Behind the ‘curtain’ at Botshabelo: redefining the urban labour market in South Africa

Abstract

The brutal policy of forced removals in South Africa has produced, among various effects, a township of half a million people in the Orange Free State. This article examines the rationale behind the creation of Botshabelo, questioning the official version of events. While most of its people are refugees from the ‘white’ agricultural sector, the township provides Bloemfontein and the surrounding region with labour and investment in the township evidences extreme levels of exploitation. The article then considers Botshabelo's role in the light of recent state initiatives in local government and influx control.