Jean Comaro and John Comaro

Alien-Nation: Zombies, Immigrants, and

Millennial Capitalism
Pioductivo laloioi ovon pioduction in gonoial
no longoi appoais as tho pillai that donos and sus-
tains capitalist social oiganization. Pioduction is givon
an oloctivo quality, as il tho capitalist syston woio
a nachino that naichod loiwaid ol its own accoid,
without laloi, a capitalist autonaton.
Michaol Haidt, Tho Withoiing ol Civil Socioty
Autcnutcn, n. Thing inluod with spontanoous
notion, living loing viowod natoiially, pioco ol
nachinoiy with concoalod notivo powoi, living loing
whoso actions aio involuntaiy oi without activo
intolligonco.
Ojcrd Eng|isn Dicticnury
Prolegomenon
What night zonlios havo to do with tho inplo-
sion ol nooliloial capitalisn at tho ond ol tho
twontioth contuiy? What night thoy havo to
do with postcolonial, postiovolutionaiy national-
isn? With laloi histoiy? With tho ciisis ol tho
nodoinist nation-stato? Why aio thoso spoctial,
oating signiois naking an appoaianco in opic,
opidonic piopoitions in sovoial paits ol Aliica
ust now? And why havo innigiantsthoso
wandoiois in puisuit ol woik, whoso piopoi placo
Tho Scutn At|untic Quurtcr|y o:q, Fall zooz.
Copyiight _ zooz Joan Conaio and John Conaio.
780 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
is always olsowhoiolocono paiiah citizons ol a glolal oidoi in which,
paiadoxically, old loidois aio said ovoiywhoio to lo dissolving? What, il any-
thing, do thoy havo to do with tho living doad? What, indood, do any ol thoso
things, which loai tho distinct taint ol oxoticisn, toll us alout tho haid-
odgod natoiial, cultuial, opistonic ioalitios ol oui tinos? Indood, why poso
such appaiontly poivoiso quostions at all whon oui social woild alounds
with piactical piollons ol innodiato, unionitting gruvitus?
So nuch loi tho quostions. Wo shall cyclo slowly lack towaid thoii
answois. Lot us novo, ist, lion tho intoiiogativo to tho indicativo, lion
tho conundiuns with which wo shall lo concoinod to tho ciicunstancos
whonco thoy aiiso.
Spectral Capital, Capitalist Speculation: From Production to Consumption
In tho oightoonth and ninotoonth contuiios consunption was tho hallnaik
illnoss ol tho Fiist Coning ol Capitalisn, ol tho industiial ago in which
tho ocological conditions ol pioduction, its consuning passions, ato up tho
lodios ol pioducois.
1
By tho ond ol tho twontioth, sonantically tiansposod
into anothoi koy, it had locono, in tho woids ol Win van Binsloigon and
Potoi Goschioio, tho hallnaik ol nodoinity.
2
Ol its woalth, hoalth, and
vitality. Too vast a gonoialization? Maylo. But tho clain captuios populai
inaginings, and thoii nass-nodia iopiosontation, lionacioss tho planot. It
also iosonatos with tho giowing Euiocultuial tiuisn that tho (postnodoin
poison is a suloct nado ly noans ol olocts. Noi is this suipiising. Con-
sunption, in its idoological guisoas consunoiisniolois to a natoiial
sonsilility activoly cultivatod, ostonsilly loi tho connon good, ly Wostoin
statos and connoicial intoiosts, paiticulaily sinco Woild Wai II.
3
In social
thooiy, as woll, it has locono a piino novoi, tho loico that dotoininos do-
nitions ol valuo, tho constiuction ol idontitios, ovon tho shapo ol tho glolal
ocunono.
4
As such, tollingly, it is tho invisillo hand that aninatos tho politi-
cal and natoiial inpoiativos, and tho social loins, ol tho Socond Coning
ol Capitalisn, ol capitalisn in its nooliloial, glolal nanilostation. Noto tho
inago: tho invisib|c nund. It iocalls a noving spiiit ol oldoi vintago, a nuni-
nous loico that datos lack to tho Tino ol Adan. Adan Snith, that is. Gono
is tho dous ox nachina, a guio too nochanistic, too industiial loi tho post-
Foidist oia.
As consunption has locono tho noving spiiit ol tho lato twontioth con-
tuiy, so thoio has loon a conconitant oclipso ol pioduction, an oclipso, at
A|icn-Nuticn 781
loast, ol its pcrccivcd salionco loi tho woalth ol nations. With this has cono a
widospioad shilt, acioss tho woild, in oidinaiy undoistandings ol tho natuio
ol capitalisn. Tho woikplaco and honost laloi, ospocially woik-and-placo
socuioly iootod in local connunity, aio no longoi piino sitos loi tho cio-
ationol valuo. Ontho contiaiy, tho lactoiy and tho woikshop, lai lionsocuio
contois ol laliication and lanily incono, aio incioasingly oxpoiioncod ly
viituo ol thoii closuio: oithoi ly thoii ionoval to sonowhoio olsowhoio
laloi is choapoi, loss assoitivo, loss taxod, noio loninizod, loss piotoctod ly
statos and unionsoi ly thoii ioplaconont ly nonhunan noans ol nanu-
lactuio. Which, in tuin, has lolt lohind, loiovoi noio pooplo, a logacy ol
pait-tino piocowoik, nonial nako-woik, iolativoly insocuio, gainloss occu-
pation. Foi nany populations, in tho upshot, pioduction appoais to havo
loon ioplacod, as tho jcns ct crigc ol capital, ly tho piovision ol soivicos and
tho capacity to contiol spaco, tino, and tho ow ol nonoy. In shoit, ly tho
naikot and ly spoculation.
Synptonatic, inthis iospoct, aio tho changing histoiical loitunos ol gan-
lling. Until voiy iocontly, living o its piocoods was, noinativoly spoaking,
tho opitono ol innoial accunulation, tho wagoi stood to tho wago, tho
lot to poisonal lottoinont, as did sin to viituo. Now it is ioutinizod in a
widospioad inlatuation with, and populai paiticipation in, nancial invost-
nonts that tako tho loin ol vast, high-iisk doalings in stocks and londs
and lunds whoso iiso and lall appoai to lo govoinod puioly ly chanco. It also
oxpiossos itsoll in a lascination with lutuios and with thoii downnaikot
countoipait, tho lottoiy, lanal, il synlolically satuiatod lantasios thoso ol
alundanco without ooit, ol loating capitalisnonits owntoins ly diawing
a winning nunloi at tho lohost ol unsoon loicos.
5
Onco again that invisillo
hand. At a tino whontaxos aio anathona to tho naoiitaiianpolitical contoi,
ganlling has locono a lavoiod noans ol iaising iovonuos, ol gonoiating
cultuial and social assots, in what woio onco wollaio statos. Sono ovon talk
ol tho ascondanco ol casino capitalisn. Aiguos Susan Stiango, who likons
tho ontiio Wostoin scal oidoi to an innonso gano ol luck, undigniod
ovon ly piolalility thooiy:
Sonothing iathoi iadical has happonod to tho intoinational nancial
syston to nako it so nuch liko a ganlling hall. What that chango has
loon, and how it has cono alout, aio not cloai. What is coitain is that
it has aoctod ovoiyono . . . jIt| has nado invotoiato, and laigoly invol-
untaiy, ganllois ol us all.
6
782 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
Tho ganing ioon, in othoi woids, has locono iconic ol tho contial inpo-
tus ol capital: its capacity to nako its own vitality and incioaso soon indo-
pondont ol all hunan laloi, to soon liko tho natuial yiold ol oxchango and
consunption.
7
And yot ciisis altoi ciisis in tho glolal oconony, and giowing incono dis-
paiitios on a planotaiy scalo, nako it painlully plain that thoio is no such
thing as capitalisn suns pioduction, that tho nooliloial stioss on consunp-
tion as tho ur-souico ol valuo is palpally piollonatic. At onco in poicoption,
in thooiy, in piactico. Indood, il scholais havo loon slow to iooct on tho
lact, pooplo all ovoi tho woildnot loast thoso in placos whoio thoio havo
loon suddon inlusions ol connoditios, ol woalth without woikhavo not.
Many havo loon quick to givo voico, alloit in dioiont iogistois, to thoii poi-
ploxity at tho onigna ol this woalth. Ol its oiiginand tho capiiciousnoss ol its
distiilution. Ol tho opaquo, ovon occult, iolation lotwoon noans and onds
onlodiod in it.
8
Oui concoin in this ossay giows diioctly out ol thoso poi-
ploxitios, thoso inaginings: out ol woildwido spoculation, in loth sonsos ol
tho toin, at tho spoctois conuiod up ly ioal oi inaginod changos in tho
conditions ol natoiial oxistonco at tho ond ol tho twontioth contuiy.
Wo sook hoio, in a nutsholl, to intoiiogato tho cpcricntiu| contiadiction
at tho coio ol nooliloial capitalisn in its glolal nanilostation: tho lact that
it appoais to ooi up vast, alnost instantanoous iichos to thoso who con-
tiol its tochnologios, and, sinultanoously, to thioaton tho voiy livolihood ol
thoso who do not. Moio spocically, oui oloctivo is to oxploio tho ways in
which this conundiun is iosolvod, tho ways in which tho onchantnonts ol
capital aio addiossod, thiough ooits to plunl tho nystoiious iolation ol
consunption to pioduction, ooits that tako a wido vaiioty ol local, cultui-
ally nodulatod loins, ooits that iovoal nuch alout tho natuio ol ocon-
ony and socioty, cultuio and politics in tho postcolonial, postiovolutionaiy
piosont. As anthiopologists aio wont to do, wo giound oui oxcuision in a sot
ol piooccupations and piacticos loth concioto and histoiically paiticulai:
tho olsossion, in iuial postapaithoid South Aliica, with a iush ol now con-
noditios, cuiioncios, and cash, with things whoso acquisition is tantaliz-
ingly closo yot always ust out ol ioach to all lut thoso who undoistand thoii
poivoiso sociots, with tho disquioting guio ol tho zonlio, an onlodiod,
dispiiitod phantasn widoly associatod with tho pioduction, tho possilility
and inpossilility, ol thoso nowloins ol woalth. Although thoy aio cioatuios
ol tho nonont, zonlios havo ghostly loioloais who havo aiison in poiiods
A|icn-Nuticn 783
ol social disiuption, poiiods chaiactoiizod ly shaip shilts in contiol ovoi tho
laliication and ciiculation ol valuo, poiiods that also soivo to illuninato tho
hoio and now.
Wo aiguo that tho hall-lilo ol zonlios in South Aliica, past and piosont,
is linkod to that ol conpionisod woikois ol anothoi kind: innigiants lion
olsowhoio on tho continont, whoso dononization is an oqually pioninont
loatuio ol tho postcolonial scono. Togothoi, thoso piolotaiian paiiahs nako
visillo a phanton histoiy, a local chaptoi in a glolal stoiy ol changing iola-
tions ol laloi to capital, ol pioduction to consunptionindood, ol tho voiy
prc and ccn ol capitalisnon tho cusp ol tho nillonniun. Thoii nanilosta-
tion hoio also allows us to pondoi a paiadox in tho scholaily litoiatuio: givon
that tho lactoiy nodol ol capitalist nanulactuio is said now to inluso u||
loins ol social pioduction,
9
why doos laloi appoai loss and loss to undoigiid
tho social oidoi ol tho piosont opoch?
10
Thus wo liing you tho caso ol tho Zonlio and tho (InMigiant, this loing
tho soquol to an oailioi inquiiy into woik, laloi, and tho natuio ol histoiical
consciousnoss in South Aliica.
11
But ist a liiol oxcuision into tho piollon-
atic status ol pioduction in tho ago ol glolal capital.
Labors Lost
Tho onoigonco ol consunption as a piivilogod sito loi tho lashioning ol
socioty and idontity, it nay lo aiguod, is intogially connoctod to tho chang-
ing status ol woik undoi contonpoiaiy conditions. Foi sono, tho ocononic
oidoi ol oui tinos iopiosonts a conplotion ol tho intiinsic piooct ol capi-
tal: nanoly, tho ovolution ol a social loination that, as Maiio Tionti puts
it,
12
doos not look to laloi as its dynanic loundation.
13
Othois soo tho
piosont nonont in iadically dioiont toins. Scott Lasch and John Uiiy, loi
instanco, doclaio that wo aio witnossing not tho donouonont lut tho doniso
ol oiganizod capitalisn, ol a syston in which coipoiato institutions could
socuio conpionisos lotwoon onployois and onployoos ly naking appoal
to tho national intoiost.
14
Tho intoinationalization ol naikot loicos, thoy
clain, has not noioly dislocatod national ocononios and stato sovoioign-
tios, it has lod to a doclino intho inpoitanco ol donostic pioductioninnany
onco industiializod countiios. All ol which, along with tho woildwido iiso ol
tho soivico soctoi and tho loninization ol tho woikloico in nany placos, has
dianatically oiodod tho lasos ol piolotaiian idontity and its politicsdis-
784 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
poising class iolations, alliancos, and antinonios acioss tho loui coinois ol
tho oaith. Tho glolalization ol tho division ol laloi ioducos woikois ovoiy-
whoio to tho lowost connon dononinatoi, to a disposallo cost, conpolling
thon to conpoto with swoatshop and lanily nanulactuio.
15
It has also put
sucha distanco lotwoonsitos ol pioductionand consunptionthat thoii iola-
tionship loconos all lut unlathonallo, savo in lantasy.
Not that Foidist laliication has disappoaiod. Noithoi is tho nutation
ol tho laloi naikot altogothoi unpiocodontod. Foi ono thing, as Maix
olsoivod, tho dovolopnont ol capitalisn has always conducod to tho cunu-
lativo ioplaconont ol skillod laloiois ly loss skillod, natuio laloiois ly
innatuio, nalo ly lonalo . . .
16
Foi anothoi, David Haivoy ioninds us,
tho dovaluation ol laloi powoi has loon a tiaditional iosponso to lalling
piots and poiiodic ciisos ol connodity pioduction.
17
What is noio, tho
giowth ol a glolal lioo naikot in connoditios and soivicos has nct loon
acconpaniod ly a coiiospondingly lioo ow ol woikois, nost nation-statos
still iogulato thoii novonont to a gioatoi oi lossoi oxtont. Yot tho likos ol
Haivoy insist, nonotholoss, that tho cuiiont nonont is dioiont, that it
ovincos signicant loatuios which sot it apait, iuptuiing tho continuing his-
toiy ol capitala histoiy that ionainjs| tho sano and yot jis| constantly
changing.
18
Alovo all olso, tho oxplosion ol nownonotaiy instiunonts and
naikots, aidod ly ovoi-noio-sophisticatod noans ol planotaiy cooidination
and spaco-tino conpiossion, havo allowod tho nancial oidoi to achiovo
a dogioo ol autonony lion ioal pioduction unnatchod in tho annals ol
nodoin political oconony. Indood, tho incioasingly viitual qualitios ol scal
ciiculation onallo tho spoculativo sido ol capitalisn to soon noio indopon-
dont ol nanulactuio, loss constiainod oithoi ly tho oxigoncios oi tho noial
valuos ol viituous laloi.
Hownight any ol this lo connoctod to conditions in contonpoiaiy South
Aliica, to tho widospioad piooccupation thoio with iosoivo ainios ol spoc-
tial woikois? What night wo loain alout tho histoiical inplications ol tho
glolal ago ly oavosdiopping on populai anxiotios at this cooidinato on tho
postcolonial nap? How do wo intoipiot nounting local loais alout tho pio-
toinatuial pioduction ol woalth, alout its tlul ow and occult accunula-
tion, alout tho dostiuction ol tho laloi naikot ly tochnicians ol tho aicano?
Tho ond ol apaithoid night havo iod utopian inaginations aiound tho
woild with a uniquoly tologonic vision ol iights iostoiod and histoiy io-
doonod. But South Aliica has also loon ionaikallo loi tho spood with
A|icn-Nuticn 785
which it has iun up against piollons connon to sociotiosospocially to
postiovolutionaiy sociotiosaliuptly conliontod with tho piospoct ol lil-
oiation undoi nooliloial conditions.
19
Not only has tho niiaculously poaco-
lul passago to donociacy loon naiiod ly a disconcoiting upsuigo ol vio-
lonco and ciino, loth oiganizod and ovoiyday, lut tho oxonplaiy quost
loi tiuth and ioconciliation thioatons to dissolvo into iociinination and
stiilo, ovonpolitical chaos. Thoio is widospioad ovidonco ol anunoasy lusion
ol onlianchisonont and oxclusion, hopo and hopolossnoss, ol a iadically
widoning chasn lotwoon iich and pooi, ol tho ooit to ioalizo nodoin
utopias ly docidodly postnodoin noans. Gono is any ocial-spoak ol an
ogalitaiian socialist lutuio, ol woik-loi-all, ol tho wollaio stato onvisionod
in tho Fioodon Chaitoi that, lanously, nandatod tho stiugglo against tho
ancion igino.
20
Gono, too, aio tho ciitiquos ol tho lioo naikot and ol loui-
goois idoology onco voicod ly tho antiapaithoid novononts, thoii idoalisn
iolianod ly tho poicoivod ioality ol glolal ocononic loicos.
21
Elsowhoio, wo
havo suggostod that thoso conditions, and sinilai onos in othoi placos, havo
conducod to a loin ol nillonnial capitalisn.
22
By this wo noan not ust
capitalisn at tho nillonniun, lut capitalisn invostod with salvic loico,
with intonso laith in its capacity, il iightly hainossod, wholly to tiansloin
tho univoiso ol tho naiginalizod and disonpowoiod. At its nost oxtiono,
this laith is opitonizod ly loins ol nonoy nagic, ianging lion pyianid
schonos to piospoiity gospols, that plodgo to dolivoi innonso, innodiato
woalth ly laigoly insciutallo noans, in its noio nundano nanilostation, it
accoids tho naikot itsoll an alnost nystical capacity to pioduco and dolivoi
cash and connoditios.
Ol couiso, as wo intinatod in spoaking ol consunption and spoculation,
naikot iodonption is now a woildwido ciood. Yot its nillonnial chaiac-
toi is docidodly noio pioninont in contoxtsliko South Aliica and contial
Euiopowhoio thoio has loon an aliupt convoision to laissoz-laiio capital-
isn lion tightly iogulatod natoiial and noial ocononios, whoio ovocativo
calls loi ontiopionouiialisn conliont tho ioalitios ol naiginalization in tho
planotaiy distiilution ol iosouicos, whoio totalizing idoologios havo sud-
donly givon way to a spiiit ol doiogulation, with its taunting nix ol dosiio
and disappointnont, liloiation and linitation. Individual citizons, nany ol
thon naioonod ly a iuddoiloss ship ol stato, attonpt to clanloi aloaid
tho good ship Entcrprisc ly whatovoi thoy havo at thoii disposal. But, in
so doing, thoy nd thonsolvos lattling tho occontiic cuiionts ol tho now
786 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
woild oidoi, which loigo oxpansivo connoctions lotwoon tho local and tho
tianslocal, shoit ciicuit ostallishod ways and noans, disaiticulato convon-
tional iolations ol woalth and powoi, and iondoi poious iocoivod loidois,
loth within and lotwoon nation-statos. In tho vacuun lolt ly iotioating
national idoologiosoi, noio accuiatoly, ly idoologios incioasingly con-
tostod in tho nano ol idontity politicspooplo in thoso sociotios aio washod
ovoi ly a ood ol nass nodia lionacioss tho oaith, nodia dopicting a caigo
ol aninatod olocts and lilostylos that aintho nooliloial nossago ol lioo-
don and soll-ioalization thiough consunption.
Undoi such conditions, whoio inagos ol dosiio aio as poivasivo as thoy
aio inaccossillo, it is only to lo oxpoctod that thoio would lo an intonsi-
cation ol ooits to nako sonso ol tho hiddon logic ol supply and donand,
to iostoio sono tianspaioncy to tho iolation lotwoon pioduction and valuo,
woik and woalth. Also to nultiply nodos ol accunulation, loth laii and
loul. Tho occult ocononios ol nany postcolonial sociotios, and tho spoctacu-
lai iiso within thonol oiganizod ciino, aio aliko loatuios ol nillonnial capi-
talisn, distuiling caiicatuios ol naikot ontoipiiso in notion, ol tho inpo-
tus to acquiio vast loitunos without oidinaiy laloi costs.
23
Yot, distinctivo as
thoy aio, tho conditions wo spoak ol hoio aio not unpiocodontod. In Aliica at
loast, thoy iocall an oailioi nonont ol glolal oxpansion, ol dianatic aiticu-
lations ol tho local and tho tianslocal, ol tho ciiculation ol now goods and
inagos, ol tho displaconont ol indigonous oidois ol pioduction and powoi.
Wo ioloi to tho onsot ol colonialisn. It, too, occasionod woild-tiansloining,
nillonnial aspiiations.
24
With this paiallol in nind, wo tuin to contonpoiaiy South Aliica.
Alien-Nationthe Nightshift: Workers in the Alternative Economy
No ol, no sonso. Toll hin, Joo, go kill. Attontion,
quick naich . . .
Opon youi hat, lall in, lall out, lall down . . . Oidoi:
disniss.
Zonlio, Fola and Aliica
Thoio can lo no donying tho lattoi-day piooccupation with zonlios in iuial
South Aliica.
25
Thoii oxistonco, lai lion loing tho suloct ol olusivo talos
lion tho lackwoods, ol lantastic lallos lion tho vc|d, is widoly takon loi
giantod. As a sinplo nattoi ol lact. In iocont tinos, iospoctallo local nows-
A|icn-Nuticn 787
papois havo caiiiod lannoi hoadlinos liko Zonlio Back lion tho Doad,
illustiating thoii stoiios withconvontional, high-ioalist photogiaphs
26
, sini-
laily, dolonso lawyois in piovincial couits havo sought, ly loionsic noans,
to havo clionts acquittod ol nuidoi on giounds ol having loon diivon to
thoii doadly doods ly tho zonlication ol thoii kin,
27
and illicit zonlio
woikois havo locono an issuo in laigo-scalo laloi disputos.
28
Pullic cultuio
is ioploto with invocations ol tho living doad, lionpopulai songs and piino-
tino docunontaiios to national thoatiical pioductions.
29
Not ovon tho stato
has ionainod alool. Tho Connission ol Inquiiy into Witchcialt Violonco
and Ritual Muidois, appointod in ly tho Noithoin Piovinco adninis-
tiation to invostigato an opidonic ol occult violonco, iopoitod widospioad
loai ol tho guio ol tho zonlio.
30
Tho lattoi, it notos ina tono ol othnogiaphic
noutiality,
is a poison who is loliovod to havo diod, lut locauso ol tho powoi ol a
witch, ho is iosuiioctod . . . jand| woiks loi tho poison who has tuinod
hininto a zonlio. To nako it inpossillo loi hinto connunicato with
othoi pooplo, tho liont pait ol his tonguo is cut o so that ho cannot
spoak. It is loliovod that ho woiks at night only . . . jand| that ho can
loavo his iuial aioa and woik in an uilan aioa, olton lai lionhis hono.
Whonovoi ho noots pooplo ho knows, ho vanishos.
31
Spoochloss and unspoakallo, this appaiition lados away as soon as it
loconos visillo and knowallo. It is a nutation ol hunanity nado nuto.
Tho olsoivations ol tho connission aio anply coninod ly oui own
oxpoiionco in tho Noithwost Piovinco sinco tho oaily os, although oui
inloinants addod that zonlios (ditnctsc|u, also dipnckc
32
woio not noioly
tho doad-liought-lack-to-lilo, that thoy could lo killod ist loi tho puiposo.
Hoio, too, ioloionco to thonpoinoatos ovoiyday talk ontho stioot, inpiivato
lackyaids, on tho pagos ol tho local pioss, in couits ol law. Long-standing
notions ol witchcialt (bc|ci havo cono to onliaco zonlio-naking, tho
liutal ioduction ol othoisin South Aliica, laigoly uniolatod noighlois
to instiunonts ol pioduction, to insonsillo loings stoiod, liko tools, in
shods, cuploaids, oi oil diuns at tho honos ol thoii cioatois.
33
In a woild ol
oxtino onploynont, it is ovon said that sono pooplo aio nado into pait-
tino zonlios, whoso oxhaustion in tho noining spoaks ol an unwitting
noctuinal nission, ol involuntaiy toil on tho night shilt.
34
Thus do sono luild loitunos with tho lilollood ol othois. And, as thoy
788 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
do, thoy aio hold to dostioy tho ol naikotovon noio, tho voiy ossonco
ol soll-possossod laloiin tho piocoss. Thoso typically said to conuio up
tho living doad tond, unsuipiisingly, to lo poisons ol conspicuous woalth,
ospocially nowwoalth, whoso souico is noithoi visillo noi ioadily oxplicallo.
Such things, ol couiso, aio highly iolativo: in voiy pooi iuial connunitios,
whoio (alnost all things aio iolativo, it doos not tako a gioat doal to lo soon
to lo auont. In point ol lact, thoso actually accusod ol tho nystical nanu-
lactuio ol night woikois, andassaultodoi killodas a iosult, aio not always tho
sano as thoso suspoctod: nuch liko pooplos assailod olsowhoio as witchos
and soicoiois, thoy aio olton oldoily, iolict individuals, nostly lonalo. Nctc:
Mostly, not all, although thoio is a ponchant in nuch ol noithoily South
Aliica to ioloi to anyono allogod to ongago in this kind ol nagical ovil as
oldwonon.
35
Convoisoly, thoii piinaiy accusois andattackois, noio olton
than not, aio young, unonployod non.
36
Zonlio-nakois, noioovoi, aio soniotically satuiatod, visually chaigod
guios. In contiast to thoii victins, who aio noutoiod ly loing ioducod
to puio laloi powoi, thoy aio stoiootypically dosciilod as soxual poivoits
whoso doloinod gonitalia and poisonous sociotions nako thon unallo to
iopioduco, woiso yot, to nako thon likoly to spoil tho loitility ol othois.
Also, ly oxtonsion, ol tho colloctivity at laigo, lo it a clan, a villago, a town.
Which is why thoy havo locono iconic ol a poicoivod ciisis ol housohold
and connunity in iuial South Aliica.
37
In this iospoct, thoy luso, in a singlo
giotosquo, tho voiy ossonco ol nogativo valuo: tho sinultanoous, iocipio-
cal dostiuction ol bctn pioduction and iopioduction.
38
On tho ono hand, ly
nanulactuiing spoctial woikois, thoy annihilato tho voiy possilility ol pio-
ductivo onploynont, inaginativoly il not nanilostly, ontho othoi, ly taking
ols away lion young pooplo, thoy piovont thon lion socuiing tho whoio-
withal to ostallish lanilios and to iopioducoand so nako it inpossillo
loi any connunity to onsuio its lutuio. No wondoi that, in ono ol tho nost
poignant witch-killings ol tho os, tho old wonan sot alight ly noially
outiagod youthsdotoininod to savo thoii connunity ly ionoving all ovil-
dooiswas to hoai in hoi nal agony tho woids, Dio, dio you witch. Wo
cant got woik locauso ol you!
39
Discouiso in a iango ol ovoilapping pullic sphoios, lioncustonaiy tii-
lunals and piovincial couits thiough local ioligious and political assonllios
to tho piint and lioadcast nodia, nakos it cloai that, loi nany, tho thioat ol
a spoctial woikloico is all too concioto. And uigont. On noio than ono occa-
sion, laigo ciowds havo gathoiod in towns in tho iogion to watch tho opic
A|icn-Nuticn 789
ooit ol hoalois to liloiato zonlios lion thoii captois, in voinaculai pai-
lanco, to iotuin thonhono. Hoio tho spoctial loconos spoctaclo. Tho lan-
tasy ol loicing undoigiound ovil into pullic visilility, ol iovoising tho aicano
alionation that cioatos phantonwoikois, is a palpallo loatuio ol tho donos-
tic cultuial scono. Tho nodia, widoly Aliicanizod sinco tho lall ol apaithoid,
havo loonciucial inall this. Thoy havo takontho convontions ol invostigativo
iopoiting lai loyond thoii oithodox iationalist liano in oidoi to plunl
tho onigna ol now social ioalitios, haish ioalitios whoso nagicality, in tho
piovailing histoiical ciicunstancos, doos not poinit tho litoiaiy concoit ol
nagical ioalisn, donanding instoad a doadly soiious ongagonont with tho
actuality ol onchantnont.
40
Thus a long-iunning saga in on tho pagos ol Mui| (loinoily tho
Mujcking Mui|, a snall, town nowspapoi, nowa noithwost piovincial wookly
with laigo ciiculation in tho iogion in which a paii ol ouinalists sought
to voiily tho clains ol a hoaloi, ono Mokalaka Kwinda. Kwinda had clainod
that ho had iovivod a nan who had loon living loi loui yoais as tho slavo
ol witchos in tho noaily Swaitiuggons distiict, this loloio tho oyos ol his,
tho zonlios wooping nothoi.
41
Likowiso a quost that sano yoai to covoi
tho ooits ol loui divinois to iotiiovo a zonlio wonan liontho clutchos
ol a nalovolont in tho noaily Luhuiutsho distiict.
42
Thoso stoiios naiiy
tho suiioal to tho lanal, tho nystical to tho nundano: in loinoi caso, tho
hoaloi told tho iopoitois that his olusivo pationt was undoigoing piolini-
naiy tioatnont, so that ho night lo allo to spoak and iotuin to noinal
lilo.
43
Such ovonts aio not connod to tho outlack. In Malopano, in tho
oastoin pait ol tho Noithwost Piovinco, hundiods ol studonts and woikois
iopoitodly llod tho stioots ono wookday in May q, oagoi to witnoss a
zonlio hunt.
44
Tho loai ol loing ioducod to ghost laloi, ol loing alductod to lood tho
loitunos ol a dopiavod stiangoi, occuis alongsido anothoi kind ol spoctoi:
a giowing nass, a shadowy alion-nation, ol innigiant llack woikois lion
olsowhoio on tho continont. So ovoit is tho xonopholic sontinont that thoso
woikois aio disiupting local iolations ol pioduction and iopioductionthat
thoy usuipscaico ols andiosouicos, lostoi piostitution, andspioadAIDS
that thoy havo loon oponly haiassod on South Aliican stioots. Liko zon-
lios, thoy aio nightnaio citizons, thoii iootlossnoss thioatoning to siphon
o tho ionaining, iapidly dininishing piospoiity ol tho indigonous popula-
tion. Intoiostingly, liko zonlios too, thoy aio chaiactoiizod ly thoii inpaiiod
spooch: tho connon toin loi innigiant, nukwcrckwcrc, is a Sosotho woid
790 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
inplying linitod conpotonco in tho voinaculai. Suggosting a conpionisod
capacity to ongago in intoicouiso with autochthonous socioty, this usago
oxplains why nigiants livo in toiioi that thoii acconts night lo dotoctod in
pullic.
45
Thoii appiohonsion is woll loundod. In Soptonloi 8, loi oxanplo, a
ciowd iotuining ly tiain lion a naich in Piotoiiahold, signicantly, to
piotost nass unonploynontthiow thioo nukwcrckwcrc to thoii doaths,
puipoitodly loi stoaling scaico ols, two woio Sonogaloso, ono lionMozan-
liquo.
46
Thioo nonths latoi, in Doconloi, thoio cano alaining iopoits ol
a land ol hoodluns in Johannosluig who soonod lont on tho syston-
atic olinination ol loioignnationals.
47
Innigiants lionnoighloiing coun-
tiios, andlionluithoi alioad, havo woikodinindustiy, onlains, andacioss
tho soivico soctoi in South Aliica loi ovoi a contuiy. But, in tho os, tho
tight iogulation ol thoso laloi ows has givon way to loss contiollod, olton
sulcontiactod, souicos ol supply.
48
Enployois aio ovoi noio attiactod ly tho
potontial ol this choap laloi, it is said that as nany as 8opoicont ol thonuso
casual, nonstandaid woikois.
49
A iocont invostigation shows that, whilo
tho piopondoianco ol innigiants intho past docado havo actually loonnalo
ontiopionouis plying thoii tiado in laigo citios, a gioat nunloi do nd thoii
way into othoi aioas ol tho oconony, oltoninpiovincial towns,
50
sono, ospo-
cially thoso lacking logal docunontation (lioquontly, wonon and childion,
land in tho highly oxploitallo ioachos ol iuial agiicultuioin placos liko tho
Noithwost Piovinco.
Whoiovoi thoy land up in South Aliica, innigiants tako thoii placo on
a liaught histoiical toiiain. Anxiotios alout unonploynont havo ioachod
unpiocodontod lovols: ly connon agioonont, tho iato is nuch highoi than
tho unocial 8 poicont to which tho stato adnits. Accoiding to ono osti-
nato, oo,ooo ols, viitually all ol thon hold ly llacks, havo ovapoiatod
ovoi tho last vo yoais.
51
And this is piolally a consoivativo iockoning, lasod
piinaiily on shiinkago in tho loinal soctoi. No ols noans oui youth aio
dostioyod, a iosidont ol Sowoto told a iopoitoi lion tho Cnicugc Tribunc in
Foliuaiy .
52
Evonthat otoinal optinist NolsonMandola, his iotiionont
inninont, iocontly quippod, In a low nonths, Ill lo standing ly tho ioad
with a sign: Ploaso Holp. Unonployod with a now wilo and a lig lanily.
53
In tho noithoily piovincos, which aio anong tho pooiost in tho coun-
tiy, thoio has loon scant ovidonco ol tho piospoiity and iodistiilution that
was oxpoctod to lollow tho lall ol apaithoid. Tiuo, tho nowly doiogulatod
oconony has giantod sono llacks a laigoi shaio ol tho spoils: postcolonial
A|icn-Nuticn 791
South Aliica has soon a iaisod standaid ol living loi soctions ol tho Aliican
niddlo class, nost notally loi tho liloiation aiistociacy, a low ol whon
havo locono instant nillionaiiosand living poisonications ol tho tii-
unph ol noniacial, nooliloial capitalisn.
54
In spito ol all this, oi poihaps
locauso ol it, tho so-callod tiansition has, as wo notod oailioi, kindlod a nil-
lonnial laithintho oppoitunitios ol lioo naikot ontoipiiso, nowostonsilly
opon to all. I want ovoiy llack poison to lool that ho oi sho has tho oppoitu-
nity to locono iich and only has hinsoll to llano il ho lails, doclaiod Dan
Mkhwanazi, launching tho National Econonic Tiust.
55
But, loi tho vast naoiity, nillonnial hopo ostlos natoiial inpossilility.
Tho nuch vauntod Roconstiuction and Dovolopnont Plan (RDP, dosignod
to ioot out ondonic povoity, has thus lai had nininal inpact. Indood,
its lioad ioloinist oloctivos, which haikod lack to tho ago ol tho wol-
laio stato, soon haidonod into GEAR, tho govoinnonts Giowth, Enploy-
nont and Roconstiuction stiatogy, which piivilogos dovolopnont undoi-
stood in toins ol piivatization, wago oxilility, and nassivo pullic soivico
cutlacks.
56
Littlo ol tho positivo oocts ol thoso policios, oi ol iocont post-
Foidist oxpansion in donains liko touiisn, nds its way into tho aiid iuial
landscapos ol tho Noith oi tho Noithwost Piovincos. Hoio a living has to
lo okod out lion pitilully snall-scalo sulsistonco laining and (voiy potty
connoico, lion such things as liowing, sox woik, and tho iolashioning ol
usod connoditios, classically tho puisuits ol wonon. Such assots as pon-
sions, paltiy though thoy nay lo, havo locono tho suloct ol oico conpo-
tition, thoii lonociaiios, nainly widows and suiviving old non, aio piino
taigots ol littoi oalousy and allogations ol avaiico. Moanwhilo, tho iogu-
lai nigiant laloi wagos that had long sulsidizod agiaiian ondoavois, and
had givon young non a dogioo ol indopondonco, aio noticoally dininish-
ing, this, in tuin, has oxacoilatod thoii sonso ol thioatonod nasculinity, and
has undoiscoiod tho gondoiod, gonoiational conicts ol tho countiysido.
Which is why tho ovoiwholning piopoition ol thoso accusod ol witchcialt
and zonlio-naking aio oldoi and lonalo. And why thoii accusois aio ovoi-
wholningly out-ol-woik young adult nalos.
At tho sano tino, piovincial towns in thoso noithoily piovincos aio hono
to snall lut lustling llack olitos, nany ol thon spawnod oiiginally ly tho
lato honolands, into which tho apaithoid iogino punpod ondloss iosouicos
ovoi sovoial docados. Woll positionod to soak up novol lusinoss oppoituni-
tios and to ongago in lohind-tho-sconos doalings, thoy havo quickly takon
chaigo ol a sizoallo piopoition ol iotail naikoting and tho piovision ol soi-
792 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
vicos in tho countiysido. Foi thon, incioasingly, tho conspicuous consunp-
tion ol piizod connoditioshousos, cais, TVs, coll phonosdoos noio
than ust signal acconplishnont. It also soivos to assuago tho inoquitios
ol tho colonial past. But, as it doos, it also naiks tho giowing inoquitios ol
tho postcolonial piosont. Thoso distinctions, to thoso who gazo upon thon
lionlolow, also soonto lo a pioduct ol onchantnont: givon that thoy havo
appoaiod with indocont spood and with littlo visillo oxoition, thoii natoiial
piovonanco ionains nystoiious. So, ovon noio, doos tho causo ol olloss-
noss anid such olvious piospoiity. In tho upshot, tho two sidos ol nil-
lonnial capitalisn, postapaithoid stylo, cono togothoi: on ono is tho ovoi-
noio-distiossing awaionoss ol tho alsonco ol woik, itsoll noasuiod ly tho
looning piosonco ol tho guio ol tho innigiant, on tho othoi is tho con-
stantly ioitoiatod suspicion, onlodiod in tho zonlio, that it is only ly nagi-
cal noans, ly consuning othois, that pooplo nay oniichthonsolvos inthoso
poiploxing tinos.
Tho synlolic apothoosis ol this syllogisn is to lo lound in a connoi-
cial advoitisonont iun ly a tiaditional hoaloi in Mnalatho, capital ol tho
Noithwost Piovinco. It appoais in, ol all placos, tho Mukcng Busincss Advcr-
tiscr, a local tiado wookly. Top anong tho occult skills on ooi is a tioatnont
that pionisos clionts to got a ol oaily il unonployod. Tho hoaloi in quos-
tion, Di. S. M. Banda, should know. Ho is an innigiant.
57
Precursors: The Ghosts of Workers Past
Phantasnagoiia conos into loing whon, undoi tho
constiaints ol its own linitations, nodoinitys latost
pioducts cono closo to tho aichaic.
Thoodoi Adoino, !n Scurcn cj Wugncr
On tho laco ol it, nuch ol this is now. Whon wo did iosoaich in tho Noith-
wost intho lato oos and nid-;osit was thontho Tswana othnic hono-
landnost nalos woio, oi had loon, away as nigiants in tho industiial
contois. Thoio was laioly a llack niddlo class to spoak ol and no nani-
lost anxiotios alout innigiants. Laloiois had long cono lion olsowhoio
to sook onploynont in local towns and on tho lains ol tho noighloiing
Wostoin Tiansvaal, and thoio woio loioignoisZinlalwoans, and Xhosa
doscondants ol thoso who had luilt tho iailioad at tho tuin ol tho contuiy,
loi instancowho livod quito anically with Tswana-spoaking populations.
A|icn-Nuticn 793
Thoio was also no nontion ol zonlios at tho tino. Tiuo, nany pooplo spoko
ol thoii concoin alout witchcialt, undoistood as an unnatuial noans ol gai-
noiing woalthly oating othois and alsoiling thoii capacity to cioato valuo.
On occasion, noioovoi, nalovolonts would causo young nigiants to loso
thoii nooiings, to loisako thoii kin at hono and oschow tho donands ol
donostic iopioduction.
58
But thoio was nothing liko tho cuiiont piooccupa-
tion with tho dangoi ol hunans loing nado into toiling autonatons, noi
with tho sonso that a spoctial oconony, loundod on tho laloi ol thoso and
othoi alions, night lo diaining tho pioductivo oi iopioductivo potontial ol
tho connunity at laigo.
Yot thoso lato-twontioth-contuiy piooccupations aio not ontiioly unpioco-
dontod oithoi. In disintoiiing voinaculai concoptions ol woik, laloi, and
consciousnoss duiing tho high yoais ol apaithoid, wo notod that Tswana
iogaidod coitain nodos ol nigiant toil (nncrck as alionating, that thoy
spoko ol tho way in which its disciplinod ioutinos ioducod hunans to dialt
aninals, ovon to tinnod sh.
59
Thoso tiopos inpliod a contiasting notion
ol soll-possossod woik (tirc, typically woik-at-hono, which cioatod social
valuo. By contiast to solsh activity, this loin ol oxoition constiuctod poi-
sonhood in a positivo koy thiough tho sinultanoous luilding up ol othois.
And, conconitantly, ol a contoiod colloctivo woild. But tho histoiical iocoid
indicatos that Tswana idoas ol ostiangod laloi aio not linitod to tho oxpoii-
onco ol piolotaiianization alono. Accounts lionoailioi this contuiy toll ol a
condition linkod to tho oclipso, typically ly witchos, ol soll-possossion and,
with it, tho capacity to accunulato woalth and social powoi. An individual
aictod in this nannoi was alionatod lion lollowship with his kith and
kin, notod J. TonBiown, a nissionaiy-othnogiaphoi with a woll-dovolopod
giasp ol Sotswana.
60
Ho goos on, in tho ioal-tino othnogiaphic piosont:
Thoy apply to hin a nano (scbibi oi scnini, which signios that though
tho lody livos and novos it is only a giavo, a placo whoio sonothing has
diod oi loon killod. Tho ossontial nanhood is doad. It is no unconnon
thing to hoai a poison spokon ol as loing doad whon ho stands loloio
you visilly alivo. Whon this takos placo it always noans that thoio has
loon an ovoishadowing ol tho tiuo iolationships ol lilo . . .
Hoio, patontly, wo havo a piocuisoi ol tho zonlio. But, whoioas tho lattoi
is conuiod lion a coipso, oithoi killod loi tho puiposo oi alioady docoasod,
scnini is a stato ol oclipso ooctod ly tho appiopiiation ol tho ossontial soll-
794 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
hood ol a living poison, loaving lohind a sontiont sholl as nuto witnoss
to tho oiasuio ol tho social loing it onco housod. Moioovoi, whoio scnini
ontailod tho loss ol u|| hunan cioativityolton said to havo loon oaton
wholo ly witchos to onhanco thoii own physical, political, and natoiial
potoncytho zonlio is tiansloinod puioly into alionatod laloi powoi,
alductod lion hono oi woikplaco, and nado to soivo as sonoono olsos
piivatizod noans ol pioduction.
61
Evidonco lion olsowhoio in southoin Aliica lls out this phantasnago-
iic histoiy ol laloi, onalling us to tiack its tlul guiings, its continuitios
and lioaks. Thus Haiiioss study ol tho woild ol Mozanlican nigiants to
South Aliica lotwoon 8oo and o shows that witchos (bu|cyi, hold to
lo piovalont on tho ninos, woio said to soizo tho lilo ossonco ol othois,
loicing thon to toil loi days as zonlios (d|uku|u in closod-o sultoiia-
noan galloiios, whoio thoy livod on a diot ol nud.
62
Tho pootic paiticu-
laiity ol phanton woikoishoio, as olsowhoiois sonsitivo iogistoi ol
shilting oxpoiioncos ol laloi and its valuo. Tho intioduction ol conponsa-
tion pay loi ninois phthisis, loi oxanplo, quickly lod to a notion that zon-
lios iotuinod lion lolow giound with nunloispotontial payouts, llood
nonoychalkod on thoii lacks. Honii Junod, classic othnogiaphoi ol oaily
southoastoin Aliica, ionaikod on sinilai loais in tho southoin Mozan-
liquo countiysido aiound o.
63
Modoinizod witchos thoio, anticipat-
ing thoii lattoi-day South Aliican countoipaits, woio thought capallo ol
ioducing thoii lollows to a noctuinal agiaiian woikloico, nasquoiading ly
day as innocont childion.
64
Sono could ovon induco young non to wandoi
oto tho Witwatoisiand ninos, novoi to iotuin. Onco noio wo soo tho zon-
lio as a walking spoctio, an oloct ol colloctivo toiioi and dosiio, to uso
E. J. Cloiys dosciiption ol tho toiioiist gonio ol hauntod Gothic ction
in lato-oightoonth-contuiy England, whoio industiialization was sinilaily
iostiuctuiing tho natuio ol woik and placo.
65
Liko thoso Hoiiid Mystoiios,
zonlio talos dianatizo tho stiangonoss ol what had locono ioal, in this
instanco, tho piollonatic iolation ol woik to tho pioduction ol social loing,
socuiod in tino and placo.
Othoi instancos ol ghost woikois in Aliica undoilino tho point. Tako
Edwin Aidonois piquant naiiativo ol zonlio loliols anong tho Bakwoii
ol Wost Canoioon.
66
Thoso loliolsan intonsication, it appoais, ol oldoi
idoas alout witchcialtaioso at tho tino ol tho Gioat Wai, with tho iola-
tivoly suddon ponotiation ol Goinan colonizois into this loitilo agiicul-
A|icn-Nuticn 795
tuial iogion. Thoii land oxpiopiiatod loi tho ostallishnont ol plantations
nannod laigoly ly loioignois, tho Bakwoii lound thonsolvos ciowdod into
inhospitallo iosoivos, as a iosult, thoy ontoiod a poiiod ol inpovoiishnont
and ioducod loitility. It was thon that tho zonlio laloi loico (vckcngi ist
nado itsoll lolt, sholtoiing in tin housos luilt ly thoso locals who had sono-
how nanagod to piot lion tho unpionising ciicunstancos.
67
Tho living
doad, nany ol thon childion, woio said to lo victins ol tho nuidoious
giood ol thoii own closo kin, thoy woio sont away to woik in distant planta-
tions, whoio witchnastois had luilt a town ovoiowing with nodoin con-
sunoi goods.
Hoio, as in nowly colonizod Mozanliquo, wo soo tho suddon conunc-
tuio ol a local woildin which pioduction is closoly tiod to kin gioups
with loicos that aiiogato tho capacity to cioato valuo and iodiioct its ow.
Alovo all, thoso loicos liactuio tho noaning ol woik and its iocoivod iolation
to placo. Undoi such conditions, zonlios locono tho stu ol ostiangod
iocognition: iocognition not noioly ol tho connodication ol laloi, oi its
suloction to doadly conpotition, lut ol tho invisillo piodations that soon
to congoal lonoath tho lanal suilacos ol now loins ol woalth.
68
In thoii ico-
nogiaphy ol loicod nigiation and wandoiing oxilo, ol childion alusod and
iolativos violatod, tho living doad connont on tho disiuption ol an oconony
in which pioductivo onoigios woio onco visilly invostod in tho iopioduction
ol a situatod oidoi ol donostic and connunal iolations, an oidoi thiough
which tho piosont was, litoially, kopt in placo. And tho lutuio was socuiod.
Aidonoi notos tho conplox continuitios and innovations at play in thoso
constiuctions, which havo, as thoii inaginativo piocondition, idoas ol tho
occult widoly distiilutod acioss Aliica and tho now woild, in paiticulai,
tho idoa that witchos, ly thoii voiy natuio, consuno tho gonoiativo loico ol
othois.
69
Zonlios thonsolvos soon to lo loin, at loast in tho ist instanco,
ol colonial oncountois, ol tho piocipitous ongagonont ol local woilds with
inpoiial ocononios that sook to oxoit contiol ovoi tho ossontial noans ol
pioducing valuo, noans liko land and laloi, spaco and tino. It is in this
alstiact, notaphoiical sonso that Ron Dopostio doclaios colonialisn to lo
a piocoss ol nans gonoial zonlication.
70
In puioly histoiical toins,
tho anity lotwoon colonization and zonlication is loss diioct: colonial-
isn doos not always call loith zonlios, and zonlios aio not always asso-
ciatod with colonialisn. What thoy dc tond to lo associatod with, howovoi,
aio iapidly changing conditions ol woik undoi capitalisn in its vaiious
796 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
guisos, conditions that iuptuio not ust ostallishod iolations ol pioduction
and iopioduction, lut also iocoivod connoctions ol poisons to placo, tho
natoiial to tho noial, piivato to pullic, tho individual to tho connunal,
past to lutuio. In this iospoct, tho living doad oin a host ol othoi spoctial
guiosvanpiios, nonstois, cioatuios ol Gothic supoinatuialisnwho
havo loon voctois ol an aoctivo ongagonont with tho viscoial inplications
ol tho lactoiy, tho plantation, tho naikot, tho nino.
71
Howovoi alstiact a sot ol idoas nay lo onlodiod in tho living doad sui
gonoiis, any paiticulai zonlio congoals tho piodicanont ol hunan laloi at
its nost concioto, its nost histoiically spocic. How, thon, night thoso wo
havo oncountoiod in iuial South Aliica lo linkod, in noio piociso toins, to
tho lato-twontioth-contuiy tiansloinations with which wo logan? Oi to tho
inpact ol nillonnial capitalisn in this postcolony?
Conclusion
Thoso quostions havo loon anticipatod, thoii answois loioshadowod, olso-
whoio. Thus Haiiios has aiguod that, anong oaily-twontioth-contuiy
Mozanlican ninois in tho Tiansvaal, zonlio-naking nagic was a piacti-
cal iosponso to tho unlaniliai: spocically, to tho physical dopiodations ol
undoigiound woik and to tho oxplosion ol now loins ol woalth anid aloct
povoity.
72
Witchcialt, in a viiulontly nutatod stiain, ho says, locano a pioxy
loi capitalist oxploitation, witch-hunting, a displaconont ol class stiugglo.
Isak Niohaus, wiiting ol tho iuial Noithoin Piovinco at tho othoi ond ol tho
contuiy, aiiivos at a sinilai conclusion: nystical ovil is a cultuial lantasy
nanipulatod ly tho doninant to dolond thoii positions ol piivilogo.
73
Expla-
nations ol this soit lolong to a spocios ol intoipiotation that liings a ciitical
undoistanding ol idoology to Edwaid Evans-Piitchaids classic concoption
ol witchcialt as a socially iolovant thooiy ol causo.
74
Many would agioo
with thoii undoilying pioniso that witchos and zonlios aio to lo ioad as
otiological piinciplos which tianslato stiuctuial contiadictions, oxpoiiontial
anonalios, andapoiiahsloico olds ol gioatoi conploxity thanis noinally
inpliod ly class stiugglointo tho aigot ol hunan agoncy, ol intoipoi-
sonal kinship, ol noiality and passion.
But hoioin lios tho iul. How doos this voiy gonoial tiuisn, as valid loi
oaily colonial witchcialt as it is loi lattoi-day zonlios, iolato to tho inplo-
sivo, shilting histoiios ol whichwo havo spokon? Il tho living doadaio noioly
A|icn-Nuticn 797
walking spoctois ol class stiugglo, why havo thoy not loon a poinanont x-
tuio ol tho nodoin South Aliican scono? What accounts loi thoii conings
and goingsand, to iotuin to oui oponing conundiuns, loi tho dianatic
intonsication ol thoii appoal in tho postcolony? How, luithoinoio, do wo
nako sonso ol tho paiticulai pootics ol thoso lantasios, whoso synlolic
oxcoss and oxpiossivo oxuloianco gostuio towaid an inaginativo play in-
nitoly noio olaloiato than is allowod ly a puioly piagnatic, lunctionalist
oxplication?
Wo havo tiiod, in tho couiso ol this naiiativo, to show that tho nounting
piooccupation with zonlios and innigiants hoio is owod to a piociso, il
laigo-scalo sot ol histoiical conditions, that thoso conditions undoilio a post-
colonial nonont oxpoiioncod, ly all lut tho nost auont, as an unpioco-
dontod nix ol hopo and hopolossnoss, pioniso and inpossilility, tho now
and tho continuing. Thoy havo thoii souico in social and natoiial tiansloi-
nations spaikod ly tho iapid iiso ol nooliloial capitalisnon a glolal scalo, a
piocoss that has intonsiod naikot conpotition, tianslocalizod tho division
ol laloi, iondoiod national politios and ocononios incioasingly poious, loss
sovoioign, sot nany pooplo in notion and disiuptod thoii sonso ol placo,
dispoisod class iolations acioss intoinational loidois, and widonod tho gull
lotwoon ows ol scal ciiculation and sitos ol concioto pioduction, thus
poinitting spoculativo capital to appoai to dotoinino tho lato ol postiovo-
lutionaiy sociotios. What is noio, locauso industiial capital chasos choap,
tiactallo laloi all ovoi tho oaith, soaiching out optinally (doiogulatod onvi-
ionnonts, it olton oiodos tho social inliastiuctuio ol woiking connuni-
tios, adding yot luithoi to tho stioan ol innigiants in puisuit ol onploy-
nontand to tho likolihood that thoy will lo dospisod, dononizod, ovon
dono to doath.
Tho lackwash ol this piocoss, as wo havo soon, is ioadily ovidont in
contonpoiaiy South Aliica, whoio iapid doiogulation, incioasingly lalilo
onploynont aiiangononts, and tho gioss shiinkago ol tho ol naikot havo
altoiod tho gonoiic noaning ol laloi, tho spocic iolationship ol pioduc-
tion to iopioduction, and tho connoction ol woik to placo. Whoio, also, laloi
nigiationwhich had locono a iito ol passago to social nanhoodhas all
lut vanishod. In tho void lolt lohind, ospocially in tho countiysido, thoio
havo iison now, unaccountallo nanilostations ol woalth, woalth not doiivod
lion any discoinillo oi convontional souico. In this void, too, ols soon
availallo only loi nonstandaid woikois: thoso, liko innigiants, who will
798 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
tako anything thoy can got. Zonlios, tho ultinato nonstandaid woikois,
tako shapo in tho colloctivo inaginaiy as guiations ol thoso conditions. In
thoii silonco thoy givo voico to a sonso ol dioad alout tho hunan costs ol
intonsiod capitalist pioduction, alout tho loss ol contiol ovoi tho toins
in which pooplo alionato thoii laloi powoi, alout tho doniso ol a noial
oconony in which wago onploynont, howovoi distant and oxploitativo, had
always loon thoio to suppoit loth tho lounding ol lanilios and tho woll-
loing ol connunitios. This loais its own noasuio ol histoiical iiony. In
tho colonial opoch, tho nigiant contiact syston was iogaidod as a social,
noial, and political tiavosty, lioaking up llack housoholds and loicing non
to toil undoi oxacting conditions loi pitiallo oainings, thon a lioquont oloct
ol piotost, it is soon, in iotiospoct, as having loon ono ol tho socuio loun-
dations ol tho social landscapo. Shados, hoio, ol oailioi iovolutions, oailioi
notanoiphosos in tho aiticulation ol capital and laloi.
Hoio, thon, is what is uniquo alout tho nonont in tho South Aliican
postcolony, what it is that has callod loith an alion-nation ol paiiah piolo-
taiians, doad and alivo. It is a histoiical nonont that, in liinging togothoi
loico olds at onco glolal and local, has conducod to a soisnic nutation in
tho ontological cpcricncc ol woik, sollhood, gondoi, connunity, and placo.
Bocauso tho toins ol ioloionco loi this oxpoiionco aio thoso ol nodoinist
capitalisnindood, thoso aio tho only toins in which tho piosont nay lo
ioducod to soniotic sonso and sonsililityit is lianod in tho languago ol
laloi lost, lactoiios loioclosod, connunitios ciunlling. Which is why tho
concoinwith zonlios intho noithoily ioachos ol tho countiy, whilo innany
ways a novol conloction, ioplays onduiing inagos ol alionatod pioduction.
In Adoinos phiaso, It soundod so old, and yot was so now.
75
Much liko tho
stoiy ol laloi itsoll, which, in an alstiact sonso, is still suloct to tho lanil-
iai laws ol capitalisn, yot, as concioto ioality, has loon sulstantially al-
toiod ly tho iooiganization ol tho woild oconony as wo knowit. To ioitoiato:
it all ionainjs| tho sano and yot jis| constantly changing.
Ono nal point. Although wo havo tiiod to sulduo tho lantasy ol spoctial
laloi ly iocouiso to histoiical ioason, its koy aninus still oludos us. What,
nally, aio wo to nako ol its synlolic oxcoss? What doos tho intiicato dis-
couiso alout alion woikois toll us ol tho sultoiianoan woikings ol toiioi, ol
tho lilo ol standaidizod nightnaios in a woild ol daylight ioason?
76
Thoio
is littlo quostion that this discouiso givos notivo and noial valonco to dis-
tuiling ovonts, that, in tho classic nannoi ol idoologios ovoiywhoio, it links
A|icn-Nuticn 799
otiology to oxisting oidois ol powoi and valuo. But zonlio-spoak soons to
do nuch noio: its pioductivo guiations lood a piocoss ol loivont spocula-
tion, pootic olaloiation, loionsic quost. Tho nonacing dangois ol zonli-
cationtho disoiiontod wandoiings, tho loss ol spooch, sonso, and will, tho
poivoitod piacticos that oiaso all tios to kith and kinsoivo to conuio with
inchoato loais, allowing lioo play to angoi and anguish and dosiio. Also to
tho ooit to nako sono sonso ol thon. Liko Gothic hoiioi, tho olaloiation
ol thoso inagos oncouiagojs| an oxpoiionco ol ostiangod iocognition.
77
And not only at tho innisoiatod odgos ol polito socioty. Tho haidloilod
social analyst night insist that tho olsossion with tho living doad nisiocog-
nizos tho systonic ioots ol dopiivation and distioss. But its oiuption onto
tho loitilo planos ol postapaithoid pullic cultuiovia soloi pioss iopoits,
TV docunontaiios, and agitpiop thoatoihas had a tangillo inpact. It has
loicod a iocognitionol tho ciisis intho countiysido, ol tho plight ol displacod
youth, ol an alion-nation within tho postcolony itsoll. As tho voiy conditions
that call loith zonlios oiodo tho lasis ol a convontional politics ol laloi and
placo and pullic intoiost, wo would do woll to koop an opon nind alout
tho piagnatic possililitios ol thoso cioatuios ol colloctivo dioad, alout tho
piovocativo nannoi in which thoy, poihaps noio than anything oi anylody
olso, aio conpolling tho stato to tako noto. Evon to act.
Notes
Wo would liko to thank Patiick Haiiios loi loth his insightlul connonts on an oailioi pioson-
tation ol sono ol this natoiial and his voiy usolul lilliogiaphic suggostions. Hylton Whito,
whoso insightlul othnogiaphic iosoaich in KwaZulu-Natal is suio to nako a naoi contiilu-
tion to Aliicanist anthiopology, was kind onough to shaio sono ol his conpaiativo knowlodgo
with us. Wo also owo a naoi dolt ol giatitudo to Mauioon Andoison, oui iosoaich assistant,
loi hoi holp in piopaiing this ossay loi pullication.
Susan Sontag, !||ncss As Mctupncr (Now Yoik: Faiiai, Stiaus and Giioux, ;8, conpaio
Joan Conaio, Consuning Passions: Nightnaios ol tho Glolal Villago, in Body and
Soll in tho Postcolonial Woild, od. E. Badono, a spocial issuo ol Cu|turc ; (;: ;.
z Win van Binsloigon and Potoi Goschioio, Ccnncdicuticn. Objccts und !dcntitics. Tnc
Scciu| Lijc cj Tnings Rcvisitcd (Duihan: Duko Univoisity Pioss, loithconing, .
Not only ly Wostoin capitalist statos. By tho oaily os, ovon Dong Xiaoping was calling
loi consunption as a notoi loico ol pioduction (Aiil Diilik, Looking Backwaids in an
Ago ol Glolal Capital: Thoughts on Histoiy in Thiid Woild Cultuial Ciiticisn, in Pur-
suit cj Ccntcnpcrury Eust Asiun Cu|turc, od. X. Tang and S. Snydoi jBouldoi: CO: Wostviow
Pioss, o|, q.
q Ecuncnc iolois to a iogion ol poisistont cultuial intoiaction and oxchango (Igoi Kopy-
800 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
to, Tho Intoinal Aliican Fiontioi: Tho Making ol Aliican Cultuio, in Tnc Ajricun
Frcnticr, od. Igoi Kopyto jBloonington: Indiana Univoisity Pioss, 8;|, o, conpaio
Ull Hannoiz, Notos on tho Glolal Ecunono, Pub|ic Cu|turc j8|: oo;, quotation
lion oo.
Tho nounting, incioasingly nillonnial alluio ol lottoiios is ovidont acioss tho glolo, lion
nass-nodiatod inagos oiiginating in tho Wost to iopoits ol lottoiy nania in Asia. Noto,
in iospoct to tho loinoi, tho ln Wuking Ncd Divinc (8, which ioplays tho idoology
ol tho national lottoiy in Biitain, lantasizing alout tho way in which a laigo win night
onallo connunal iogonoiation in a poiiphoial, inpovoiishod villago. Tho lattoi appoais
to havo occasionod suicidos and nolilizod stato govoinnont in India, soo Lottoiy Mania
Giips Madhya Piadosh, Many Connit Suicido, !ndiu Tribunc (Chicago od., Januaiy z,
, z(, 8.
o Susan Stiango, Cusinc Cupitu|isn (Oxloid: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, 8o, , con-
paio David Haivoy, Tnc Ccnditicn cj Pcstncdcrnity. An Enquiry intc tnc Origins cj Cu|turu|
Cnungc (Oxloid: Oxloid Univoisity Pioss, 8, z, Ronan Tonasic, Cusinc Cupitu|isn.
!nsidcr Truding in Austru|iu (Canloiia: Austialian Instituto ol Ciininology, .
; Michaol Haidt, Tho Withoiing ol Civil Socioty, Scciu| Tct q (: .
8 John Conaio and Joan Conaio, Occult Econonios and tho Violonco ol Alstiaction:
Notos lion tho South Aliican Postcolony, Ancricun Etnnc|cgist zo (: z;o, van
Binsloigon and Goschioio, Connodication: Olocts and Idontitios, .
Gillos Dolouzo, Fcucuu|t (Paiis: Editions do Minuit, 8o.
o Haidt, Tho Withoiing ol Civil Socioty, .
John Conaio and Joan Conaio, Tho Madnan and tho Migiant: Woik and Laloi in
tho Histoiical Consciousnoss ol a South Aliican Pooplo, Ancricun Etnnc|cgist q (8;.
z Maiio Tionti, Tho Stiatogy ol Rolusal, Scnictct{c) (8o: z8o, quotation lionz.
Haidt, Tho Withoiing ol Civil Socioty, .
q Scott Lasch and John Uiiy, Tnc End cj Orgunizcd Cupitu|isn (Madison: Univoisity ol Wis-
consin Pioss, 8;, zz.
Toionco Tuinoi has aiguod, in this iospoct, that tho glolalization ol tho division ol laloi
has olovatod class conicts to tho lovol ol intoinational iolations. Toionco Tuinoi, Glolal-
ization, tho Stato and Social Consciousnoss in tho Lato Twontioth Contuiy (unpullishod
nanusciipt.
o Kail Maix, Cupitu|. A Critiquc cj Pc|iticu| Eccncny (Now Yoik: Intoinational Pullishois,
o;, vol. : o.
; Haivoy, Tnc Ccnditicn cj Pcstncdcrnity, z.
8 Engols, as citod ly Andio Gundoi Fiank, Cupitu|isn und Undcrdcvc|cpncnt in Lutin
Ancricu. !istcricu| Studics cj Cni|c und Bruzi| (Hainondswoith: Ponguin, ;, o.
By pcstrcvc|uticnury sociotios wo noan sociotiossuch as thoso ol tho loinoi Soviot
Unionthat havo iocontly witnossod a notanoiphosis ol thoii political, natoiial, social,
and cultuial stiuctuios, laigoly undoi tho inpact ol tho giowth ol tho glolal, nooliloial
naikot oconony.
zo Tho FioodonChaitoi was, loi all piactical puiposos, tho lounding docunont in tho popu-
list ght against tho apaithoid stato. Signod in o ly all tho piotost oiganizations in
tho so-callod Congioss Allianco, it nado a connitnont, anong othoi things, to national-
A|icn-Nuticn 801
izo naoi industiios and to nandato a hoavily stato-iun, wollaio-lioightod political ocon-
ony. Soo, loi oxanplo, Potoi Walsho, Tnc Risc cj Ajricun Nuticnu|isn in Scutn Ajricu. Tnc
Ajricun Nuticnu| Ccngrcss, rr.r. (Boikoloy: Univoisity ol Caliloinia Pioss, ;, Ton
Lodgo, B|uck Pc|itics in Scutn Ajricu Sincc r (London: Longnan, 8, Fiancis Moli,
A !istcry cj tnc ANC. Scutn Ajricu Bc|cngs tc Us (Bloonington: Indiana Univoisity Pioss,
8, Hoidi Holland, Tnc Strugg|c. A !istcry cj tnc Ajricun Nuticnu| Ccngrcss (NowYoik:
G. Biazilloi, 8.
z Conpaio John Shaip, Non-iacialisn and Its Discontonts: A Post-Apaithoid Paiadox,
!ntcrnuticnu| Scciu| Scicncc ]curnu| o (8: zqz, Stovon Rolins nakos tho point
cogontly in noting how quick tho ANC govoinnont was to dispaiago John Pilgois ln
Apurtncid Did Nct Dic, which piovidos haish ovidonco ol tho continuing contiast lotwoon
whito opulonco and llack povoity: Whoioas ciitiquos ol iacial capitalisn woio onco
accoptod as tiuth within tho liloiation novononts, thoy aio now disnissod ly tho now
iuling class as puio polonic and[oi naivo utopian socialist ihotoiic (Stovon Rolins, Tho
Tiuth Shall MakoYou Fioo? Rooctionontho TRC, Scutncrn Ajricu Rcpcrt jAugust 8|:
, .
zz Conaio and Conaio, Occult Econonios and tho Violonco ol Alstiaction.
z Ilid.
zq Conpaio Kaion E. Fiolds, Rcvivu| und Rcbc||icn in Cc|cniu| Ccntru| Ajricu (Piincoton:
Piincoton Univoisity Pioss, 8.
z Wo aio giatolul to Nathan Sayio loi aloiting us to tho song, a poition ol whoso lyiic appoai
at tho oponing ol this soction, also to JoshConaioloi tiansciiling it and, noio gonoially,
loi availing us ol his cioativo inagination.
In oui discussion ol iuial South Aliica, wo locus piinaiily on two piovincos, tho Noith
and tho Noithwost. Thoso havo loon tho sitos ol tho nost concontiatod occult activity in
tho countiy ovoi tho past docado oi so. Soo Conaio and Conaio, Occult Econonios
and tho Violonco ol Alstiaction. Tho Noithwost is also tho iogion in which wo havo dono
nost ol oui othnogiaphic and histoiical iosoaich sinco o.
zo Sonnyloy Mokgadi and Moopolwa Lotanko, Zonlio Back lion tho Doad, Mui|
(Makong, Juno , , , ;. Soo also Sonnyloy Mokgadi and Moopolwa Lotanko, Zon-
lio Missing, Mui| (Makong, Doconloi ;, , , q, Joo Davidson, Apaithoid Is Ovoi,
But Othoi Old Evils Haunt South Aliica: Witch-Buining Is on tho Riso As Supoistitious
Villagois Swoop Houso ol Spiiits, Wu|| Strcct ]curnu|, Juno zo, q, A, Ao. Sonnyloy
Mokgadi, coauthoi ol tho ist two stoiios and nany othois on tho topic, was killod sono
two yoais latoi, in nystoiious ciicunstancos involving a township ght, iunois soon
spioad that his violont doath was duo to his invostigation ol zonlios.
z; Soo, loi oxanplo, Potiol Muidoi Donial, Mui| (Makong, Juno z, , z, Nat Molono,
Bizaiio Zonlio Clain in Couit, Mui| (Makong, Maich , , z.
z8 In , loi oxanplo, stiiking woikois on an Eastoin Tiansvaal cooo plantation
donandod tho disnissal ol thioo supoivisois accusod ol killing onployoos to gain contiol
ol thoii ols, ovon woiso, ol kooping zonlios loi thoii piivato oniichnont. Soo Spiiits
Stiiko at Laloui Rolations, Wcck|y Mui| und Cuurdiun, Doconloi z;, .
z Soo Ntokozo Gwananda, Distuiling Insight into Kokstad Zonlio Killings, Scwctun,
July , 8, ;, also tho SABCz docunontaiy soiios, !ssucs cj Fuitn, whoso piogian on
802 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
July z, 8, doalt with tho topic. Tho piogiannado ioloionco to Zcnbic, a play ly Biott
Bailoy loatuiod at tho populai and piostigious Standaid Bank National Aits Fostival in
Giahanstown July qq, o. Tho ovonts on which it was lasod logan with a taxi van
accidont in Kokstad in which twolvo schoolloys woio killod, and ondod with tho nuidoi
ol two oldoily witchos ly coniados ol tho docoasod. Tho appoaianco ol this play on such
a pioninont stago suggosts that tho phonononon itsoll is ontoiing into tho nainstioan
ol pullic consciousnoss. Wo aio giatolul to Loion Kiugoi, ol tho Dopaitnont ol English
at tho Univoisity ol Chicago, loi shaiing with us a ioviow ol tho pioduction.
o N. V. Ralushai, ot al., Rcpcrt cj tnc Ccnnissicn cj !nquiry intc Witcncrujt Vic|cncc und Rituu|
Murdcrs in tnc Ncrtncrn Prcvincc cj tnc Rcpub|ic cj Scutn Ajricu {Tc. !is Ecc||cncy tnc !cn-
crub|c Mcnbcr cj tnc Eccutivc Ccunci| jcr Sujcty und Sccurity, Ncrtncrn Prcvincc) (o.
Ilid., . As wo noto olsowhoio tho iopoit ol this connission, chaiiod ly a iotiiod pio-
lossoi ol anthiopology, N. V. Ralushai, spoaks in two dioiont iogistois (soo Conaio
and Conaio, Occult Econonios and tho Violonco ol Alstiaction. It givos an oitho-
dox othnogiaphic account, couchod in cultuial iolativist toins, ol Aliican loliols, it also
oois a staik condonnation, phiasod in Wostoin logal languago, ol tho ovils ol occult
violonco. What is noio, it spoaks oxplicitly ol tho contiadiction lotwoon Euiopoan law,
which ciininalizos witchcialt, and its Aliican countoipait, which accopts it as a poiva-
sivo, nundano ioality (Ralushai, ot al., Rcpcrt cj tnc Ccnnissicn, o. Foi thoii own pait,
tho connissionois do not call tho actuality ol witchcialt itsoll into doult.
z Tho uso ol dipnckc loi zonliodipnckc loing lion tho Aliikaans spcck (oailioi, lion tho
Dutch, soo noto oq in this aiticlopoints to tho oxistonco hoio ol a cultuial intoiplay,
acioss linos ol iaco and languago, ol idoas ol haunting and onchantnont.
Ralushai, ot al., Rcpcrt cj tnc Ccnnissicn cj !nquiry, o.
q Ilid., zzqz.
Oui own colloction ol naiiativos alout zonlios and iitual nuidoi in tho Noithwost,
whoio wo olicitod loth dosciiptivo accounts ol tho phononona and spocic caso histoiios,
ovincod a shaip gondoi distinction. Ritual nuidoithat is, tho killing ol pooplo to hai-
vost thoii lody paits loi nodicinocould lo poipotiatod ly oithoi non oi wonon, with
oi without tho holp ol a tiaditional hoaloi. But zonlio conuiois woio, noio olton than
not, said to havo loon lonalo.
o Conaio and Conaio, Occult Econonios and tho Violonco ol Alstiaction.
; Foi an unusually no analysis ol tho ciisis ol donostic iopioduction in South Aliica, con-
toiod in noithoin KwaZulu-Natal, soo Hylton J. Whito, Lct Us Spcuk cj Anccstcrs' Sucricc
und Scciu| Rcprcducticn in u Zu|u Ccuntrysidc (Ph.D. dissoitation, Univoisity ol Chicago, in
piopaiation. Ol couiso, tho connoction lotwoon a shiinking laloi naikot and tho thioat
to connunity is not puioly a South Aliican phonononon. Sovoial iocont lns lionBiit-
ain, a low ol thon populai succossos liko Brusscd O and Tnc Fu|| Mcnty, nako it cloai
that tho noith ol England is suoiing piocisoly tho sano unhappy conunctuio, ushoiod
in ly tho Thatchoiito attonpt to loico a nooliloial iovolution.
8 Conpaio Nancy D. Munn, Tnc Func cj Cuwu. ASynbc|ic Study cj Vu|uc Trunsjcrnuticn in
u Mussin Sccicty {Pupuu Ncw Cuincu) (Canliidgo: Canliidgo Univoisity Pioss, 8o.
Ralushai ot al., Rcpcrt cj tnc Ccnnissicn, , Conaioand Conaio, Occult Econonios
and tho Violonco ol Alstiaction.
A|icn-Nuticn 803
qo Losloy Foidiod, Nurrutivc, Ccnict und Cnungc. ]curnu|isn in tnc Ncw Scutn Ajricu, (Ph.D.
dissoitation, Univoisity ol Capo Town, 8.
q Soo Mokgadi and Lotanko, Zonlio Back lion tho Doad, , ;, Sonnyloy Mokgadi,
Hoaloi Vows to Exposo Thoso Bohind Zonlio Man, Mui| (Makong, Juno 8, , ;,
Sonnyloy Mokgadi, DoathandRovival ol Zonlio ManStill a Mystoiy, Mui| (Makong,
Juno z, , z, Mokgadi and Lotanko, Zonlio Missing, , q.
qz Sonnyloy Mokgadi and Moopolwa Lotanko, Now Zonlio Clains, But Now alout a
Wonan, Mui| (Makong, August , , , .
q Mokgadi, Hoaloi Vows to Exposo Thoso, ;.
qq Soo Mthako Nakodi, Witch-hunt Sots Town Allazo, Mui| (Makong, May z;, q, z,
soo also Potiol Muidoi Donial, Mui| (Makong, Juno z, , z, which dosciilos a sini-
lai oxoicisn, this tino in a villago in tho Molopo distiict.
q Soo, loi oxanplo, Chiis Baiion, Moot SAs Stiango Now Racists, Sunduy Tincs (South
Aliica, Soptonloi , 8, . Tho connoction lotwoon innigiants and zonlios is
visillo in othoi donains as woll, in iuial Zinlalwo, loi instanco, stoiios alound alout
guios toinod ntcgc|ccni (liontnckc|csnc, tho Nguni toinnowunivoisally usod loi witch
laniliais in South Aliica. Said to lo liought lion South Aliica, thoy aio puichasod as
gonoial lactotuns to do all nannoi ol woik. But thoy cono to haunt thoii possossois, lol-
lowing thon ovoiywhoioonto planos, into chuichliko uniuly shadows. Oi tho alion-
atod ossonco ol thoii own laloi (Dana Bilsky and Thonas Ashoi, poisonal connuni-
cation.
qo Jolloss Mol Goos on Doath Ranpago, Cupc Argus, Soptonloi q, 8, .
q; Tangonu Anupadhi, Aliican Foioignois Toiioiizod, Mui| und Cuurdiun, Doconloi 8
z, 8, .
q8 A iolugoo lill was tallod ly tho South Aliican Pailianont in tho lall ol 8, aining to
liing tho countiy into lino with intoinational and constitutional olligations in iospoct to
nigiants and iolugoos (pioviously iogulatod undoi tho piovisions ol tho Alions Contiol
Act. Tho novo was also soon to lo iolatod to giowing national concoins alout innigia-
tionandothoi thioatoning loins ol cioss-loidoi tiac, inpaiticulai, thoso involving gun-
iunning, diug-tiading, nonoy laundoiing, and oiganizod ciino syndicatos. Soo NowBill
loi Asylun Applications, Chiaia Caitoi, Mui| und Cuurdiun, Soptonloi ;, 8, o.
q Hoiwitz, citod in Hoiloit Adan, ot al, Ccnrudcs in Busincss. Pcst-Libcruticn Pc|itics in
Scutn Ajricu (Capo Town: Talolloig, 8, zo.
o Soo tho ndings ol tho South Aliican Migiation Piooct, iopoitod in Chiaia Caitoi and
Foiial Haaoo Innigiants aio Cioating WoikNot Taking Oui Jols, Mui| und Cuurd-
iun, Soptonloi ;, 8, o, ;.
Paul Salopok, Mandola Stiossos Succoss, Stiugglo, Cnicugc Tribunc, Foliuaiy o, , .
z Paul Salopok, S. Aliicas Uncoitain Futuio, Cnicugc Tribunc, Januaiy , , , q.
Salopok, Mandola Stiossos Succoss, Stiugglo, .
q Adan, Ccnrudcs in Busincss, zo.
Ilid., z;. In a tolling iiony that spoaks volunos alout tho Midas touch ol nooliloialisn,
Adan ot al., noto that ovon tho South Aliican Connunist Paity is considoiing ostallish-
ing an invostnont ain in oidoi to tiado its way out ol tho iod (ilid., zo;.
o Ilid., zoo.
804 ]cun Ccnurc und ]cnn Ccnurc
; Di. S. M. Banda clains to lo ono ol tho lost tiaditional hoalois lion Malawi. His spo-
cial oxpoitiso, ho says, includos a knowlodgo ol tho noans to got pionotod and to holp
youi lusinoss lo succosslul (Mukcng Busincss Advcrtiscr, Doconloi 8, z(, .
8 This point is nado in a divination soquonco in tho ln !cu| tnc Wnc|c Mun (Chigold
Filns, London, ;, lasod on oui iosoaich in tho Makong Distiict.
John and Joan Conaio, Etnncgrupny und tnc !istcricu| !nuginuticn (Bouldoi, CO: Wost-
viow Pioss, z, o, soo also Hoyt Alvoison, Mind in tnc !curt cj Durkncss. Vu|uc und
Sc|j-!dcntity uncng tnc Tswunu cj Scutncrn Ajricu (Now Havon, CT: Yalo Univoisity Pioss,
;8, zz. Tho ioloionco to tinnod sh captuios tho spatial congostion ol tho notoiious
nino hostols in which woikois lunks woio stackod alovo oach othoi in tight iows.
oo TonJ. Biown, Ancng tnc Buntu Ncnuds. ARcccrd cj Fcrty Ycurs Spcnt uncng tnc Bccnuunu
(London: Sooloy Soivico, zo, ;8.
o Goschioio, wiiting ol tho iiso ol sinilai loliols alout zonlios in Canoioon, olsoivos that
witchos soo thoii lollow non no longoi as noat to lo oaton . . . as lilo to lood upon in
oidoi to stiongthon onos own lilo loicolut iathoi as laloiois that havo to lo oxploitod
(Potoi Goschioio, Glolalization and tho Powoi ol Indotoininato Moaning: Witchcialt
and Spiiit Cults in Aliica and East Asia junpullishod nanusciipt|.
oz Patiick Haiiios, Wcrk, Cu|turc, und !dcntity. Migrunt Lubcrcrs in Mczunbiquc und Scutn
Ajricu, c. r66crrc (Poitsnouth, NH: Hoinonann, q, zz.
o Honii Junod, Lijc cj u Scutn Ajricun Tribc (London: Macnillan, z;, z8, conpaio
Haiiios, Wcrk, Cu|turc, und !dcntity, zz.
oq Thoso unloitunatos woio toinod snipckc (lion tho Dutch oi Fanagalo spcck, ghost, a
woidloiiowod, Junodnotos, lionEuiopoananinisn, Junod, Lijc cj u Scutn AjricunTribc,
q88, soo also noto z alovo.
o E. J. Cloiy, Tnc Risc cj Supcrnuturu| Ficticn, r,6.r6cc (Canliidgo: Canliidgo Univoisity
Pioss, , ;q.
oo Edwin Aidonoi, Witchcialt, Econonics, and tho Continuity ol Boliol in Witcncrujt Ccn-
jcssicns und Accusuticns, od. M. Douglas (London: Tavistock, ;o.
o; Aidonois accountho also dosciilos a iosuigonco ol tho phonononon in tho os
nakos it nocossaiy to conplicato Goschioios clainthat zonlio witchcialt (nycngc, ckcng,
and tho liko is a now phonononon in Aliica, Aidonoi, Witchcialt, Econonics, and tho
Continuity ol Boliol , Goschioio, Glolalization and tho Powoi ol Indotoininato Moan-
ing, q.
o8 Cloiy, Tnc Risc cj Supcrnuturu| Ficticn, q.
o Aidonoi, Withchcialt, Econonics, and tho Continuity ol Boliol, q8.
;o Ron Dopostio, Doclaiation a la Havano, Vic|cncc !!, no. ol Cnungc (Paiis: ditions du
Souil, ;, zo. This phiaso is also citod ly Wado Davis, Pussugc cj Durkncss. Tnc Etnnc-
bic|cgy cj tnc !uitiun Zcnbic (Chapol Hill: Univoisity ol Noith Caiolina Pioss, 88, ;.
; Conpaio Aidonoi, Witchcialt, Econonics, and tho Continuity ol Boliol, o, Cloiy, Tnc
Risc cj Supcrnuturu| Ficticn, .
;z Haiiios, Wcrk, Cu|turc, und !dcntity, zz.
; Isak Niohaus, Witcncrujt, Pcwcr, und Pc|itics. Ep|cring tnc Occu|t in tnc Scutn Ajricun Lcw-
vc|d (Capo Town: David Philip, zoo, Isak Niohaus, Witchos ol tho Tiansvaal Lowvold
and Thoii Faniliais: Concoptions ol Duality, Powoi, and Dosiio, Cunicrs dEtudcs Ajri-
A|icn-Nuticn 805
cuincs, .z (: 8, and . (: qo, Isak Niohaus, Witch-hunting and
Political Logitinacy: Continuity and Chango in Gioon Valloy, Lolowa, o, Ajricu
(, Isak Niohaus, Witchcialt in tho NowSouth Aliica: FionColonial Supoistition
to Postcolonial Roality? (unpullishod nanusciipt.
;q Edwaid Evans-Piitchaid, Witcncrujt, Oruc|cs, und Mugic uncng tnc Azundc (Oxloid: Oxloid
Univoisity Pioss, ;, Goschioio, Glolalization and tho Powoi ol Indotoininato Moan-
ing, Janos Foiguson, Donoializing Econonios: Aliican Socialisn, Sciontic Capital-
isn, and tho Moial Politics ol Stiuctuial Adustnont, in Mcru|izing Stutcs und tnc
Etnncgrupny cj tnc Prcscnt, od. S. F. Mooio (Anoiican Ethnological Socioty Monogiaph
Soiios, no. , , John Conaio and Joan Conaio, intioduction to Mcdcrnity und !ts
Mu|ccntcnts. Rituu| und Pcwcr in Pcstcc|cniu| Ajricu, od. John Conaio and Joan Conaio
(Chicago: Univoisity ol Chicago Pioss, .
; Adoino, !n Scurcn cj Wugncr, o.
;o Ian Duncan, Mcdcrn Rcnuncc und Trunsjcrnuticns cj tnc Ncvc|. Tnc Cctnic, Scctt, Dickcns
(Canliidgo: Canliidgo Univoisity Pioss, z, q. It was Monica Wilson who ist
spoko ol witch loliols as tho standaidizod nightnaios ol a gioup (Monica Wilson,
Witch Boliols and Social Stiuctuio, Ancricun ]curnu| cj Sccic|cgy o j|: o;.
;; Cloiy, Tnc Risc cj Supcrnuturu| Ficticn, q.