Witchcraft, Violence, and Democracy in the New South Africa

Abstract

On the basis of field research in Soweto, South Africa, since 1990, this paper reports that witchcraft is commonly thought to be increasing as a direct result of the transition to democracy. This paper begins an examination of the question of witchcraft, violence, and democracy in Soweto by presenting three dialogues on witchcraft and the state: with a man afflicted by witchcraft, a traditional healer, and the mayor of Soweto. Its aim is to uncovered the structure of plausibility within which questions concerning the purpose of power in a democratic state are being framed and answered in a context where witches are a vital and terrifying feature of everyday life. RésuméRésumé Sorcellerie, violence et démocratie dans la Nouvelle Afrique du Sud. -À partir d'enquêtes de terrain réalisées à Soweto, en Afrique du Sud, depuis 1990, cet article entend souligner le fait que la pratique de la sorcellerie se développe au fur et à mesure que se met en place le processus de transition démocratique. L'auteur confronte les problèmes de sorcellerie, de violence et de démocratie qui se posent à Soweto ; puis il présente trois dialogues faisant état des relations entre la sorcellerie et l'État : un dialogue avec un homme ensorcelé, un avec un guérisseur traditionnel, et un autre avec le maire de Soweto. Le but de cet article est d'examiner la structure argumentative à l'intérieur de laquelle les questions concernant la nature du pouvoir dans un État démocratique sont énoncées et débattues, ceci dans un contexte où les sorciers représentent un aspect à la fois vital et terrifiant de la vie quotidienne.

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