOs continue to play an irreplaceable role in amplifying the unforgotten voices of communities living in townships, informal settlements, and marginalized spaces across our society. They ensure that global declarations translate into ground-level dignity.

We wish the South African delegation a successful and impactful forum as they represent our collective drive toward equitable, safe, and resilient cities!
📥 Read the full WUF13 Programme here:https://wuf.unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2026-05/files/wuf13-programme-10-may-2026.pdf
Afesis | Development Action Group | Urban Forum | South African Government | South African Local Government Association (SALGA) | South African Cities Network (SACN) Simelane | Ronald Eglin

20/04/2026

⏳ 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟: 𝗔𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣

Applications close 28 April 2026!
Are you (or someone you know) a graduate who wants to make a real difference in communities?
This is your chance to join Afesis and gain experience in:
✔ Community development
✔ Local governance
✔ Social justice programmes
📍 Based in East London
💰 R13,500/month
📧 Apply now: [email protected]
👉 Tag someone who shouldn’t miss this opportunity!

08/04/2026

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴! 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗳𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀 – 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻

Afesis, a development NGO based in East London, is looking for a young, dynamic intern to join our team for 12 months (June 2026 – May 2027). This is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in social justice activism, with a focus on local governance, urban safety, and land justice.
📍 𝙇𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣: East London
💰 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙: R13 500/month (subject to deductions)
🎓 𝙍𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨: Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies, Urban Planning, Political Science, or Communication. A driver’s license is essential. Social media fluency is a strong advantage.
We are looking for someone whose personal values align with social justice and who has a genuine passion for community development.
📅 𝘿𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚: 28 April 2026
📧 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙫𝙞𝙖: [email protected]
Include: CV + 2 contactable references + a written work sample.
🔁 Repost and tag a young graduate who should see this.

20/03/2026

𝗔 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆.
𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩.
As South Africa celebrates tomorrow, we are reminded that a right written into law but absent in daily life is not a realised right, it is a promise deferred.

𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 for the Constitution to guarantee access to water if communities must queue for hours at dry communal taps.
𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 to affirm the right to housing if families remain trapped in informal settlements without secure land or basic services.
𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 to speak of dignity if people’s lived conditions undermine it every day.

Rights are not theoretical constructs. This is where the real test of democracy lies, not in policy frameworks, but in lived reality.

Until rights are felt equally across all communities, they remain unevenly distributed, shaped by geography, inequality, and the failures of governance.

Because in the end, a right is only real when it can be lived.