Post-war state-led development at work in Angola. The Zango housing project in Luanda as a case ...

219 Pages·2013·5.65 MB·English

Post-war state-led development at work in Angola.
The Zango housing project in Luanda as a case study

by Sylvia Croese

Dissertation presented for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences, at Stellenbosch University

Supervisor: Prof. Simon Bekker
Co-supervisor: Prof. Edgar Pieterse

December 2013
Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Declaration
By submitting this thesis electronically, I declare that the entirety of the work contained
therein is my own original work, that I am the authorship owner thereof (unless to the extent
explicitly otherwise stated) and that I have not previously in its entirety or in part submitted it
for obtaining any qualification.
Signature:

Date:
November 21st, 2013

Copyright © 2013 Stellenbosch University of Stellenbosch
All rights reserved
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Abstract
This dissertation is a case study of the Zango social housing project in Luanda, the capital of
the southern African state of Angola. Through an examination of the Zango project, which
was born on the cusp of peace after nearly 30 years of civil war in 2002, I provide insight into
the nature, workings and possible outcomes of post-war state-led development in Angola
under non-democratic conditions.
I do so by analyzing how the Angolan state ‘sees’ and does development, as well as how this
development works. Empirically, this thesis argues that post-war state-led development is
controlled by the Angolan presidency and financed and managed through extra-governmental
arrangements. This both enables as well as limits state-led development as it allows for the
maintenance of a gap between a ‘parallel’ and the formal state of Angola. In this process,
local governments and citizens are largely side-lined as development actors. Yet, through an
analysis of local governance and housing allocation arrangements in Zango, I show that the
formal Angolan state is no empty shell and that its officials and those they engage with may
operate in ways that take ownership of development directed from above.
Theoretically, this thesis then argues for a research approach to the African state and state-led
development that is empirically grounded.

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Opsomming
Hierdie tesis is ‘n gevallestudie van die Zango sosiale behuisingsprojek in Luanda, die
hoofstad van die Suider-Afrikaanse staat van Angola. Ek poog om insig te gee in die aard,
aktiwiteite en moontlike resultate van na-oologse staatsgeïnisieerde ontwikkeling in Angola
onder nie-demokratiese toestande deur ‘n ontleding van die behuisingsprojek wat in 2002,
met die aanbreek van vrede na die 30 jaar burgeroorlog, aangevang het.
Dit word gedoen deur ‘n analise van hoe die Angolese staat ontwikkeling ‘sien’ en
onderneem, sowel as hoe ontwikkeling ontplooi. Hierdie tesis redeneer dat empiries
staatsgeleide ontwikkeling na die oorlog beheer word deur die Angolese Presidensie en
gefinansieer en bestuur word deur buite-staatsinstellings. Dit fasiliteer sowel as beperk
ontwikkeling omdat dit ‘n gaping tussen ‘n ‘parallele’ en die formele Angolese staat
handhaaf. Hierdie proses sluit beide plaaslike regering en burgers grootliks as
ontwikkelingsakteurs uit. Deur middel van ‘n ontleding van die plaaslike bestuur en die
toekenning van wooneenhede in Zango, toon ek aan dat die formele staat tog nie ‘n lëe dop is
nie en dat amptenare en ander betrokkenes eienaarskap van ontwikkeling gerig van bo kan
neem.
Dus, teoreties, word aanspraak gemaak vir ‘n benadering tot die staat en staatsgeïnisieerde
ontwikkeling in Afrika wat empiries gefundeer is.

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Acknowledgements
Moving from Angola to South Africa to embark on a PhD marked the beginning of a
challenging, but exciting and enriching journey and I am grateful to all of those that directly
or indirectly contributed to the conclusion of this thesis along the way.
In particular, I would like to thank my supervisor Prof. Simon Bekker. Without his
confidence, generosity and persistence this thesis would not have existed.
I also thank my co-supervisor Prof. Edgar Pieterse. My talks with him and the PhD seminars
that I attended over the past years at the African Centre for Cities at the University of Cape
Town, of which Edgar is director, were a great source of intellectual stimulation and
inspiration.
The Graduate School of Stellenbosch University financed my journey with a generous
scholarship and I thank Prof. Johann Groenewald and Dr. Cindy Lee Steenekamp for their
kind and practical support along the way. The same applies to colleagues of the Graduate
School and within the department of Sociology and Social Anthropology as well as the staff
at J. S. Gericke library in Stellenbosch. A particular thanks to Walter Musakwa and Stephie
Mendelsohn for designing the maps that I use in this thesis.
Over the past three years, it has been great to note that there is a growing research interest in
Angola, which allowed me to present parts of my work at the following events: the
conference on ‘The study of Angola: towards a new research agenda’ from 1-2 July 2011 at
Oxford University in the United Kingdom; the Africa-Europe Group for Interdisciplinary
Studies (AEGIS) from 18-24 June in Cortona, Italy; the South African City Studies Workshop
on Empirical Studies, Theory and Criticism from 19-20 November 2012 in Johannesburg,
South Africa; and the African Studies Association’s 55th Annual Meeting ‘Research frontiers
in the study of Africa’ from 29 November to 1 December 2012 in Philadelphia, USA.
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I thank all the participants of these events for taking the time to read and comment on my
work, especially Ricardo Soares de Oliveira, Aslak Orre, Marissa Moorman, Claudia
Gastrow, Chloé Buire, Claire Bénit-Gbaffou and Anne Pitcher, all of whose work I admire
greatly. My external examiners Prof. Paul Jenkins, Dr. Isabel Raposo and Dr. Lloyd Hill
provided useful feedback that helped me to strengthen the final version of the thesis, although
the responsibility for any remaining errors or omissions lies entirely with me.
In Luanda, all the informants that made time to share their thoughts and stories with me on
Zango were invaluable, especially Pedro Coxe, without whom my work in Zango would not
have been the same. I also thank the president of FESA, Dr. Ismael Diogo da Silva who took
an interest in my research and introduced me to many people I would otherwise not have had
access to.
I would also like to thank all the staff at Development Workshop (DW) Angola, especially its
director Allan Cain and the staff at the research and GIS department: Helga, Tiago, Bernardo,
Henriques and Massomba. The research project I contributed to in 2010 on access to land for
housing, which was commissioned by the World Bank, consolidated the interest I had built up
in the preceding years as a free-lance researcher and consultant in issues related to urban
development. DW’s support, whether in the form of access to their library and newspaper
archives, by giving me the chance to present my work at different points in time, as well as
many stimulating conversations and discussions at the office contributed greatly to my work.
Nelson Pestana always made time for me when I was around to listen to my thoughts,
questions and findings and give insightful advice. I also thank the rest of the staff at research
center CEIC of the Catholic University in Luanda, as well as Mr. Marcos Paulo who
numerous times helped me to get access to relevant pieces of legislation.
My deepest gratitude goes out to all the family and friends that helped me during my time in
the field. First of all my dear aunt Emilia Nunes Gonçalves who always made sure the Mazda
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was ready for me to take me on the countless trips I took to Zango. My grandmother Maria da
Conceição Almeida, whose house in Vila Alice was my first home in Luanda, a place I know
I can always return to. All my aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, who always made
me feel I belonged, no matter how long I have sometimes been away.
I also thank Robert and Dace, whose house I stayed in during one of my first fieldtrips in
2011, as well as Stephanie and Rolf, who accommodated me several times in their house in
the following year.
A big thanks for the friendship, love and support also goes out to: Machteld, Murielle, Ketty,
Stephanie, as well as Thaïs and Joyce Jose in Luanda; in Cape Town: Denise, Laura, Hayley
and Mary T; and in Johannesburg: Aman and Ribka, as well as Louise Redvers. On the other
side of the globe in Rotterdam: Marije, thanks for over two decades of unconditional
friendship.
António Tomás came into my life when I least expected it and was a great support in the final
stages of the PhD.
Lastly, a very special thanks to Johanna Jansson who was the reason I came to Stellenbosch in
the first place after she notified me about the scholarships the university was offering. I
cannot count the amount of emails and Skype conversations we have shared over the past
couple of years as we both struggled with our PhDs on different sides of the globe, but I know
that they helped me through some of the toughest moments.

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Dedications
I dedicate this thesis to my sisters Lisette and Joyce. Nothing will tear us apart.

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Table of Contents
Declaration ............................................................................................................................. i
Abstract ................................................................................................................................. ii
Opsomming .......................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. iv
Dedications ......................................................................................................................... vii
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................... viii
Maps ......................................................................................................................................x
Figures ...................................................................................................................................x
Abbreviations ....................................................................................................................... xi
1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction...............................................................................................................................1
1.2 Introducing the case of Zango ....................................................................................................2
1.3 State-led development and authoritarianism ...............................................................................7
1.4 Research approach .................................................................................................................. 14
1.5 Structure of the thesis .............................................................................................................. 20
2. On the state and development ........................................................................................ 23
2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 23
2.2 The African state and the ‘impossibility’ of development......................................................... 23
2.3 ‘New’ developmental states ..................................................................................................... 33
2.4 ‘Intermediate’ developmental states ......................................................................................... 37
2.5 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 42
3. Doing research on Zango ................................................................................................ 44
3.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 44
3.2 Research design, methods and aims ......................................................................................... 45
3.3 Research process ..................................................................................................................... 48
3.3.1 Defining and delimiting the field in a context of flux ........................................................ 49
3.3.2 Entering the field .............................................................................................................. 51
3.3.3 Access to and interactions with informants ....................................................................... 53
3.4 Research as content ................................................................................................................. 58
3.5 Limitations .............................................................................................................................. 60
3.6 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 62
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4. From colonialism to war: the politics of MPLA post-colonial state-building ............... 63
4.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 63
4.2 Portuguese colonialism ............................................................................................................ 64
4.2.1 Building a colony ............................................................................................................. 64
4.2.2 Late colonialism and the struggle for independence .......................................................... 69
4.3 Post-colonial state-building ..................................................................................................... 76
4.3.1 Building a party state in times of war ................................................................................ 77
4.3.2 The emergence of a ‘parallel’ state .................................................................................... 82
4.4 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 90
5. Post-war Angola: building a developmental state from above ...................................... 92
5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................. 92
5.2 A genealogy of Zango ............................................................................................................. 93
5.2.1 Conception: prelude .......................................................................................................... 93
5.2.2 Implementation................................................................................................................. 96
5.2.3 Housing allocation .......................................................................................................... 103
5.3 Developmental vision, role and structures .............................................................................. 106
5.3.1 Developmental vision ..................................................................................................... 107
5.3.2 Developmental role and structures .................................................................................. 112
5.4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 119
6. Between the state and the people ................................................................................. 120
6.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 120
6.2 Situating residents’ committees in Zango ............................................................................... 121
6.2.1 From people’s to party power ......................................................................................... 122
6.2.2 Popular Committees of the Bairro in Zango .................................................................... 126
6.2.3 The Committee of the United Residents of Boavista ....................................................... 131
6.3 Local administration takes over ............................................................................................. 134
6.3.1 ‘Formalizing’ residents’ committees ............................................................................... 135
6.3.2 The role of the party ....................................................................................................... 142
6.4 Conclusion.................................................................................................................... 144
7. Taking ownership of Zango from below ...................................................................... 146
7.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................... 146
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