What began as a campaign against prolonged electricity disruptions has grown into a grassroots movement determined to improve everyday life in Yeoville and Bellevue East.
Residents from the two Johannesburg neighbourhoods formed The Yeoville Bellevue Civic Movement (YBCM) in 2024, in response to an unscheduled four-hour electricity rotation schedule that went beyond the country’s regular load-shedding programme.
Frustrated by the additional outages, residents mobilised through WhatsApp, launched a petition and rallied under the slogan, “No Electricity, No Vote”. The additional electricity rotation was suspended within a week of the campaign, YBCM co-founder Nomsa Mbatha said.
The movement’s work recently featured in the Public Affairs Research Institute’s Urban Crisis Seminar Series 2026, which brings together community organisations, researchers and policymakers to examine Johannesburg’s urban governance and service delivery challenges.
During the seminar, Mbatha reflected on the YBCM's experience of community organising and the lessons it offers for other neighbourhoods facing similar challenges.
“We realised that when people come together around a common issue, they can make things happen,” she said.
Today, YBCM has grown into a community network of more than 1 500 residents who use WhatsApp groups not only to report service delivery problems but also to share information, organise clean-up campaigns and support one another in engaging with municipal structures.
Mbatha said illegal dumping has become one of the movement’s biggest concerns. People living in the many hijacked and abandoned buildings were unable to obtain refuse bins, leading to waste accumulating in public spaces, she said.
The movement has also raised concerns about illegal dumping by some food outlets, which members believe contributes to pest infestations in the area.
Rather than simply documenting the problems, Mbatha said the YBCM encouraged residents to report illegal dumping, organise neighbourhood clean-up campaigns and collectively engage municipal departments to seek solutions.
Electricity remains another priority. Mbatha said illegal electricity connections continued to create recurring safety concerns because they were often reconnected without payment having been made after being disconnected.
Through its WhatsApp groups, the movement assists residents in logging faults with City Power, sharing reference numbers and following up on unresolved cases until they receive responses.
“We’ve learnt that it's not enough to report a problem once,” Mbatha said. “You have to follow up and encourage others to do the same.”
The movement has adopted a similar approach to other service delivery issues.
Mbatha said members regularly shared information about reporting water leaks, damaged roads and other municipal faults, helping residents understand where to report problems and how to escalate complaints when necessary.
The group also shares information about accessing police services, including support in cases of gender-based violence, regardless of a resident’s immigration status.
Beyond service delivery, the YBCM also seeks to strengthen relationships within the community.
Mbatha said membership was open to everyone living in Yeoville and Bellevue East, regardless of nationality.
The movement’s WhatsApp groups operate under a strict code that prohibits racism, xenophobia, hate speech and political campaigning, allowing discussions to remain focused on practical community concerns.
“Our issues affect everyone who lives here,” Mbatha said. “We don’t ask people about their politics. We ask how we can work together to improve our neighbourhood.”
Maintaining a non-partisan approach has not always been easy.
Mbatha said the movement had experienced political interference since its formation, including disruptions at community meetings and challenges securing venues for public gatherings.
Despite the obstacles, she said, the YBCM had remained committed to operating independently of political parties and focusing on residents’ everyday concerns.
For Mbatha, one of the movement's most important contributions has been helping residents better understand how local government systems work. Beyond reporting problems, members share practical knowledge about engaging municipal departments, escalating service delivery complaints and accessing emergency assistance when needed.
She believes the exchange of information empowers residents to become active participants in improving their neighbourhood rather than waiting for solutions from elsewhere.
Looking back on the movement’s growth, Mbatha hopes the YBCM encourages other communities to organise around the issues that affect them most.
“We all have a responsibility for the streets we live on,” she said. “Change starts when neighbours know one another, work together and hold the people responsible for service delivery accountable. Don’t wait for permission. Start where you live.”