Party politics, civil society and local democracy - Reflections from Johannesburg

► The ANC is strongly implemented in Johannesburg urban low-income areas. ► Its embededness in civil society results both from its deployment strategy, and from local leaders' tactics. ► The ANC is often more accountable to residents than the fragmented local government system. ► This allows for forms of social control to be exerted locally. ► This limits the ability of civil society to express strongly dissenting views.