Vigilantism as a feature of political decay in the post-1994 South African dispensation: a theoretical perspective
| dc.contributor.advisor | Duvenhage, A. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Coetzee, T. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Swanepoel, M. P. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-02-07T09:19:44Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-02-07T09:19:44Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2008-11 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: The main aim of this study was to develop a more comprehensive theoretical perspective of the occurrence of vigilantism in post-1994 South Africa as available literature lack order and structure in their explanations of this phenomenon. The study started with the development of a metatheoretical framework for the investigation in which it was concluded that the development of a theory for vigilantism through this presentation will be influenced by life experience and philosophical framework, the selection of available valid and reliable information by means of a literature study as well as the selection of scientific methodology; and by the fact that the study will be undertaken within the Political Science discipline. The aim would therefore be to provide an analytical component by answering the question “What is vigilantism?”, a strategic component by answering the question “How does vigilantism take place?” and a normative component by answering the questions “Why does vigilantism take place? and When would it most probably take place?” Literature selected for the study was divided into two categories, namely contextual conceptual frameworks and specific conceptual frameworks. Contextual conceptual frameworks utilised were those of Huntington, Duvenhage, Geldenhuys, Migdal and Zartman, while the specific conceptual frameworks were those of Strange, Black, De la Roche, Abrahams, Johnston and Minnaar. A common denominator that was identified in all the contextual and specific typologies, models and theories discussed, supports the idea that vigilantism is a feature of political decay, since its manifestation is always explained on the basis of law and order lacking, a weak government, an inability of the state to provide security and social needs, social organisations (vigilantes) applying their own rules, low bureaucratic abilities and the state failing to perform all its functions. Four broad contextual criteria were identified while studying the contextual conceptual frameworks, namely a society in disequilibrium, a dysfunctional state, the existence of power vacuums and the presence of high levels of violence. The occurrence of vigilantism can be predicted on the basis of these contextual criteria and it was found that South Africa generally does comply to these criteria in the post-1994 period. Through the specific conceptual frameworks, a definition for vigilantism was developed which also provides specific criteria to determine whether the acts of a group can be classified as those of vigilantism and reads as follows: Vigilantism refers to the illegal and violent acts or threats of such acts directed at individuals threatening the community order, by self-appointed law enforcement groups consisting of private citizens, protected by a conspiracy of silence, in reaction to the absence or ineffectiveness of the formal system, aiming at reclaiming order. The contextual and specific criteria were tested against three case studies – PAGAD, Mapogo-a-Mathamaga and people’s courts. The study found that all three case studies supported both the contextual and the specific criteria but with the following two exceptions: • PAGAD progressed to the phase of subversion as it turned into an urban terrorist group. This indicated the danger of vigilantism if left unattended by the state. • Mapogo-a-Mathamaga charged a fee for its protection, indicating that a vigilante organisation can also be contracted and does not act on a voluntary basis. The study of people’s courts indicated that incidents of vigilantism through these groups have been taking place since 1994 and are still continuing. People’s courts are scattered all over the country and are mainly found in informal settlements and very poor townships. It is important to note that the phase of vigilantism is temporary by nature, since it is not the preferred phase of people. This study has shown that vigilantism is a reality in post-1994 South Africa and a real threat to the authority of the state and requires the state’s attention and immediate action. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om ‘n meer omvattende teoretiese perspektief van die voorkoms van vigilantisme in post-1994 Suid-Afrika te ontwikkel, aangesien beskikbare literatuur mank gaan aan orde en struktuur in hul verduidelikings van dié fenomeen. Die studie is ingelei deur die ontwikkeling van ʼn metateoretiese raamwerk vir die ondersoek waarin daar tot die gevolgtrekking geraak is dat die ontwikkeling van die teorie vir vigilantisme deur hierdie aanbieding beïnvloed sal word ten gevolge van die toepassing van lewenservaring en filosofiese raamwerk, die keuring van beskikbare geldige en betroubare inligting aan die hand van ʼn literatuurstudie asook die keuse van ʼn wetenskaplike metodologie asook die feit dat die studie binne die dissipline van Politieke Wetenskap onderneem sal word. Die doel sou dus wees om ʼn analitiese komponent te voorsien deur die vraag “Wat is vigilantisme?”, ʼn strategiese komponent deur die vraag “Hoe vind vigilantisme plaas?” en ʼn normatiewe komponent deur die vraag “Waarom vind vigilantisme plaas? en In watter omstandighede sal dit eerder plaasvind?” te beantwoord. Literatuur wat vir die studie gekies is, is in twee kategorieë verdeel, naamlik kontekstuele konseptuele raamwerke en spesifieke konseptuele raamwerke. Kontekstuele konseptuele raamwerke wat benut is, is dié van Huntington, Duvenhage, Geldenhuys, Migdal en Zartman, terwyl die spesifieke konseptuele raamwerke dié van Strange, Black, De la Roche, Abrahams, Johnston en Minnaar is. ʼn Gemene deler wat geïdentifiseer is in al die kontekstuele en spesifieke tipologieë, modelle en teorieë wat bespreek is, ondersteun die gedagte dat vigilantisme ʼn kenmerk is van politieke verval, aangesien die manifestasie daarvan altyd verklaar word op grond van ʼn gebrek aan wet en orde, ʼn swak regering, die staat se onvermoë om sekuriteit en in sosiale behoeftes te voorsien, die feit dat sosiale organisasies (vigilante) hulle eie reëls toepas, beperkte burokratiese vermoëns en die staat wat nie daarin slaag om al sy funksies uit te voer nie. Vier breë kontekstuele kriteria is tydens die bestudering van die kontekstuele konseptuele raamwerke geïdentifiseer, naamlik ʼn onewewigtige samelewing, ʼn disfunksionele staat, die voorkoms van magsvakumes en die teenwoordigheid van hoë vlakke van geweld. Die voorkoms van vigilantisme kan op grond van hierdie kontekstuele kriteria voorspel word en hierdie studie het bevind dat Suid Afrika in sy post-1994 periode aan hierdie kriteria voldoen. Deur die spesifieke konseptuele raamwerke is ʼn definisie vir vigilantisme ontwikkel wat ook spesifieke kriteria bied om te bepaal of die optrede van ʼn groep geklassifiseer kan word as dié van vigilantisme, en lui soos volg: Vigilantisme verwys na die onwettige en gewelddadige handeling of dreigemente van sodanige handelinge wat gerig is op individue wat die gemeenskap bedreig deur selfaangestelde wetstoepassende groepe wat bestaan uit private inwoners beskerm deur ʼn sameswering van geheimhouding, uit reaksie op die afwesigheid of ondoeltreffendheid van formele stelsels wat daarop ingestel is om die orde te herstel. Die kontekstuele en spesifieke kriteria is ten opsigte van drie gevallestudies getoets – PAGAD, Mapogo-a-Mathamaga en volkshowe. Die studie het bevind dat al drie gevallestudies beide die kontekstuele en spesifieke kriteria ondersteun, maar met die volgende twee uitsonderings: • PAGAD het gevorder tot die fase van ondermyning van die wettige gesag, want dit het verander in ʼn stedelike terroristegroep. Dit het die gevaar van vigilantisme ingehou indien die staat nie aandag daaraan sou skenk nie. • Mapogo-a-Mathamaga het lidmaatskapgeld ingevorder vir sy beskerming en daardeur aangedui dat ʼn kontrak met ʼn vigilant-organisasie aangegaan kan word en dat dit nie op vrywilligerbasis optree nie. Die studie oor volkshowe het aangedui dat vigilantisme-insidente deur hierdie groepe reeds sedert 1994 plaasvind en nog steeds voorkom. Volkshowe kom oral in die land voor, en dit word hoofsaaklik in informele nedersettings en baie arm dorpsaanlegte (townships) aangetref. Dit is belangrik om daarop te let dat die vigilantisme-fase tydelike van aard is, aangesien mense nie hierdie fase verkies nie. Die onderhawige studie het getoon dat vigilantisme ʼn werklikheid in post-1994 Suid-Afrika is en dat dit ernstige gevaar vir die gesag van die staat inhou en dat dit die staat se aandag en onmiddellike optrede vereis. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/5559 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Thesis (Ph.D. (Governance and Political Transformation)--University of the Free State, 2008 | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Vigilantism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Disequilibrium | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dysfunctional state | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Political decay | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Praetorianism | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | High crime rate | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | People's courts | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | PAGAD | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Mapogo-a-Mathamaga | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Vigilantes -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | State, The | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Crime -- South Africa | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Vigilantism as a feature of political decay in the post-1994 South African dispensation: a theoretical perspective | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |