The relevance of ujamaa philosophy in community development practice in South Africa: reflections of a community development practitioner.

Abstract

In contemporary Africa, the call for decolonisation has spurred a re-evaluation of externally imposed community development approaches, urging instead the adoption of models grounded in African values, beliefs, and traditional systems. This shift emphasises the need for development strategies that resonate with local cultural contexts, enhancing relevance, community ownership, and sustainable impact. This call has been extended to encompass community development's broader practices and praxis. Subsequently, this call has significantly influenced South Africa, advancing an agenda focused on ―going back to basics‖ in both community development and broader developmental frameworks. This movement emphasises a return to locally informed practices that prioritise indigenous knowledge, community involvement, and sustainable, culturally resonant approaches to development. Therefore, from this background, this paper argues for incorporating Julius Nyerere's Ujamaa (Swahili for familyhood) philosophy into community development practices in South Africa. This paper employed a secondary research methodology, utilising existing literature and resources to explore the relevance and application of the Ujamaa philosophy in South African community development practice. The paper reaffirmed and contended that Ujamaa‘s principles are crucial for fostering patriotism, social harmony, and sustainable development in South African communities. Hence, it proposed a culturally resonant and practical framework for addressing South Africa's socio-economic challenges by grounding community development practices in African philosophical traditions like Ujamaa.