More than three decades since the inauguration of the democratic dispensation in South Africa, most black farmers continue to be subjected to pre-existing racist injustices and inequalities through vestiges of institutionalised racism that negate agrarian transformation. Many scholars and black farmers acknowledge the persistent vestiges of the past segregated era, and that all-inclusive resolutions to institutional racism remain elusive. Following three recent case studies and interviews with scholars and black farmers, Zakes provides an overview of racially discriminatory experiences of black farmers, and describes some of their challenges. He then probes the feasibility of a critical race theory of agrarian reforms (CRTAR) as an anti-racism framework through which to foster a transformative social-justice trajectory for the sector. Zakes posits the CRTAR as an unutilised resource in agrarian reform efforts that could help analyse key problems and provide system-wide concrete solutions. His analyses, is informed by the Critical Race Theory (CRT), which has been widely used in law, education, and feminism.

Zakes Hlatshwayo is a PhD candidate in the Human Economy Programme in the Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria. He has more than 25 years’ work experience, in the land reform and rural development sector. Amongst other roles Zakes was the Director of Association for Northern Cape Rural Advancement (ANCRA) and the Director of the National Land Committee (NLC). In these roles he mobilised for the participation of the landless poor, especially women and youth, in policymaking and implementation.

Date: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Time: 10:00 – 11:30
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83296045444
Enquiries: Cecelia Samson, [email protected], 012 420 2653