oa Africa Insight - Resettlement and development in Transkei

Abstract

Betterment programmes - aimed at economic upliftment - have seriously dislocated traditional tribal life and values in Transkei. In this article Prof M C O'Connell, Head of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Transkei, traces the history of Nzongisa village since the introduction of betterment two decades ago. He highlights the objections to betterment expressed by the people of Nzongisa, and asks the question whether the benefits have been worth the long-term social problems they have created.