The road between Sandton and Alexandra Township

140 Pages·2015·4.34 MB·English

The road between Sandton and Alexandra Township: a Fanonian approach to the study
of poverty and privilege in South Africa

By

Raimond Nyapokoto

Submitted in accordance with the requirements for
The degree of

MASTER OF ARTS

In the subject

DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

At the

University of South Africa

Supervisor: Prof Sabelo. J. Ndlovu-Gatsheni

November 2014
Student number: 36420174
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I declare that The road between Sandton and Alexandra Township: a Fanonian
approach to the study of poverty and privilege in South Africa is my own work and that
all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of
complete references.

________________________ _____________________
SIGNATURE DATE
(Mr)

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Abstract

The key challenge to socio-economic transformation in South Africa is closing the gap
between the poor and the rich. What is distinctive about South Africa is the uneasy
coexistence of poverty and opulence. This study seeks to explore the structural, historical
roots of poverty among the blacks in South Africa by deploying Fanonian Critical Decolonial
theory. This is the ideal theoretical approach to unmask the structural causes of poverty and
inequality in South Africa. Colonial ambitions and the global political engineering of the
world by America and Europe spans more than four hundred years, and is still very much
alive today in subtle forms. This study asserts that this imperial history is the cause of
poverty, lack of agency, and the hellish conditions under which many black people live. The
rise of industrial capitalism and attendant urbanisation is at the core of this impoverishment
of the black man. It is also shown that, once impoverished, the black man’s poverty gathers
its own momentum, leading to more poverty that is then handed down to succeeding
generations. Contrary to Eurocentric theorising, the study shows that blacks are not ‘problem’
people but people with problems, who, instead of being condemned, should be regarded with
sympathy. This research thesis focuses on Alexandra Township and Sandton as symbols of
poverty and privilege, respectively. The former represents Fanon’s zone of non-being where
life is lived in conditions of want and poverty, whilst the latter represents the zone of being
characterised by good living and prosperity. The thesis will demonstrate the fact that these
anomalous socio-economic disparities are not natural but man-made, and therefore require
the action of human beings to correct them.

Key Terms: abyssal lines; the Manichaean structure; coloniality of being; zone of being and
zone of non-being; the black condition and structural violence.

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Dedication

In memory of my beloved brother Remigius Nyapokoto
(1973 – 2009)

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Acknowledgements

This research thesis bears my name as the author, but truly speaking, it is a product of a lot of
folks who ‘paused’ in their lives to give me a hand in this gruesome, long and lonely
academic journey... ‘izandla ziyagezana’ for real...

Firstly and I would like to thank my supervisor, Professor Sabelo J Ndlovu-Gatsheni, first,
for introducing me to the Critical Decolonial Thinking, and for guiding me throughout this
research journey. Your insights have been thought-provoking and helpful, and your own
energy and scholarship have been a great inspiration to me.

I would like to thank Tendayi Mawango for introducing me to Professor Ndlovu. From that
time onwards my understanding of the global political economy has been completely
overhauled. Thanks also for taking a keen interest in my work and poring over it tirelessly,
giving very helpful feedback. My gratitude also goes to Tendayi Sithole and Morgan Ndlovu,
two folks who were readily available with material and advice, and to Beatrice Maphosa - a
big thank you for a generous supply of material and for sisterly advice and encouragement.
Supa Teke, Thabani Nyathi and Taka Tshabuse, thanks a lot for all those discussions as I
sought verification of facts on the history of South Africa. Diana Manyaka and Jabulani
Ndlovu, thanks a lot for accompanying me on my numerous trips to Alexandra and for
introducing me to relevant people in the township.

Colleagues and fellow Decolonial Thinkers at the African Decolonial Research Network, a
big thank you to you all. Just your comradely presence and work, and the knowledge that
there are other souls pushing for the same Decolonial agenda as mine, always buoyed me as I
delved deep into my thesis.

This research could not have ever been materialised was it not for you my dear wife, Tracey,
who, when I was haggard and tired, was there for me. I salute you for enduring the endless
calls for ‘a cup of coffee, please’ and enduring all the shuffling of paper, and especially for
taking a keen interest in my work. You are one of a kind. To my kids, thanks for
understanding that I could not be ‘daddy’ to you during these busy days...Mom and Dad, this
thesis is for you. You have my deepest appreciation, respect and gratitude for educating me
and teaching me not to take anything in life at face value
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Lastly, but not least, I would like to give ALL the glory and honour to my Lord, Jesus Christ.
It would certainly be foolish of me to claim my own abilities and intellects through this
research journey. It can only be you, Lord, who led the way...You have never failed me.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover page i
Declaration ii
Abstract iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgements v
Table of Contents vii
Table of figures x

CHAPTER ONE 1
The making of a ‘country of two nations’ 1
Introduction 1
Historical Background 2
Literature review 8
Problem Statement 9
Research Objectives 9
Research Rationale 9
Limitations of Study 10
Theoretical Framework 10
Research Methods 15
Ethical Consideration 18
Chapter Layout 19

CHAPTER TWO 20
Theoretical Framework: Theory of poverty and poverty of theory 20
Introduction 20
Abyssal Lines 24
Manichaean Structure 28
Coloniality of Being: The Black Condition 32
Structural Violence 36
The Decolonial Turn and Shifting the Geography of Reason 37
Conclusion 42

CHAPTER THREE 4 3
Case Study: The Zone of Non-Being 43
Alexandra: ‘The Dark City’ 44
Geographical Location 44
Alexandra in Pictures 45
Historical Background 49
Housing and Infrastructure 51
Overcrowding and Squalor 51
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Laws, laws and more laws. 53
Slums Act of 1934 53
Group Areas Act of 1950 54
‘The Shame of Alexandra’ 55
Setswetla 57
‘Nobody’s baby’ 59
Taxi Wars 60
Evictions and Expropriation 62
Hostels 64
“Universities of Crime” 66
Politicisation of Ethnic and Tribal Divisions 67
The Necklace 69
Xenophobia 69
Violence and Lawlessness 70
Gangsters 70
‘Streets of the Damned’ 70
Bus Boycotts 71
Motor Career Transport Act 71
Abolition of Passes Act of 1952 71
Pass Laws and Police Raids 72
Socio-Economic System 73
Education 73
School Protests and Boycotts 76
The Bantu Education Act 76
The Soweto Uprising 78
The Six Day War 78
‘Revolution Today, Education Tomorrow’ 78
“Azikwelwa” 80
Employment 81
The Great Depression 83
Beer Brewing and Shebeens 84
The Enigma of Arrival: 1994 – 2014 85
Structural Violence 86
Conclusion 89

CHAPTER FOUR 93
Case Study: Zone of Being 93
Introduction 93
Sandton: The Suburb of Gentleman 94
History 94
1800s and before 94
The Advent of the white 95
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The Discovery of Gold 95
The South African War: 1899 – 1902 96
Urbanisation: 1902 onwards 96
The birth of a new municipality 98
Richest Square mile in Africa 101
Sandhurst: ‘Where the cream of society lives’ 102
Housing and infrastructure 102
‘Gated community’ 107
‘Billionaire Street’ 109
Socio-Economic set-up 110
Education 112
1994 to date 114
Conclusion 115

CHAPTER FIVE 1 1 6
Conclusion 116
Findings, conclusions and recommendations 116
Introduction 116
Findings and recommendations 117
Causes of poverty 117
The ‘new man’ in a new world order 117
Abyssal thinking 117
The manichaean structure 118
Structural violence 121
Recommendations 121
Bibliography 124

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Table of Figures

Figure 1. Diagram of the Zone of Being and Non-being.................................................................23
Figure 2. Map of Alexandra.............................................................................................................45
Figure 3. Unequal neighbours: Alexandra and Sandton..................................................................45
Figure 4. Die for Life. Literally........................................................................................................46
Figure 5. Setswetla bordered dangerously by the treacherous Jukskei River..................................47
Figure 6. Portrait of Squalor.............................................................................................................47
Figure 7. Street in Alexandra............................................................................................................48
Figure 8. These toilets are still being used in Alexandra Township................................................48
Figure 9. Linda Twala, (L) a philanthropist and the grandson of Hey and Eva Mbanjwa, the first
black couple to settle in Alexandra, pauses for a photo after our interview...................................49
Figure 10. Footage of necklacing.....................................................................................................69
Figure 11. Sandton City- a world class shopping mall literally a shouting distance from
Sandhurst.........................................................................................................................................101
Figure 12. A Sandhurst mansion in Oxford Street..........................................................................104
Figure13. A Sandhurst mansion in Oxford Street..........................................................................104
Figure 14. Interior of Sandhurst mansion in Oxford Street.............................................................104
Figure 15. Interior of Sandhurst mansion in Oxford Street.............................................................105
Figure 16. Dining area of a Sandhurst mansion in Oxford Street....................................................105
Figure 17. Bar area of a Sandhurst mansion in Oxford Street..........................................................106
Figure 18. Oxford and Coronation: two of the most expensive streets in Sandhurst and
South Africa....................................................................................................................................109

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