Creating a transformative governance index: measuring progress in the attainment of social justice

Continued poverty, inequality and exclusion have led South Africans to doubt the adequacy of our Constitution, its institutions, its ability to realise social change and the legitimacy of the underlying constitutional settlement. HSRC research shows that while decisions by the Constitutional Court and Supreme Court of Appeal promote the realisation of socio-economic rights, these decisions are not always implemented. Adv Gary Pienaar, Prof Narnia Bohler-Muller and Dr Michael Cosser describe an HSRC project that aims to encourage a multi-stakeholder process to assemble a body of evidence in support of the development of a multi-year index to help spur social accountability and responsiveness.