As South Africa’s cities burn: we can clean-up, but we cannot sweep away inequality

In July 2021, large swathes of South Africa experienced several days intense violence and looting, nominally stemming from political causes, but rooted more deeply in spiraling inequality growing poverty. As the slowed, “clean-up”, began immediately, with Africa’s citizens banding together to sweep away collected waste debris left behind. Yet, as most populous provinces burned, detritus their destruction is another poignant reminder that without addressing inequality, both domestically globally, it will always be one-step forward, two-steps backwards for trying create cleaner communities solving our interconnected management climate change challenges. Written aftermath July’s events, purpose this viewpoint call a centering within academic discourse. Inequality, its must move fringe, mainstream collective body work. Specifically, we continuously, meaningfully, engage systemic socio-economic socio-political conditions responsible problems if are address them. Moreover, we, academics should mindful ways which work relates to, or possibly contributes through (in)accessibility inequalities between Global North South.