Rethinking Marginality in South Africa

Crystal Powell

Description

What does it mean to be marginal? For residents of Cape Town’s Langa Township, being considered marginal is subject to a host of social, physical and sometimes materialistic qualifications – not least of which is owning a mobile phone. Through various presentations of unique aspects of township life revealed through ethnographic snapshots, this book reveals the complex realities of marginalization experienced by some residents in Langa Township, located in Cape Town, South Africa. Mobile phones have been embraced and accommodated by both local South Africans and African immigrant residents living and working in Langa. Among other things, the technology has become a way of challenging (real and imagined) marginalities within the township in particular and South Africa in general. The book provides empirical data on the role of technology in regards to migration and notions of belonging; specifically the ways that technology has mitigated distance for residents, provided opportunities for development, facilitated the negotiation of various marginalities, and offered new ways of belonging for Langa residents.

Sujets

• Sociology

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 17 juillet 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789956792511
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

RETHINKING MARGINALITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: M P   C  B  L T

Crystal Powell

Rethinking Marginality in South Africa: Mobile Phones and the Concept of Belonging in Langa Township

Crystal Powell

Langaa Research & Publishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookcollective.com ISBN: 9956-792-02-0 ©Crystal Powell 2014

DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.

Table of Contents Abbreviations Chapter 1: ICTS, Migration, Mobility, And Belonging: An Introduction…………………………………………….. 1 Introduction………………………………………………. 1 Background To The Study……………………………….. 14 Statement Of The Problem………………………………. 17 Purpose And Rationale Of The Study……………………. 23 Significance Of The Study……………………………….. 25 Conceptual Framework…………………………………… 26 Research Questions………………………………………. 37 Delimitations…………………………………………….. 38 Assumptions……………………………………………… 38 Outline Of The Remainder Of The Book……………….. 39 Conclusion………………………………………………... 41 Chapter 2: Digging In And Being Dug Into By Langa: An Ethnographic Approach……………………………….. 43 Introduction………………………………………………. 43 Methods………………………………………………….. 44 Entering The Field……………………………………….. 47 Selection Of Participants………………………………….. 54 Ethical Considerations…………………………………… 56 Data Collection………………………………………….. 60 Data Analysis……………………………………………. 64 Limitations And Challenges………………………………. 65 Reflexivity………………………………………………… 68 Conclusion………………………………………………... 71 Chapter 3: Everyday Life In Langa: Ethnographic Snapshots Introduction………………………………………..……..73 Do Marginal Spaces Produce Marginal People?.......................75 Introducing Langa Township……………………………... 79 vi

Langa: Ethnographic Snapshots………………………….. 83 Perceptions Of Langa As A Marginal Population In Cape Town……………………………………………….. 92 Questioning Langa’s Categorical Marginality…………….. 100 Conclusion……………………………………………….. 103 Chapter 4: ICTS And The Development Of Langa Residents: A ‘Marginal’ Mobile Population………………………. 105 Introduction………………………………………………. 105 Some Practical Uses Of ICTS In Langa………………….. 108 Revealing The Margins Within The “Margins”……………. 117 The Mobile Phone As A Rite-Of-Passage In Langa……….. 122 ICTS And The Development Of Langa: A Mobile Population…………………………………………………126 Conclusion………………………………………………... 130 Chapter 5: ICTS And The Mitigation Of Distance For Langa Residents………………………………………………... 133 Introduction………………………………………………. 133 Communication In Langa Before The Introduction Of Mobile Technology……………………………………………….. 135 The Adoption Of Mobile Phones By Langa Residents……. 146 Mobile Phones And The Mitigation Of Distance For Langa Residents…………………………………………………. 161 Conclusion……………………………………………….. 164 Chapter 6: The Impact Of ICTS On New Socio-Economic Relations In Langa………………………………………167 Introduction………………………………………………. 167 South Africa’s Economy In Historical Perspective……….. 168 Mobility, Migration And Globalization In South Africa……170 Information And Communication Technologies For Development (ICTD)…………………………………………………… 176 ICTS And Their Contribution To Socio-Economic Development……………………………………………... 177 ICTS And New Socio-Economic Relations In Langa…….. 183 vii

Conclusion………………………………………………... 192 Chapter 7: Redefining Socio-Political Relations Through ICTS In Langa…………………………………………...195 Introduction………………………………………………. 195 Citizenship And Belonging………………………………. 198 Civic And Political Marginality…………………………… 204 Housing: A Human Rights Struggle In South Africa…….. 206 Social Media As A Tool For Activism……………………. 212 Redefining Socio-Political Relations Through ICTS In Langa…………………………………………………….. 218 Conclusion……………………………………………….. 222 Chapter 8: Conclusion………………………………….. 225 Summary Conclusions…………………………………….. 226 Research Findings………………………………………... 233 Recommendations For Further Research…………………. 242 Reference List……………………………………………245 Appendices……………………………………………….271 Appendix 1: Excerpt From Me And My Cell Phone……….271 Appendix 2: Meet The Participants………………………. 273 Appendix 3: Loliwe Lyrics…………………………………275

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Abbreviations ACHPRThe African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights ANCAfrican National Congress APFAfrican Partnership Forum B & BBed-and-Breakfast BBMBlackBerry Messaging BISBlackBerry Internet Service CBDCentral Business District COLACOCOThe Coalition for Langa Community Concerns CLPAPThe Colored Labor Preference Area Policy DADemocratic Alliance FNBFirst National Bank

ICTs

ICTD

ITU

MTN

P.C.M.

POD

RDP SANPAD

SAPO

SASS

SIM

SMS

UCT

Information and Communication Technologies Information and Communication Technologies Development

International Telecommunication Union

Mobile Telephone Network

Please Call Me

Portable on-demand

Reconstruction and Development Program South African Netherlands Research Program Alternatives in Development

South African Post Office

South African Suicide Squad

Subscriber Identity Module

Short Message Service

University of Cape Town vv

for

on

vvi

Chapter 1 ICTS, Migration, Mobility, and Belonging: An Introduction Introduction This book explores the role of new Information and Communication Technologies (henceforth ICTs) in the making of flexible identities and ideas of belonging among different categories of migrants living and working in Langa Township in Cape Town, South Africa. The exploration into the lives of (im)migrants living in South Africa is of particular interest as South Africans continue to deal with increasing patterns of migration into their country from around the African continent. My interest in the experiences of both internal and external migrants living and working in Langa resulted in the constant navigation between both categories. In this book, the term ‘migrant’ is used to refer to local South Africans who have moved between various places in the country. The term ‘immigrant’ refers to ‘black’ – as opposed to white –Africans from outside of the country who have settled (temporarily or permanently) in South Africa. I use ‘(im)migrants’ to refer to both categories simultaneously. This chapter presents the relevance of Langa Township, as a space where a historical perspective of the use of technology in relation to mobility and notions of (flexible) identity, social space, belonging and marginality among residents are significant towards a broader understanding of the links between communication (technologies), mobility and marginality. The notion of marginality is a central theme of this book. I address and challenge perceptions of Langa’s relative marginality in mainstream Cape Town. This book is based on research conducted during my Doctoral fieldwork at the University of Cape Town (UCT) between 2011 and 2012.The data was collected and used towards my Doctoral dissertation (submitted January 2014, pass results received April 2014), however, the book takes on a more narrative and 1