1990s South African protests in Thembelihle informal settlement demonstrate grassroots mobilization, nonviolent protest, and collaboration for community-level democracy.

Popular protests have surged globally, but do they work? South African communities offer lessons. In the 1990s, post-apartheid optimism waned as protests emerged over water, electricity, and evictions. Thembelihle informal settlement was one of the first to protest. These movements teach three key principles for community-level democracy: 1) grassroots mobilization to address local issues, 2) nonviolent protest as a means to influence governance, and 3) collaboration between formal and informal structures to drive change.