Opting Out of Activism: The “Disengagement” Dynamics within the Reclaim The City Movement in Cape Town

This article focuses on the withdrawal of political engagement among a segment of the residents in a Cape Town occupation. According to the leaders of the Reclaim The City movement, only the active participation of residents can influence the municipality’s position regarding evictions and the development of social housing in the city center. Nevertheless, despite stringent communal living rules and a strong social control, some residents resist joining activist endeavours. I examine this withdrawal, which I refer to as “disengagement,” as it diverges from the engagement standards. Factors such as the importance of private sphere, mistrust of the leaders, and resistance to social control contribute to residents distancing themselves from the realms of activism.