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The state and the state of violence in the Western Cape : an exploratory study

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study concerns the state and violence in the Western Cape. This study was
undertaken because the Western Cape has since 1996 been plagued by violence,
including bombings, assassinations and violent protests. In particular these violent
incidents have been labeled as terrorism or urban terrorism. The South African
government does however not have a definition or a policy promulgated into law
regarding terrorism. Very little progress has been in apprehending the person(s) and
or group(s) responsible for these incidents of violence. The study therefore looked at
violence in the Western Cape in an exploratory way.
The aim of the paper was to (1) find credible appropriate definitions of terrorism, (2)
to identify possible role players in violence, (3) to establish a chronology of violent
events, (4) to identify the frequency, distribution and patterns of violence, (5) analyse
the communication of events. An underlying theme throughout the paper is the weak
state in which violence is a cause, consequence, and indicator of the weak state. The
violence-plagued Western Cape is the geographical focus of the study. The paper
looks at three incidents of violence, representative of the types of violence that have
taken place in the Western Cape. The bombing of the Planet Hollywood restaurant,
the killing of policeman Bennie Lategan and the killing of gangster Neville Herold are
the cases discussed by in paper. For the purpose of the paper, the period of interest is
the transitional period of the 1980's to 1994. The period under study is August 1998
to December 1999.
After careful consideration of all the information the following conclusions where
reached. The killing of Bennie Lategan is a terrorist act while the killing of Neville
Herold and the Planet Hollywood bomb blast are not terrorist acts according to the
definition used by this paper. PAGAD emerged as the major role player involved in
violence. The organization is also complex and multidimensional with various
groupings within the organization. The weak policing and justice systems are among
the factors contributing to violence. The propositions and theories suggested by this study are based on current
information and therefore speculative. Should more information become available
these propositions may need to be revisited. Continual research on this topic is
therefore important. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie gaan oor geweld in the Wes Kaap. Die studie was nodig omdat die Wes
Kaap sedert 1996 geteister word deur geweld, insluitende bomplanting, sluipmoorde
en geweldadige protesaksie. Hierdie geweldige insidente is bestempel as terrorisme
of stedelike geweld. Die Suid Afrikaanse regeering het egter nie 'n definisie of beleid
oor terrorisme nie. Baie min persone of groepe verantwoordelik vir geweld is
voorgekeer. Hierdie studie gaan dus oor geweld in die Wes Kaap.
Die doel van hierdie studie was (1) om 'n definisie van terrorisme, georganiseerde
misdaad, geweld, vigilantisme en Islamietiese Fundamentalisme te vind, (2) om moontlike
deelneemers van geweld te identifiseer, (3) om 'n kronologie van geweld op te stel,
(4) Sekere patrone van geweld te identifiseer, en om te studeer wat hierdie insidente
aan ander kommunikeer? 'n Onderligende tema, in die studie is die swak staat waarin
geweld 'n oorsaak, gevolg en aanduiding is van die swak staat is. Die Wes-Kaap is
die geografiese fokus van die studie. Die studie kyk na drie insidente van geweld wat
alle tipe geweld in die Wes Kaap verteenwoordig. Die bomontploffing van die Planet
Hollywood restaurant, die moord van polisieman Bennie Lategan en bende leier
Neville Herold is die gevalle wat bespreek word in die studie. Vir die doel van die
studie is die tydperk van die 1980' s tot 1994 van belang. Die tydperk onder
bestudering is Agustus 1998 to January 1999.
Na oorweging van al die informasie is die volgende gevolgtrekkings gemaak. Die
Planet Hollywood ontploffing en die moord op Neville Herold is nie terroriste dade
nie, maar die moord op Bennie Lategan is 'n terroriste daad. PAGAD kom te
voorskyn as die grootse deelnemer in geweld. Die organisasie is kompleks en het
veelvuldige dimensies met verskeie groepe binne die organisasie. Swak polisieering
en die regstelsel is onder die faktore wat bydra tot geweld. Die voorstellings en teoriƫ wat voorgestel in die studie, is gebaseer op huidige
informasie en daarom is dit spekulatief. Indien meer inligting beskikbaar gemaak
word sal die afleidings en voorstelle hersien moet word. Voordurende navorsing oor
hierdie onderwerp is daarom nootsaaklik.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/52026
Date12 1900
CreatorsKok, Brenda Nolene
ContributorsDu Toit, Pierre, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences. Dept. of Political science.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Format106 pages
RightsStellenbosch University

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