High apartheid and the erosion of “official” local politics in Daveyton in the 1960s

The paper discusses the apartheid state’s onslaught against the limited rights enjoyed by Africans in urban areas in the 1960s. It focuses attention on the “modern model township” of Daveyton, which was seen in the early years of apartheid as a space where a settled urban African working class could...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Noor Nieftagodien
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AOSIS 2013-12-01
Series:Contree
Subjects:
Online Access:https://newcontree.org.za/index.php/nc/article/view/294
Description
Summary:The paper discusses the apartheid state’s onslaught against the limited rights enjoyed by Africans in urban areas in the 1960s. It focuses attention on the “modern model township” of Daveyton, which was seen in the early years of apartheid as a space where a settled urban African working class could be assured of a permanent presence in “white” urban spaces. But, crucial changes to apartheid policies from the late 1950s saw a reversal of these initial intentions and resulted in African’s urban existence constantly being under threat. Not only were the very limited “urban rights” further eroded but, importantly, “official” local politics was eviscerated of any substance, even to its conservative participants.
ISSN:0379-9867
2959-510X