Apartheid spatial engineering and land use change in Mankweng, South Africa: 1963–2001

Abstract

Land use change studies permeate the geographic literature. While these studies have helped researchers understand the dynamics and importance of such changes, they have less often taken a deeper historical approach in combination with their traditional strengths of geographic information analysis. In this study, we explore historical land use changes in one of South Africa's former bantustans, Lebowa, from 1963 to 2001. We argue that changes in land use arise from both current socioeconomic dynamics but also from historical precedent established by the apartheid regime. Our methods couple historical aerial photography to recent household surveys to elucidate the national, regional and local influences over land use change. We conducted extensive field research in the study site between 2003 and 2006. Our findings show a high degree of urbanization, a loss of grassland and agricultural land and a dramatic pattern of increasing spatial concentration near growth points. We outline three recommendations for policymakers planning post‐apartheid rural spaces and conclude with future research needs.

Fighting Fire With a Broken Teacup: a Comparative Analysis of South Africa's Land‐Redistribution Program*

“…Historically, these regimes forced the black populace into three Bantustans, all of which were incorporated into Limpopo during the negotiated transition period. This historical context is essential to any understanding of the potential for land reform (for a detailed example of such engineering, see McCusker and Ramudzuli 2007).…”

The question of inclusion and representation in rural South Africa: challenging the concept of water user associations as a vehicle for transformation

“…Within the homelands, residents were forced to move into demarcated residential zones and only small plots (0.5 to 2 hectares) were given to households to ensure basic crop production based on rainfed agriculture. This strict spatial planning facilitated the process of relocating more people into the homelands (McCusker & Ramudzuli, 2007), with the result that the homelands became economically weak as population densities exceeded the carrying capacity of the land (Pickles & Weiner, 1991;Ross, 1999). In this way, the homelands became cheap labour pools for white businesses, with most men commuting to work for the white-owned commercial farms and mines, while women stayed behind nursing children and cultivating the small plots for subsistence (Penzhorn, 2005;OmerCooper, 1994).…”

Contested water rights in post-apartheid South Africa: The struggle for water at catchment level

“…Only small plots were given to households to ensure the most basic crop production. The expressed goal of the Betterment Schemes was to 'rehabilitate' the land from the perils of overgrazing and 'inefficient' African land use, but, in reality, the Betterment Schemes facilitated increasing the population densities in the homelands (McCusker and Ramudzuli, 2007). The homelands became economically weak as the high population densities often far exceeded the carrying capacity of the land (Pickles and Weiner 1991;Ross, 1999).…”