Browsing by Author "Shabangu, Medupi"

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    The neo-liberalisation of nature : contextualising the resolution of land claims in the Kruger National Park
    (2014) Shabangu, Medupi; Ramutsindela, Maano
    The history of the nature conservation in South Africa’s protected areas is marked by the unfortunate reality of forced removals and land dispossession. Ultimately landlessness created an unequal society in terms of land holding, use and ownership. Nature conservation was also not spared. The land reform program in South Africa more especially the land restitution in the Kruger National Park re-defined the relationship between nature and society. However, such redefinition of nature and society takes place at the confluence of neo-liberalisation of nature and neoliberal land reform. The thesis provides insight into variants of neo-liberalism which point to ways in which nature conservation is increasingly being incorporated into market conditions and ideals. In the case of South Africa, the neo-liberalisation of nature takes place through a market-based approach to land reform. This brings together two threads of neo-liberalism, namely, the neo-liberalisation of nature and neo-liberal land reform. The study focuses on the land restoration debate which revolves around whether it is feasible to restore all land that was lost as a result of apartheid’s discriminatory practices; the appropriate method for achieving an equitable land restitution; and the method by which such restitution can be achieved with due consideration to all other national imperatives and long term goals.