Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
2 September 2024 | 08:30 CAT
2 min read

Poor social service delivery has become “a feature of life all over country”, highlighted Mark Heywood, South African human rights and social justice activist, in an interview with Radio Islam. As communities grapple with failing infrastructure, inadequate public services, and growing frustration, the need for effective solutions has never been more urgent.

FixLocal.org is a new web and WhatsApp-based service designed to help citizens address local issues by collaborating with authorities, organising community efforts, or solving problems independently. The platform provides step-by-step guides, tools, and templates for reporting issues like leaking sewage, potholes, and broken streetlights, and escalating unresolved problems. It also offers best practices for peaceful community organisation and do-it-yourself solutions.

Heywood pointed out that another defining aspect of life is how communities come together to tackle local problems, often achieving success through their collective efforts. FixLocal.org features inspiring success stories and is supported by media, corporations, and civil society.

“We have tried to pool these success stories of community actions to make them available to a much wider audience so people don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel and have ready and quick access to solutions. In the event of nothing getting done, how to work with other community members to solve a problem at a local level,” he said.

Launching in October 2024 in Cape Town and Johannesburg, the platform is driven by AI and developed by Heartlines in partnership with other organisations.

“We will test the experience in Johannesburg and Cape Town for a number of months to see how well it is utilised and iron out any kinks, but the intention is that by 2025, wherever you are in South Africa, you will be able to go through this website and, we hope, through WhatsApp as well rather than going to a website directly and find that you have the power to improve your own community,” he said.

Heywood explained that several individuals from the non-governmental sector, including himself, are actively involved in developing the platform, filling it with information they believe will be relevant and useful to communities.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Mark Heywood, South African human rights and social justice activist, here.