The Makukhanye rural based working class movement was formed in 2010 in Beersheba in Sundays River Valley Municipality by a group of small scale farmers, landless people, people struggling with their land claims, youth and women. The movement’s vision is a just society, free of inequality, oppression and exploitation with citizens being engaged and self-reliant.

The movement continues to grow and is now active in more than ten areas in the Sunday River Valley, Kouga and Nelson Mande Municipality. Makukhanye fights for the rights of farm workers and dwellers in rural areas as well as access to land and government services. “In many communities in the rural areas, young people and women see almost no prospect for finding work. The high unemployment rate has resulted in an increase in crime. Our movement provides a way to restore the dignity of people,“ says Mziwoxolo Sume the Makukhanye Regional Chairperson.

Over the past 13 years, the movement has led campaigns to address the various crises affecting rural communities such as the water crisis, Gender-Based Violence (GBV), access to land and evictions. Secretary of the Makukhanye Women’s Forum, Sindiswa Mnamatha, says that “if we want to bring about lasting change, we have to build a strong national movement.”

In July 2022, the movement used its strategic planning workshop for introspection, identifying the strength and weakness of the movement while developing its strategic plan. Additional objectives of the two day workshop was to strengthen the Makukhanye leadership and campaigns. Makukhanye Secretary, Ntombentsha Nelana, explains that an “independent strong fighting movement which is not party affiliated has to be established to reverse the situation we find ourselves in as people of South Africans.”

The Makukhanye Executive committee consists of Chairperson Mziwoxolo Sume, Deputy Chairperson Mgcini Mbejane, Secretary Ntombentsha Nelana, Deputy Secretary Sphosethu Skeyi and Treasurer Emily Chitha. The movement plans to intensify it water crisis campaign in the Kwalanga, Kwanobuhle, Peterson and Humansdorp areas. The Gender-Based Violence campaign with a focus in areas such as Kwalanga, Blaukrants and Humansdrop. The movement has planned its next strategic review meeting for June/July 2023.