Post-apartheid South Africa Research Articles

Culturally responsive pedagogy for the promotion of understanding Mathematics: The case of rural situated primary schools in Post-apartheid South Africa

The language of instruction, awareness, and creativity are at the centre of the realities faced by both mathematics teachers and learners, shaped by a socio-political history whose impact and legacy transcend generations in South Africa. Consequently, the dire state of mathematics education in South Africa remains a cause for concern. Recognising the need to conceptualise and develop culturally responsive pedagogy, this paper presents the results from the third phase of a three-year longitudinal study focused on teachers' journeys in infusing indigenous knowledge when teaching geometry to senior primary learners in rural schools. This qualitative study, which followed a case study design, explored several approaches to discussing, teaching, and considering an immediate, perpetual, operative, and discursive approach as culturally disruptive pedagogy used as an indigenous way to promote geometric understanding. Observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with two purposefully selected participants after their lesson presentations to allow them to clarify, elaborate, and introduce more detail, enriching their explanations of the artefacts used. Results indicated that teachers’ references to several artefacts and indigenous activities, such as using straws, wool, and staplers, promoted the understanding of the construction of prisms and pyramids. Recommendations include training mathematics teachers to prepare lessons that incorporate indigenous knowledge and to explore ethnomathematics as a culturally responsive teaching strategy, particularly in contextualising mathematical geometry learning, so that this concept can have relevance and meaning for rural students.

Pedagogical and Social Transformations in Post-Apartheid Mathematics Education

This special issue addresses the complexities of mathematics teaching and learning in post-apartheid South Africa by exploring themes such as pedagogical reasoning, decoloniality, rural education challenges, and teacher preparation. It contributes to the ongoing dialogue on mathematics education's role in social transformation, enhancing the body of knowledge and deepening practitioners' understanding of its impact.

Suburban Transformation in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Socio-Economic Mobility and Neighbourhood Change in ‘In-Between’ Spaces

Since democratic change in 1994 South Africa’s cities have experienced major physical and social changes. Johannesburg, South Africa’s major city, has been at the leading edge of the changes occurring in the landscape of the country’s cities and therefore has generated a substantial scholarly literature. Geographical writings are concentrated mainly on the inner-cities and townships. Less research has been pursued on South Africa’s suburban spaces and particularly in what has been described as the ‘in-between’ middle-class suburban areas. The objective in this article is to investigate the dynamics of suburban transformation in post-apartheid South Africa. The case study is situated in the south of Johannesburg and centres on neighbourhood change in former ‘white’ designated suburbs. The study discloses resident motivations driving change, issues of socio-economic mobility, and the shifts occurring in the nature of residential property development in these spaces.

Ulwaluko: A critical site for black theological reflection

Ulwaluko is an essential rite of passage for men in the Xhosa community in South Africa. This particular initiation rite of passage is a critical part of the transition from boyhood to manhood. In a post-apartheid South Africa, this African practice has received criticism for promoting gender and sexual exclusion with some calling for a halt to the practice. Using Simon Maimela’s theological anthropology and Jackson’s concept of modern slavery as human plasticity, I attempt to expose how post-apartheid constitutionalism has epistemically distorted the theological anthropology of this rite of passage. This is done acknowledging Ulwaluko theologically within the context of African holism. This, I argue, has had significant ethical implications for society. Recognising it as a site of black theological reflection using Maimela’s theological anthropology, I argue that this particular practice can positively influence discourses on morality in South Africa.Contribution: This article makes a theological contribution by situating African and black theology of liberation discourse within the epistemic framework of Ulwaluko as an initiation rite of passage. Recognising the prevalence of initiation rites of passage in South Africa, this discourse attempts to contribute towards thinking about the creation of humanity from these spaces of formation. This I do in the very challenging contexts within which Ulwaluko is practised.

From colonial time to decolonial temporalities.

In this paper, we critique the colonial conception of time and present alternative decolonial temporalities. We propose that the colonial conception of time, which is linear and scarcity centred, is limiting when it comes to the possibility of contextually theorizing trauma and healing. We offer two main arguments. The first argument explores the discourse around the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in South Africa. Focusing specifically on Winnie Madikizela and F. W De Klerk, we show that in their engagement with the TRC, the linear, scarcity-centred and gendered nature of colonial time was animated. The second argument extends the first argument by considering how temporality is 'captured' by colonialism to foreground and universalize Western subjectivities and sensibilities. We use what Derek Hook calls a psycho-societal-diagnostic framework in conjunction with Fanon to show how subjectivities are structured in post-apartheid South Africa. We then consider how this time-subjectivity relationship is enacted at a geopolitical level. The paper ends by considering decolonial temporalities as a way to 're-cognize' at a collective level. While the paper engages with a series of concepts and ideas, namely capitalism, politics of justice, gender and race, these are threaded by the concept of time.

Migrants and Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa: Theory and Evidence

Acts of xenophobia are a persistent feature of life in South Africa. Daily animosity often spills over into violence against both locals and mostly migrants and their economic enterprises. One argument is that xenophobia has characterized post-apartheid South Africa partly due to increased migration flows. Can migration cause xenophobia? Using data from Xenowatch Reports, we examine the impact of migration flows from Zimbabwe on the onset and persistence of acts of collective violence targeted at foreign nationals’ lives and their foreign-owned businesses in South Africa. Results show that increased migration flows from Zimbabwe into South Africa leads to ethnic polarization, cultural diversity, and intolerance by residents toward immigrants. The variable migrants has a positive but statistically insignificant effect on xenophobia. However, migration can impact xenophobia through inducing ethnic fractionalization, cultural diversity and ethnic polarization, intolerance, and hostility with the coefficients of ethnic fractionalization and cultural diversity being positive and statistically significant and supporting the hypothesis that more migration flows from Zimbabwe lead to more xenophobic attacks in South Africa. These findings aid our understanding of the economic consequences of xenophobia. JEL codes: Q15, Q32, Q54

Clash of temporalities: Ephemerality and embodied time in Welcome to Our Hillbrow

ABSTRACT Drawing upon Ann Laura Stoler’s concept of “ruination”, this article critically examines the depictions of time and temporalities in Phaswane Mpe’s novella Welcome to Our Hillbrow (2001) to explore the dynamically persistent imperial formations that are difficult to notice in the text. These temporalities serve as reflections of pre-existing social issues in post-apartheid South Africa such as apathy, historical amnesia, and xenophobia. The sharp fluctuations of the everyday and the looming sense of anxiety disconnect the Hillbrowans’ perception of their present from the longue durée of empire. This disconnection reduces the characters’ judgement of historical and socio-economic problems as affecting failings of individual morality and xenophobia. Furthermore, Mpe reveals the fluidity of time and space in Hillbrow through the recurring motifs of walking and sharing stories. This allows the characters to envision horizons beyond their immediate experiences and rediscover their lost capacity for remembering and self-recognition in the other.

Culture and Social Movements: The Example of South Africa in the Post-Apartheid Period

This paper explores the intricate relationship between culture and social movements in post-apartheid South Africa through a critical phenomenological approach. This method focuses on the lived experiences and societal impacts of these movements, revealing how cultural symbols, narratives, religious frameworks, sports, media, and identity have shaped and sustained the struggles for justice and equality. The analysis begins by defining social movements and culture, emphasizing their interplay within the South African context. Using a phenomenological approach developed by Husserl and expanded by Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and Sartre, this study undertakes steps such as phenomenological reduction, description, essence identification, and structural analysis. These steps are further enriched by combining critical theory with phenomenology, highlighting social, historical, and political dimensions. This approach allows for an in-depth understanding of how culture, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and moral components, influences the formation, strategies, and sustainability of social movements. Key findings illustrate that cultural elements have served as sources of resistance, empowerment, and solidarity, playing an essential role in shaping collective identities and actions. Ultimately, this research provides a comprehensive analysis of the dynamic interplay between culture and social movements in South Africa, underscoring the importance of cultural resources in driving social change.

The psychology of social change – 30 years post-apartheid: what went wrong and how to fix it?

This article presents some snapshots from 30 years of my collaborative work in the social psychology of social change in South Africa. Projects with students and colleagues used ethnographic, discursive, and survey methods to document racial encounters in the newly desegregated spaces of post-apartheid South Africa. I will review some of the successes and failures of desegregation efforts both in the country and in social psychology, where intergroup contact theory has come under considerable scrutiny. Critically, an assimilate-to-privilege form of desegregation has not resulted in systemic change but replaced the apartheid ‘colour line’ with an ‘epistemic line’ of White privilege and race stereotyping. Towards the end of the article, I’ll consider why anticolonial discourse rejects intergroup contact as a solution, and turn, finally, to Mbembe’s concept of Afropolitanism to make modest proposals for a way forward – the ‘how to fix it’ part of the article.

Exploring worker subjectivity: shaping industrial and organizational psychology in post-apartheid South Africa

This article critically evaluates the role of industrial–organizational psychology in post-apartheid South Africa, advocating for a transformative framework that addresses the socio-political and historical inequalities in the workplace. The article highlights how industrial–organizational psychology has traditionally focused on organizational efficiency, often aligned with capitalist interests, while overlooking the socio-historical forces shaping worker experiences, particularly related to race, gender, and class. By introducing the concept of worker subjectivity, the article calls for a reimagined industrial–organizational psychology that integrates critical perspectives from psychology and management studies to better understand how workers navigate their identities and agency within broader socio-political structures. The author emphasizes the need to address the emotional and psychological dimensions of worker experiences, especially in the South African context marked by the legacies of colonialism and apartheid. By focusing on worker subjectivity, industrial–organizational psychology can move beyond traditional quantitative methods and engage with the complexities of workplace inequality. This approach aligns industrial–organizational psychology with the broader mission of the Psychological Society of South Africa to promote socially just and inclusive practices. The article also calls for interdisciplinary collaboration and the reformation of industrial–organizational psychology education to better equip practitioners with the tools needed to address the realities of post-apartheid workplaces.

Breaking the cycle: Presenting insights and strategies to overcome violent conflicts hindering social cohesion and progress in South African communities

ABSTRACT This study addresses the pervasive issue of violent conflicts that undermine social cohesion and hinder progress within South African communities. Thus, the study explores the root causes and contributing factors of these conflicts to provide a foundation for developing effective, evidence-based intervention strategies. The investigation revealed five critical themes: (1) community awareness and perceptions of safety, (2) communication and information to ensure safety, (3) causes of violent conflicts in South Africa, (4) community engagement and membership influence and (5) Five Year/third-quarter 2019/2023 Crime Statistics. These themes underscore the complexity of violent conflicts in post-apartheid South Africa, where the persistence of a violent culture, pervasive corruption, and connections between criminal syndicates and government officials exacerbate the situation. The methodology used is desktop research that combined critical review of literature, reports and discussions of identified themes. The study is centred around the concept of Conflict Transformation, which plays a crucial role in fostering relationships and facilitating reconciliation processes in society. This includes grassroots initiatives and the participation of leaders at different levels. The study concludes that that violent conflicts can be mitigated through informed actions and strategic interventions. With these insights, this study offers recommendations as a framework for policymakers and practitioners to develop targeted measures aimed at fostering a safer, more cohesive society. The goal is to break the cycle of violent conflicts to pave the way for sustainable social progress in South African communities.

Investigating the Experiences of Cultural Code-Switching Among Black Middle-Class Professionals in South Africa

This research investigates the experiences of cultural code-switching among Black middle-class professionals in post-apartheid South Africa. By virtue of the unjust and inhumane laws imposed during South Africa’s discriminatory apartheid regime, salient dominant and minority cultures have prevailed in the post-apartheid era. The discrimination against and hegemony over previously oppressed cultures have engendered layers of trauma and unhealed scars in contemporary South African society. Using in-depth interviews with a sample of professionals, the research shows how the dominant Western culture has shaped the perceived hierarchy of professionalism in the South African workplace and an unconscious demand has been placed on Black individuals to adapt their cultural beliefs, values, and norms. This study is the first to clearly identify a taxonomy of specific codes like lifestyle and appearance, and critically examine the psychological states and experienced emotions that influence code-switching among Black middle-class professionals. The qualitative findings were used to create a framework that includes the relationship between formative influences, internal and external pressures, and coping strategies. The study supports a core argument that South African Black middle-class professionals have presented as a quintessential example demonstrating the concept of cultural code-switching, although there was also strong evidence of change as the country has evolved, which has allowed for greater cultural authenticity.

People’s English in the Poetry of Mzi Mahola and Vonani Bila

Black poets and various wordsmiths in South Africa played a critical role in liberating the country. Several of these artists wrote in indigenous languages, but during the 1960s and 1970s some protest poets expressed their opposition to oppression in English. These artists also played a pivotal role in ensuring that the outside world became aware of apartheid suppression. Other critics have, however, questioned the role of the English language for the masses that surrounded these artists. It is also important to understand how these artists perceived their role in their society as English poets. The article focuses on two South African poets, Mzi Mahola and Vonani Bila, whose recent poetry examines the current struggles, joys, and happenings in their communities. The article focuses on how these two poets use English to express their experiences. Furthermore, the themes explored in the article reveal the commonalities that may exist among “black English poets” in South Africa. More than three decades after the demise of apartheid some themes have pervaded their writings as new struggles have emerged. Furthermore, People’s English continues to be a vital tool in expressing black and human emotions in post-apartheid South Africa.

Commodifying Race: The Portrayal of Bernardo Mikixi, an Angolan Mixed Martial Artist, in the Extreme Fighting Championship’s Advertising Materials in South Africa, 2009–2015

The Extreme Fighting Championship (EFC) is a mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion that was first held in 2009 in Johannesburg. Many of its participating professional fighters are African nationals who migrated to South Africa to pursue careers in combat sports. This study examines the depiction of Bernardo Mikixi, an Angolan fighter, in EFC’s advertising materials from 2009 to 2015. Applying the concept of racial capitalism reveals that the EFC crafts distinct narratives for white and black fighters. A close analysis of two promotional videos demonstrates that the EFC portrays Mikixi as the ‘dangerous other’ that must be contained by the technically superior white South African fighters. A detailed profile video is analyzed to reveal how the EFC portrays Mikixi as a self-made fighter who overcomes significant obstacles, framing the adversities he faces and his ascent in MMA within a neoliberal narrative. The study discusses how the EFC leverages these portrayals to maximize profits in the context of post-apartheid neoliberal South Africa and examines how Mikixi strategically uses his racial identity to enhance his marketability within the MMA economy. The study concludes by exploring the implications of these narratives, particularly how they contribute to perpetuating systemic inequalities.

Sand mining governance in post-apartheid South Africa: Interlegalities of resource extraction on the Wild Coast

This viewpoint explores the challenge of the intersection of demand for sand, concerns over its exploitation and its governance in South Africa. Mainly drawing on secondary literature review and direct observations, we highlight the irony of the concern about the environmental cost of sand mining, in the midst of poor sand mining governance. The viewpoint argues that the problem in the Wild Coast is the multiple jurisdictions of sand mining governance, ranging from national, provincial and local government legislation, policies and practices, that combine and create confusion. We call for stronger governance locally, and at other scales, including opening up legal mining opportunities, especially in light of current unauthorized sand mining taking place.

Land Question in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Following the end of apartheid regime in 1994, it became clear to the government that a new constitution was urgently needed in order to redistribute and restitute land. After two years of intense deliberations and consultations, a new constitution was finally adopted in 1996. The new constitution clearly spelt out the fundamental principles of land reform policy. As a result, three-legged land reform strategy was adopted. These are (i) land tenure; (ii) land restitution; and (iii) land redistribution. However, existing scholarship has shown that these land reform programmes have not really addressed the social injustices of the past. Although there has been interesting scholarship on land question in post-apartheid South Africa, most of the previous studies focus on ‘economic compensation’ rather than ‘social justice’. In attempt to fill this gap in scholarship, this paper examines land question within the theoretical prism of social justice theory. The paper analyses the concept of social justice; then, proceeded to the discussions, applications and critiques of Kurt Lewin’s three-model of social change, John Rawls’ theory of social justice and Nancy Frazer’s model of parity of participation to land question in post-apartheid South Africa.

We Can Fix Ourselves

Scholarship on Black Consciousness in the so-called post-apartheid South Africa is not as prominent as its counterpart within the Congress tradition. The fundamental reason for this is the hegemony and pervasiveness of whiteness and its aversion to the Black Radical Tradition. Another reason is the “success” of the Congress tradition as epitomized by the ANC through its so-called negotiations to usher in an era that is compatible with its political vision of a non-racial constitutional new South Africa. It is in this sense that the intellectual and ideological marginalization of the Azanian tradition which Black Consciousness is a part of, is intimately linked to the “failure” of its political vision.Why this political and historical backdrop? This is because the book We Can Fix Ourselves: Building a better South Africa through Black Consciousness (2021) by Mosibudi Mangena under review locates itself within the philosophy of Black Consciousness in discussing the fundamental problem of the so-called new democratic South Africa.

Township Politics

This book review explores "Township Politics: Civic Struggle for a New South Africa," offering a comprehensive assessment of its content and significance. Delving into the intricate dynamics of grassroots movements during the post-apartheid era, the review highlights the author's adept storytelling and sociopolitical analysis. By humanizing the historical narrative through the voices of ordinary citizens and community leaders, the book succeeds in providing a nuanced understanding of the challenges and triumphs inherent in civic engagement within South African townships. The critique acknowledges the strength of the book's dual approach, combining historical documentation with insightful analysis, while also considering the potential challenge posed by its level of detail. Overall, the review positions "Township Politics" as a compelling and essential read for those seeking a profound exploration of post-apartheid South Africa and the transformative power of grassroots activism.

Portraying political violence, rape and masculinities in post-apartheid African language literature: the case of the novel Ngiyolibala Ngifile

The canon of African language literature has been critiqued in its entirety by local and foreign scholars on the premise that it has failed to respond to sociopolitical and colonial realities. This article argues that African language literature has been and continues to be socially committed in the post-apartheid epoch. This is argued through an analysis of the novel Ngiyolibala Ngifile by Sibiya. The analysis focuses on the portrayal of violence, rape and the construction of masculinities in post-apartheid South Africa. Through the utilisation of a post-colonial framework, the article shows how African language writers like Sibiya use the African milieu to link political violence, rape and masculinities to the colonial matrix, while simultaneously pointing to the causes and continuum of these topics. It further displays the author’s critique of the black bourgeoisie as stakeholders of colonialism, which unleashed violence on black bodies. This study is a significant insertion of masculinity as a critical unit, along with race, language and women, in the analysis of African language literature. This study recommends and proposes an expansion of the theoretical paradigm of reading African languages to accommodate neoteric frameworks of reading. It further suggests a close reading of African language literary texts through the postcolonial lens and with masculinities as a critical unit.

The Relevance of the Gospel in Post-Apartheid South Africa: A Dialogue with Albert Nolan

Albert Nolan’s book, God in South Africa: The Challenge of the Gospel (first published in 1988), provides insights for both academic and general reading, making it an interesting book to read. Almost three decades have lapsed since the book was first published. Numerous Bible reading establishments (including theological institutions, seminaries and Bible colleges) have emerged, and new theological approaches to expounding biblical themes are coming to the fore. Post-apartheid South Africa has undergone various transformative phases, which the book did not address. A democratic dispensation was obtained in 1994, with Nelson Mandela becoming the first president to be elected by the majority of South African citizens. Post-apartheid South African societies have had high expectations at the dawn of this new dispensation. These expectations emerged from two fronts: (1) The praxis of justice and delivery of services by the ruling party and (2) the role of the Church and the function of the Gospel in developing and transforming societies. This study aimed to elucidate Albert Nolan’s book in detail and blend its contents with the lived realities obtained in the new dispensation in South Africa. The focus of the investigation was to set an agenda for the Church and the teaching of the Gospel to realign towards addressing socioeconomic particularities affecting the majority of South Africans daily. The study utilised Secondary Data Analysis (SDA) as a methodological approach.