Land use and land cover changes in QwaQwa: implications for service delivery 30 years after democracy

Over the past 30 years, land use and land cover have changed significantly in QwaQwa in the Eastern Free State. The abandonment of cultivated land and increased urban growth have strained service delivery and affected livelihoods. These findings emerge from the Democracy@30 Study, conducted by the HSRC and the University of the Free State in 2024. The study aimed to provide a platform for local communities to assess progress since the advent of democracy in South Africa and to reflect on the next 30 years in pursuit of a promised “better life for all”