Abstract:
South Africa, although a “young” democracy, has quickly become one of the most economically uneven nations due to its history of segregation and discrimination as contributing factors.
South Africans have seen an increase in the number of protests over the past several years because of
the frustration that has been caused by unbearable living circumstances, a lack of service delivery,
and empty promises made by the government. Poverty, unemployment, and social injustice are
seen by the South African government as the most important obstacles that need to be overcome to
construct a prosperous nation. Despite the government’s commitment to a “better life for all” since
1994, the post-apartheid South African government has predominantly prioritised civil and political
rights in its efforts to address social injustices, while the socio-economic needs of the country’s
impoverished and marginalised populations have remained largely unfulfilled. The degradation
of human dignity that results from conditions such as poverty and unemployment is significant. A
violation of one’s dignity can also occur when one is excluded from efforts to combat issues such as
poverty and unemployment, which should be considered. Amidst all of this, the church is criticised
for remaining silent and doing little to address the situation. This article proposes social justice as an
ideal approach to diaconia and development. Therefore, it seeks to understand and include social
justice principles as a means of empowering people to ensure effective development. The objective of
long-term poverty reduction cannot be accomplished unless there is an emphasis placed on social
justice. This article conducts an in-depth analysis of a variety of social justice theories to rationalise a
social justice approach to diaconia.
