Land disputes, social identities and the state in the izimpi zemibango in the Umzinto district, 1930–1935.
Date
2009
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Abstract
This article challenges the widespread tendency to label and dismiss all manner of violent
conflicts involving rural African communities as “faction fights”, “tribal disturbances” or “native
unrest” primarily because such a generalisation perpetuates a stereotypical belief that there is an
inherent propensity towards mindless violence among African people. By tracing the long roots
of conflicts in the Umzinto district it illustrates that tensions brewed for long periods of time
before they deteriorated into violence, and that violence was often the last resort, chosen when
people had explored and exhausted all avenues for the peaceful resolution of conflicts. Careful
examination of the political and economic contexts in which tensions surfaced and degenerated
into violence also reveals that there were non-African players who contributed to the outbreak of
violent conflicts.
Description
Journal article.
Keywords
Violence--KwaZulu-Natal--History., Social conflict--KwaZulu-Natal--History., Umzinto--KwaZulu-Natal--History.
Citation
Sithole, Jabulani. 2009. Land disputes, social identities and the state in the izimpi zemibango in the Umzinto district, 1930-1935. Journal of Natal and Zulu history 27, pp.60-82.