Despite abundant evidence that race has been a significant factor in informing historical
processes in Swaziland there is presently no major study that focusses on the theme. The
main aim of the current thesis is to examine the impact of discriminatory policies and
practices in the country by analyzing the reaction of different sections of the society to
formal and informal discrimination. While focussing on the period between 1945 and
1973 the thesis traces the evolution of Swaziland’s racial history dating back to the
1840s. The thesis also shows how the conditions created by the intervention of the
colonial state as well as competing white interests between 1903 and 1944 deepened
political and economic inequality in the country. In parallel, the thesis explores Swazi
agency as was manifested through the reactions and initiatives of the monarchy when it
stood up to challenge discriminatory policies and practices which were being applied to
blacks. This was strongly indicated from the 1930s when a revived cultural nationalism
was embraced by the Swazi monarchy to articulate Swazi grievances. To highlight
contradictions in Swaziland’s racial patterns Coloured identity is discussed extensively.
The thesis also explores the manner in which the Swazi educated elite confronted racial
discrimination and argues that their approach was inadequate in alleviating racial
injustices as they were experienced by most Swazis in different places. The central
argument of the thesis, therefore, is that the formal abolition of discrimination in
Swaziland in 1961 is to be understood against the anti - colonial politics in the post -
World War II era. The thesis contends that the abolition of racial discrimination by the
Swaziland colonial administration was largely a diplomatic gesture necessitated by the
local and contemporary political climate as well as changing international relations of the
1960s including developments in the Union / Republic of South Africa. Finally, the
thesis observes that since the outlawing of discrimination was not necessarily an
indication of government’s political commitment to confronting racism the post -
abolition period was not a fundamental departure from the pre - abolition era.
Discriminatory attitudes and practices persisted in covert as well as overt, but, subtle
forms in most spheres of Swazi society and particularly at the work place. This thesis
also observes that the lack of holistic strategies to curb racially inspired practices led to
unabated manifestations of discrimination in the country.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/5833 |
| Date | 11 November 2008 |
| Creators | Dlamini, Nhlanhla |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf |
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