Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research problem of this study is "The use of prison labour in die Western Cape
agriculture". The aim of this qualitative-historical study was to determine how this
system of labour was established, functioned and eventually came to an end.
To research this topic was not easy. Most of the documentary sources have been
destroyed. Therefore, the main source of information were interviews with the
relevant prison wardens and guards, as well as farmers who used prison labour in the
past.
Prison labour played only a small part in the penal system of the Cape Colony before
the nineteenth century. The focus of punishment was on the body of the criminal -
inflicting physical pain. Since the early 1800's prisoners were used for the
maintenance of roads and on work in Governmental gardens. Prisoners were rented ' .
out to farmers, on an informal basis, since 1806.
A formal system of prison labour, based on the principle of rehabilitating punishment,
was introduced by the Governor John Montagu in 1843. For example, prisoners were
classified according to their behavior, rather than their crimes. In 1888 free prison
labour was abolished and a standard wage was introduced.
The use of prison labour by private persons increased systematically after the Second
World War. The reason for this was a growing labour shortage in especially
agriculture. The system of farm prisons or so-called "outposts" was established to
address this problem. In 194 7 the Landsdown Commission accepted the principle of
farm prisons.
The first farm prison was opened in 1953. The establishment of these outposts had a
twofold aim: firstly, it supplied farmers with a constant source of labour. Secondly, it
served as a deliverance for the state, as this would relieve the overcrowding in prisons
and reduce costs.
Between 1953 and 1988 a_total of thirteen outposts were established in the Western
Cape. Farmers' unions carried the costs of building the prisons and were also
responsible for their maintenance. The Department of Prisons was responsible for the
appointment of prisonguards and their remuneration. A Central Outpost Committee
was established that served as a link between the various farmers' unions and the
Department.
South Africa's policy on prison labour was in line with the United Nations' "Standard
Minimum Rules" for the treatment of prisoners, having rehabilitation as main
objective. However, this system of farm prisons clashed with the international trade
ethos of the time. It was seen as "slave labour" that gave South African farmers an
unfair competitive advantage. In 1988 prison labour was terminated and outposts
were closed, due to the threat of sanctions and boycotts of South African agricultural
products.
The empirical evidence of this study largely supports the Marxist interpretation of
punishment in society. According to Ma.rXism, punishment systems and prison
labour serve the economic interests of the dominant classes. At the same time it also
gives credence to the Weberian interpretation, in which the systematic monitoring and
treatment of prisoners are a manifestation of the tendency towards increasing
rationalisation in Western society. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsingsprobleem van hierdie studie is "Die gebruik van gevangene arbeid in
die Wes-Kaapse landbou". Die doel van hierdie kwalitatief-historiese ondersoek was
om vas te stel hoe hierdie sisteem van arbeid ontstaan, gefunksioneer en tot 'n einde
gekom het.
Navorsing van hierdie onderwerp was nie maklik nie. Die meeste dokumentere
bronne was reeds vemietig. Gevolglik moes hoofsaaklik staatgemaak word op
onderhoude met hoofde en bewaarders van gevangenisse, asook boere wat destyds
van gevangene arbeid gebruik gemaak het.
Gevangene arbeid het 'n relatief klein rol gespeel in die strafstelsel van die
Kaapkolonie voor die negentiende eeu. Die klem van straf was op die liggaam van
die beskuldigde - die toepassing van fisiese pyn. Vanaf die vroee 1800's 1s
gevangenes egter gebruik vir die instandhouding van strate en vir werk m
Regeringstuine. V anaf 1806 is gevangenes ook op informele basis aan boere
uitgehuur.
'n Formele stelsel van gevangene arbeid, gebasseer op die beginsel van
rehabiliterende straf, is in 1843 deur die destydse Goeweneur John Montagu ingestel.
Gevangenes is byvoorbeeld geklassifiseer volgens hul optrede, eerder as hul misdaad.
In 1888 is gratis gevangene arbeid afgeskaf en voorsiening is gemaak vir 'n standaard
loon.
Na die Tweede Wereldoorlog het die gebruik van gevangene arbeid deur privaat
persone sistematies toegeneem. Die rede hiervoor was 'n groeiende arbeidstekort in
veral die landbou. Laasgenoemde is hoofsaaklik aangespreek deur die stelsel van
plaastronke of sogenaamde "buiteposte". In 194 7 het die Landsdown Kommissie
plaastronke in beginsel goedgekeur.
Die eerste plaastronk, of "buitepos" soos daarna verwys is, is in 1953 geopen. Die
oprigting van buiteposte het 'n tweeledige doel gehad: eerstens, het dit vir boere'n
konstante voorraad van arbeid te verskaf. Tweedens was dit vir die staat 'n uitkoms, aangesien dit die oorbevolking in stedelike tronke sou verlig en kostes sou besnoei.
Daarbenewens sou hierdie nuwe stelsel hydra tot die rehabilitasie van korter-termyn
gevangenes.
Tussen 1953 en 1988 het daar altesame dertien buiteposte in die Wes-Kaap bestaan.
Boereverenigings het die oprigtingskoste van die onderskeie tronke gedra.
Hierbenewens moes hulle ook ondemeem om die tronke te onderhou, terwyl die
Departement van Gevangenisse verantwoordelik was vir die beskikbaarstelling van
bewaarders en hul vergoeding. 'n Sentrale Buiteposkomitee is gestig wat as skakel
gedien het tussen die betrokke boereverenigings en die Departement.
Suid-Afrika se beleid rakende gevangene arbeid was in pas met die Verenigde Nasies
se "Standaard Minimum Reels" vir die behandeling van gevangenes, met rehabilitasie
as sentrale motief. Die stelsel van plaastronke het egter ingedruis teen die
intemasionale handels-etos van die tyd en is as "slawe arbeid" gesien wat vir SuidAfrikaanse
boere 'n onregverdige mededingende voordeel gegee het. Uit vrese vir
sanksies en boikotte van Suid-Afrikaanse landbou produkte, is gevangene arbeid
gestaak en buiteposte teen die einde van 1988 gesluit.
Die empiriese getuienis van hierdie ondersoek staaf in 'n groot mate die Marxistiese
interpretasie van straf in die samelewing. Hiervolgens dien strafstelsels en gevangene
arbeid die ekonomiese belange van die dominante klasse. Terselfdertyd steun dit die
Weberiaanse interpretasie waarvolgens die sistematiese monitering en behandeling
van gevangenes in tronke 'n manifestasie 1s van die tendens tot toenemende
rasionalisasie in die Westerse samelewing.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/51700 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Goussard, Yvette |
| Contributors | Ewert., J. W., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | af_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 v. (various pagings) : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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