National context of social justice and advocacy in South Africa
- According to the World Bank, South Africa has the highest income inequality in the world of countries with data, with a Gini coefficient of 0.67. The richest 20% of South Africa’s population hold nearly 70% of the income, while the poorest 40% of South Africans hold 7% of the national income.
- South Africa also has the highest unemployment rate in the world at 33.5% (8.4 million unemployed people), with an expanded unemployment rate – which includes those who are not looking for work – of 42.6% (Stats SA data for the second quarter of 2024).
- According to Municipal IQ, South Africa experienced 198 service delivery protests in 2023, mainly driven by issues such as electricity blackouts, water shortages and other municipal service failures. In 2024, there were 122 major protests recorded in the first six months alone, with a spike in May 2024 around the time of the elections. Protests are expected to decline with the reduction in load-shedding.
- On 10 July 2024, judgment was handed down in the inquest into the deaths of 141 mental health patients who died in 2016 and 2017 when they were moved from Life Esidimeni facilities. It was found that the former Gauteng Health Member of the Executive Council (MEC) and former head of mental health could be held responsible for the deaths of at least nine patients. The National Prosecuting Authority will review the judgment to decide if there will be criminal prosecutions.
- August 2024 marked the 12th anniversary of the Marikana massacre. Despite efforts to secure justice and accountability for the families of the deceased miners, the state has yet to prosecute anyone for the events of August 2012. In September 2024, the Mahikeng High Court acquitted six police officers who were standing trial for their involvement in the events.
- 31 August 2024 marked a year since the Usindiso building fire in Marshalltown that claimed the lives of 77 people including 12 children, and left many more injured and destitute. There has been no justice for the families of those that died and the survivors have not yet been provided with alternative housing or compensation for their loss.
- The 6th Annual Social Justice Summit, held in October 2024, was themed ‘Social Justice and the Sustainable Development Goal on Zero Hunger (SDG 2)’, highlighting that there cannot be sustainable democracy or social justice if people are hungry.
Overview of CSI spend
Social justice and advocacy were supported by 20% of companies and received 2% of average CSI expenditure.

Type of intervention
Average % CSI social justice and advocacy spend 2024 n=11
27% Collaborative processes or networks
25% Research
25% Constitutional awareness and education
2 % Legal services and support
1% Supporting media freedom
20% Other
- In 2024, average social justice CSI spend on collaborative processes or networks increased notably to 27% from 18% in 2023.
- Average expenditure on research declined to 25% from 45% in 2023.
- Supporting media freedom received the smallest portion of spend in this sector (1%), notably down from 4% in 2023.
Read more about social justice and advocacy:
- Read the case study Funding systemic change | Social justice initiative.
Source: The original version of this article was published in the Trialogue Business in Society Handbook 2024 (27th edition).