DOCSLIB.ORG

The Aftermath of a Fire Disaster in a Cape Town Informal Settlement

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Aftermath of a Fire Disaster in a Cape Town Informal Settlement Space and survival: The aftermath of a fire disaster in a Cape Town informal settlement JACKIE STEWART Dissertation for the degree Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) at the University of Stellenbosch Promotor: Professor Leslie Swartz Co-Promotor: Dr Catherine Ward March 2008 Declaration I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the work contained in this dissertation is my own original work, and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it at any university for a degree. ………………………………………… …………………………………… Signature Date Copyright ©2008 Stellenbosch University All rights reserved Abstract This study is located in the Joe Slovo informal settlement, Langa, Cape Town. This is a settlement much like many other townships in South Africa in that it is a disaster-prone, marginalised community. On the 15 January 2005 a fire ravaged the area, destroying 2 590 dwellings and leaving 12 950 people homeless. This qualitative study attempted to explore the personal perspectives of the survivors of this shack fire within the wider context of communal and socio-political variables. A number of interviews were conducted, some with the fire survivors, and others with service providers in the field of disaster management. Conservation of Resources (COR) theory was found to be a useful lens through which to analyse the data. The fire event itself is shown to have been a precipitant of a far longer and more complex chain of events and ongoing struggles for survival. Reactions to the fire and subsequent events, furthermore, must be understood at a number of levels – including at inter-personal and inter-group levels. The principles and corollaries of COR theory enable a deeper exploration of the disaster especially in terms of resource loss and the implications of survivors having been disadvantaged prior to the fire taking place. A number of pre-event issues are presented in order for this context to be fully understood. Two obstacles to community intervention are emphasised as key. First, the reality of what COR theory terms ‘communities within communities’ has implications for survivor behaviour. Second, the focus on the acute aftermath of the fire, and what COR theory terms the ‘avoidance of long-term needs’ is also crucial. COR theory facilitated the visibility of a link between the data and the use of space at an inter- group level. Despite the abolition of apartheid, segregation between groups in South Africa remains high. The current study made use of the social psychology of segregation to explore the inter-group conflict that emerged as the most salient and ongoing feature of this disaster. Although the current study is exploratory, it is hoped that it will encourage future research into the interface between space, inter-group relations and disaster. i Opsomming Die huidige studie is gedoen in die Joe Slovo informele nedersetting, Langa, Kaapstad. Hierdie nedersetting is soos vele ander minderbevooregte woongebiede (townships) in Suid Afrika 'n gemarginaliseerde gemeenskap wat dikwels deur rampe getref word. Op 15 January 2005 het 'n vuur 590 wonings in hierdie area verwoes, en 12 950 mense is daklloos gelaat. Hierdie kwalitatiewe studie poog om persoolike perspektiewe van die slagoffers van die vuur binne die breër konteks van gemeenskaps- en sosio-politieke variante te ondersoek. 'n Aantal onderhoude is gevoer, somige met slagoffers van die vuur, ander met die diensleweraars in die breë veld van ramp bestuur. Conservation of Resources (COR) (Bewaring van Bronne) teorie was 'n sinvolle lens waardeur die data geanaliseer is. Die vuur self blyk die uitvloeisel van 'n veel langer en meer komplekse reeks gebeure en voortdurende stryd vir oorlewing te wees. Reaksies op die vuur en die daaropvolgende gebeure, moet verder op 'n paar vlakke verstaan word – onder andere inter-persoonlike en inter-groep vlakke. Die beginsels en uitvloeisels van COR teorie maak 'n dieper ondersoek van die ramp, veral in terme van die verlies van bronne en van die gevolge verwant aan die feit dat die slagoffers voor die ramp reeds minder bevoorregt was. 'n Paar relevante aangeleenthede wat die vuur voorafgegaan het word uitgelig om hierdie konteks beter te verstaan. Twee hindernisse vir gemeenskaps-intervensie word as sentraal beklemtoon. Eerstens, die realiteit van wat COR teorie as 'gemeenskappe binne gemeenskappe' (‘communities within communities’) indetifiseer, het gevolge vir slagoffers se gedrag. Tweedens is die fokus op die akute nagevolge van die vuur, en wat COR teories as 'vermeiding van lang-termyn behoeftes' (‘avoidance of long-term needs’) identifiseer. COR teorie het die sigbaarmaking van 'n verband tussen die data en ruimte op 'n inter-groep vlak gefasiliteer. Ten spyte van die afskaffing van apartheid is daar steeds 'n hoë voorkoms van segregasie tussen groepe in Suid Afrika. Die huidige studie het gebruik gemaak van sosiale sielkunde van segregasie om die inter-groep konflik wat as die mees opvallende en voortdurende kenmerk van die ramp uitstaan, te ondersoek. Alhoewel die huidige studie ondersoekend is, word gehoop dat dit toekomstige navorsing oor die verband tussen ruimte, inter-groep verhoudinge en rampe sal aanmoedig. ii Acknowledgements I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to a number of people and organisations that have enabled this enriching doctoral journey. It is important that I make special mention of my promoter, Professor Leslie Swartz, who has been my mentor for many years. His dedication and belief in me has meant that I have surpassed my own expectations of what I was capable of. My co-promotor, Dr Catherine Ward, was ever-present and her encouragement and attention to detail helped me attain a goal I never thought possible. This doctoral journey began after a fascinating conversation about the Joe Slovo informal settlement with Greg Pillay, Head of the Cape Town Disaster Risk Management Centre (CTDRMC). His commitment and enthusiasm for the field of disaster management was infectious and for that I need to thank him. These thanks must also be extended to the many other wonderful and committed people who work at the CTDRMC. It is important to also acknowledge the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture where I had the opportunity to grow and learn in the disaster field. This is also where I met Wanga Zembe, my co-researcher, who is a true professional and who has tremendous clinical skill. Heartfelt thanks to the survivors of the Joe Slovo fire who agreed to be interviewed and allowed us into their world. None of this would have been possible without the scholarship that I received from the Harry Crossley Foundation. I am grateful to them for enabling this journey. Finally, to my family and friends who have all played some role in this process. There are no words that are fitting or descriptive enough to thank you properly. Of special mention, my Mum and Dad, who dreamt that the sky would have no limit for their children, my sister, whose support is never-ending, my husband, who has always believed in me, and my little girls, to whom this doctorate is dedicated. iii A monkey and a fish were caught in a terrible flood and were being swept downstream amidst torrents of water and debris. The monkey spied a branch from an overhanging tree and pulled himself to safety from the swirling water. Then, wanting to help his friend the fish, he reached into the water and pulled the fish from water onto the branch. The moral of the story is clear: Good intentions are not enough. If you wish to help the fish, you must understand his nature. Ancient Chinese Fable iv Table of contents Declaration Abstract.............................................................................................................................i Opsomming...................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................... iii List of figures................................................................................................................... xi List of tables ................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................1 1.1 Background to the study.............................................................................................2 1.1.1 The history of Joe Slovo Informal Settlement, Langa, Cape Town........2 1.1.2 The 15 January 2005 fire.......................................................................5 1.1.3 The legal basis for disaster management in South Africa......................8 1.1.3.1The declaration of a disaster........................................................................... 9 1.2 Structure of thesis ......................................................................................................9 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW ..............................................................12 2.1 Defining a disaster....................................................................................................13 2.2 The taxonomy of disaster .........................................................................................15 2.3 Disaster trends and statistics ...................................................................................15 2.3.1 Deaths drop, number of affected rises.................................................16
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Syllabus SCI 1
    Kingsborough Community College The City University of New York College Now - Syllabus SCI 1: Issues and Adventures in Science - 3 credits, 3 hours Course Coordinator: Dr. Mary Ortiz Course Description: Science 1 explores scientific issues through integration of concepts and techniques from the biological, physical and health sciences. Issues examined include humankind's place in the universe, in which the structure and origin of the universe, solar system, Earth and life are considered; humankind's attempts at mastery of the world, which focuses on space and undersea exploration, genetics research and engineering, bio/computer technology and energy/pollution challenges; and humankind's development of self-knowledge as studied through research on aging, the human mind, fertility, immunity, nutrition and alternative medicine. Catalog Description: SCI 100 ISSUES AND ADVENTURES IN SCIENCE (3 crs. 3 hrs.) The most recent and important discoveries in the biological and physical sciences are presented,observed, discussed, and experimented with, to acquaint students with the world around them. Brain research, studies of aging, disease, fertility, immunity,and the origin of life are explored. Studies emphasize relations to mankind's place in the universe, selfexplorations and technological achievements. Prerequisite: Enrollment in "College Now" Program Flexible Core: Scientific World (Group E) College Now Description: Students study concepts and methodologies used to investigate issues dominating current thought in physical, biological and health sciences. Topic examples include brain research, sleep, aging, fertility, immunity, extinction, pollution and disease. Course Rationale: Most college-level science courses involve in-depth study of details of specific disciplines (e.g., genetics) within the biological and physical sciences.
    [Show full text]
  • Green Space and Mortality Following Ischemic Stroke
    Environmental Research 133 (2014) 42–48 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Environmental Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/envres Green space and mortality following ischemic stroke Elissa H. Wilker a,b,n, Chih-Da Wu b,c, Eileen McNeely b, Elizabeth Mostofsky a, John Spengler b, Gregory A. Wellenius d, Murray A. Mittleman a,b a Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Unit, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215 USA b Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA c Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan d Department of Epidemiology, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA article info abstract Article history: Background: Residential proximity to green space has been associated with physical and mental health Received 30 January 2014 benefits, but whether green space is associated with post-stroke survival has not been studied. Received in revised form Methods: Patients Z21 years of age admitted to the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) 2 May 2014 between 1999 and 2008 with acute ischemic stroke were identified. Demographics, presenting Accepted 4 May 2014 symptoms, medical history and imaging results were abstracted from medical records at the time of Available online 4 June 2014 hospitalization for stroke onset. Addresses were linked to average Normalized Difference Vegetation Keywords: Index, distance to roadways with more than 10,000 cars/day, and US census block group. Deaths were Mortality identified through June 2012 using the Social Security Death Index. Green space Results: There were 929 deaths among 1645 patients with complete data (median follow up: 5 years).
    [Show full text]
  • Who Is Governing the ''New'' South Africa?
    Who is Governing the ”New” South Africa? Marianne Séverin, Pierre Aycard To cite this version: Marianne Séverin, Pierre Aycard. Who is Governing the ”New” South Africa?: Elites, Networks and Governing Styles (1985-2003). IFAS Working Paper Series / Les Cahiers de l’ IFAS, 2006, 8, p. 13-37. hal-00799193 HAL Id: hal-00799193 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00799193 Submitted on 11 Mar 2013 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Ten Years of Democratic South Africa transition Accomplished? by Aurelia WA KABWE-SEGATTI, Nicolas PEJOUT and Philippe GUILLAUME Les Nouveaux Cahiers de l’IFAS / IFAS Working Paper Series is a series of occasional working papers, dedicated to disseminating research in the social and human sciences on Southern Africa. Under the supervision of appointed editors, each issue covers a specifi c theme; papers originate from researchers, experts or post-graduate students from France, Europe or Southern Africa with an interest in the region. The views and opinions expressed here remain the sole responsibility of the authors. Any query regarding this publication should be directed to the chief editor. Chief editor: Aurelia WA KABWE – SEGATTI, IFAS-Research director.
    [Show full text]
  • We Were Cut Off from the Comprehension of Our Surroundings
    Black Peril, White Fear – Representations of Violence and Race in South Africa’s English Press, 1976-2002, and Their Influence on Public Opinion Inauguraldissertation zur Erlangung der Doktorwürde der Philosophischen Fakultät der Universität zu Köln vorgelegt von Christine Ullmann Institut für Völkerkunde Universität zu Köln Köln, Mai 2005 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The work presented here is the result of years of research, writing, re-writing and editing. It was a long time in the making, and may not have been completed at all had it not been for the support of a great number of people, all of whom have my deep appreciation. In particular, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Michael Bollig, Prof. Dr. Richard Janney, Dr. Melanie Moll, Professor Keyan Tomaselli, Professor Ruth Teer-Tomaselli, and Prof. Dr. Teun A. van Dijk for their help, encouragement, and constructive criticism. My special thanks to Dr Petr Skalník for his unflinching support and encouraging supervision, and to Mark Loftus for his proof-reading and help with all language issues. I am equally grateful to all who welcomed me to South Africa and dedicated their time, knowledge and effort to helping me. The warmth and support I received was incredible. Special thanks to the Burch family for their help settling in, and my dear friend in George for showing me the nature of determination. Finally, without the unstinting support of my two colleagues, Angelika Kitzmantel and Silke Olig, and the moral and financial backing of my family, I would surely have despaired. Thank you all for being there for me. We were cut off from the comprehension of our surroundings; we glided past like phantoms, wondering and secretly appalled, as sane men would be before an enthusiastic outbreak in a madhouse.
    [Show full text]
  • Has Socialism Failed? by Joe Slovo South African Communist Party Contents • Introduction • Ideological Responses • Marxist
    Has Socialism Failed? By Joe Slovo South African Communist Party Contents Introduction Ideological Responses Marxist Theory Under Fire Socialism and Democracy Socialist Economic Alienation A Look at Ourselves The subject matter of this discussion paper will no doubt be debated for years to come both inside and outside the ranks of communist and workers' parties. The publication of this draft has been authorised by our party's leadership, as a launching pad for further critical thought. Some colleagues have made extremely valuable suggestions, which have been incorporated. But, as a whole, it represents the first reflections of the author only. January 1990 1. INTRODUCTION Socialism is undoubtedly in the throes of a crisis greater than at any time since 1917. The last half of 1989 saw the dramatic collapse of most of the communist party governments of Eastern Europe. Their downfall was brought about through massive upsurges which had the support not only of the majority of the working class but also a large slice of the membership of the ruling parties themselves. These were popular revolts against unpopular regimes; if socialists are unable to come to terms with this reality, the future of socialism is indeed bleak. The mounting chronicle of crimes and distortions in the history of existing socialism, its economic failures and the divide which developed between socialism and democracy, have raised doubts in the minds of many former supporters of the socialist cause as to whether socialism can work at all. Indeed, we must expect that, for a time, many in the affected countries will be easy targets for those aiming to achieve a reversion to capitalism, including an embrace of its external policies.(1) Shock-waves of very necessary self-examination have also been triggered off among communists both inside and outside the socialist world.
    [Show full text]
  • Black Power, Black Consciousness, and South Africa's Armed Struggle
    Binghamton University The Open Repository @ Binghamton (The ORB) Graduate Dissertations and Theses Dissertations, Theses and Capstones 6-2018 UNCOVERING HIDDEN FRONTS OF AFRICA’S LIBERATION STRUGGLE: BLACK POWER, BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS, AND SOUTH AFRICA’S ARMED STRUGGLE, 1967-1985 Toivo Tukongeni Paul Wilson Asheeke Binghamton University--SUNY, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://orb.binghamton.edu/dissertation_and_theses Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Asheeke, Toivo Tukongeni Paul Wilson, "UNCOVERING HIDDEN FRONTS OF AFRICA’S LIBERATION STRUGGLE: BLACK POWER, BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS, AND SOUTH AFRICA’S ARMED STRUGGLE, 1967-1985" (2018). Graduate Dissertations and Theses. 78. https://orb.binghamton.edu/dissertation_and_theses/78 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Dissertations, Theses and Capstones at The Open Repository @ Binghamton (The ORB). It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of The Open Repository @ Binghamton (The ORB). For more information, please contact [email protected]. UNCOVERING HIDDEN FRONTS OF AFRICA’S LIBERATION STRUGGLE: BLACK POWER, BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS, AND SOUTH AFRICA’S ARMED STRUGGLE, 1967-1985 BY TOIVO TUKONGENI PAUL WILSON ASHEEKE BA, Earlham College, 2010 MA, Binghamton University, 2014 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology in the Graduate School of Binghamton University State University of New
    [Show full text]
  • Reflections on Identity in Four African Cities
    Reflections on Identity in Four African Cities Lome Edited by Libreville Simon Bekker & Anne Leildé Johannesburg Cape Town Simon Bekker and Anne Leildé (eds.) First published in 2006 by African Minds. www.africanminds.co.za (c) 2006 Simon Bekker & Anne Leildé All rights reserved. ISBN: 1-920051-40-6 Edited, designed and typeset by Compress www.compress.co.za Distributed by Oneworldbooks [email protected] www.oneworldbooks.com Contents Preface and acknowledgements v 1. Introduction 1 Simon Bekker Part 1: Social identity: Construction, research and analysis 2. Identity studies in Africa: Notes on theory and method 11 Charles Puttergill & Anne Leildé Part 2: Profiles of four cities 3. Cape Town and Johannesburg 25 Izak van der Merwe & Arlene Davids 4. Demographic profiles of Libreville and Lomé 45 Hugues Steve Ndinga-Koumba Binza Part 3: Space and identity 5. Space and identity: Thinking through some South African examples 53 Philippe Gervais-Lambony 6. Domestic workers, job access, and work identities in Cape Town and Johannesburg 97 Claire Bénit & Marianne Morange 7. When shacks ain’t chic! Planning for ‘difference’ in post-apartheid Cape Town 97 Steven Robins Part 4: Class, race, language and identity 8. Discourses on a changing urban environment: Reflections of middle-class white people in Johannesburg 121 Charles Puttergill 9. Class, race, and language in Cape Town and Johannesburg 145 Simon Bekker & Anne Leildé 10. The importance of language identities to black residents of Cape Town and Johannesburg 171 Robert Mongwe 11. The importance of language identities in Lomé and Libreville 189 Simon Bekker & Anne Leildé Part 5: The African continent 12.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Volume 20 | Number 2
    NEWSLETTERS | The American Philosophical Association APA Newsletters SPRING 2021 VOLUME 20 | NUMBER 2 ASIAN AND ASIAN AMERICAN PHILOSOPHERS AND PHILOSOPHIES FEMINISM AND PHILOSOPHY HISPANIC/LATINO ISSUES IN PHILOSOPHY NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS PHILOSOPHY PHILOSOPHY AND THE BLACK EXPERIENCE TEACHING PHILOSOPHY VOLUME 20 | NUMBER 2 SPRING 2021 © 2021 BY THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL ASSOCIATION ISSN 2155-9708 Table of Contents Asian and Asian American Philosophers and Ethical Narratives and Oppositional Philosophies ...................................................... 1 Consciousness ......................................................... 67 Editors’ Introduction: Buddhist Modernism and Its What It’s Like to Grow Up Poor, but Fall in Love Discontents ................................................................ 1 with Philosophy: A Notice to the Profession in Case It Forgot ........................................................... 71 Articles ....................................................................... 5 Knowing What to Order at the Conference Précis of Why I Am Not a Buddhist ............................ 5 Dinner ....................................................................... 75 On Pursuing the Dialogue Between Buddhism and Epistemic Shame as a First-Generation Scholar ..... 77 Science in Ways That Distort Neither ........................ 8 Marginal Disclosures: Sisterhood, Standpoint, On Being a Good Friend to Buddhist Philosophy ... 15 Community, and Thriving......................................... 80 Buddhism
    [Show full text]
  • Title: Black Consciousness in South Africa : the Dialectics of Ideological
    Black Consciousness in South Africa : The Dialectics of Ideological Resistance to White title: Supremacy SUNY Series in African Politics and Society author: Fatton, Robert. publisher: State University of New York Press isbn10 | asin: 088706129X print isbn13: 9780887061295 ebook isbn13: 9780585056890 language: English Blacks--South Africa--Politics and government, Blacks--Race identity--South Africa, South Africa-- Politics and government--1961-1978, South subject Africa--Politics and government--1978- , South Africa--Social conditions--1961- , Blacks--South Africa--Social cond publication date: 1986 lcc: DT763.6.F37 1986eb ddc: 305.8/00968 Blacks--South Africa--Politics and government, Blacks--Race identity--South Africa, South Africa-- Politics and government--1961-1978, South subject: Africa--Politics and government--1978- , South Africa--Social conditions--1961- , Blacks--South Africa--Social cond Page i Black Consciousness in South Africa Page ii SUNY Series in African Politics and Society Henry L. Bretton and James Turner, Editors Page iii Black Consciousness in South Africa The Dialectics of Ideological Resistance to White Supremacy Robert Fatton Jr. State University of New York Press Page iv Published by State University of New York Press, Albany © 1986 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information, address State University of New York Press, State University Plaza, Albany, N.Y., 12246 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Fatton, Robert. Black consciousness in South Africa. (SUNY series in African politics and society) Revision of the author's thesis (Ph.D)University of Notre Dame.
    [Show full text]
  • The Reconfiguation of Joe Slovo
    Evaluation of The Fire Mitigation Programme in Joe Slovo Informal Settlement, Cape Town: A Cape Argus/Santam Ukuvuka Operation Fire-Stop Funded Initiative By the Disaster Mitigation for Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (DiMP) University of Cape Town August 2002 1 Executive Summary Background The Joe Slovo informal settlement in Cape Town has faced the recurrent threat of fire over the past decade, a risk aggravated by poverty, inadequate infrastructure and the ongoing influx of informal residents. By 2000 the number of dwellings had grown to 4 300 - a staggering 100% increase between 1998 and 2000. While informal settlements typically face a high risk of fire, the hot, dry, low -rainfall conditions in the La Ninã year of 2000 resulted in an increased frequency of fire events in Joe Slovo. Of particular significance was a major day-time fire in November 2000, which led to the destruction of 950 informal dwellings. This event, declared a “National Disaster”1 , was viewed more seriously than other similar occurrences due to the location of the affected informal dwellings beneath an Eskom power line. In part, the fire‟s severity was attributed to inadequate access roads and tracks within Joe Slovo. These prevented timely access for fire tenders, and made fire containment difficult. The devastation wrought by this disaster provided the impetus to develop and implement a Fire Mitigation Plan in Joe Slovo2. This comprised three major elements. 1) The immediate relocation of the fire-affected community to a resettlement site, to prevent the reoccupation of the Eskom servitude. 2) The configuration and reconfiguration of Joe Slovo through the installation of tracks and water supplies in the resettlement site of Zone 30 (November 2000 - March 2001) and later the remaining Zones 30, 31 and 32 (April 2001 - May 2002).
    [Show full text]
  • Inkatha and the Talks to End Apartheid, 1990-1994
    Daniel Scher Innovations for Successful Societies MANAGING SPOILERS AT THE BARGAINING TABLE: INKATHA AND THE TALKS TO END APARTHEID, 1990-1994 SYNOPSIS In the talks to end apartheid in South Africa, 19 parties sat at the negotiating table. At least 10 of the negotiators had armed wings, and almost all had demands that they were prepared to back up with violence. One in particular possessed the ability to destabilize the country: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party. To get him on board, negotiators employed a number of tactics, including splitting him from his backers, offering compromises and refusing to allow the momentum of the process to be slowed by his boycotts. This memo examines the negotiators’ efforts to manage Buthelezi’s demands and draw him into a coalition, as well as the longer-term consequences of those moves. Daniel Scher drafted this policy note on the basis of interviews conducted in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, South Africa, in February 2010. INTRODUCTION government and the opposition in the form of the “I think the dominant factor in our minds African National Congress (ANC)—the task of was that we realized that if we didn’t progress … refashioning the apartheid state into a new, there would have been blood in the streets in democratic system would have been difficult South Africa,” recalled Roelf Meyer, chief enough. negotiator for the National Party during the talks But the National Party (NP) and the ANC, to end apartheid. Meyer was confident that if while the biggest players, were not the only ones.
    [Show full text]
  • Apartheid South Africa Xolela Mangcu 105 5 the State of Local Government: Third-Generation Issues Doreen Atkinson 118
    ress.ac.za ress.ac.za p State of the Nation South Africa 2003–2004 Free download from www.hsrc Edited by John Daniel, Adam Habib & Roger Southall ress.ac.za ress.ac.za p Free download from www.hsrc ress.ac.za ress.ac.za p Compiled by the Democracy & Governance Research Programme, Human Sciences Research Council Published by HSRC Press Private Bag X9182, Cape Town, 8000, South Africa HSRC Press is an imprint of the Human Sciences Research Council Free download from www.hsrc ©2003 Human Sciences Research Council First published 2003 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. ISBN 0 7969 2024 9 Cover photograph by Yassir Booley Production by comPress Printed by Creda Communications Distributed in South Africa by Blue Weaver Marketing and Distribution, PO Box 30370, Tokai, Cape Town, South Africa, 7966. Tel/Fax: (021) 701-7302, email: [email protected]. Contents List of tables v List of figures vii ress.ac.za ress.ac.za p Acronyms ix Preface xiii Glenn Moss Introduction Adam Habib, John Daniel and Roger Southall 1 PART I: POLITICS 1 The state of the state: Contestation and race re-assertion in a neoliberal terrain Gerhard Maré 25 2 The state of party politics: Struggles within the Tripartite Alliance and the decline of opposition Free download from www.hsrc Roger Southall 53 3 An imperfect past:
    [Show full text]