Power as capital: insights from South Africa's commercial forestry sector

Abstract

This article discusses the link between power, empowerment and capital(s) in South Africa's forestry sector. Contestations within the sector spring from a policy struggle to ensure multiple interests and diverse objectives are represented in commercial forestry. This is a change from the previous domination of commercial forestry by the state and the private sector. Current policy directives require the inclusion of local communities close to the resources and of black individuals with entrepreneurial interests in forestry. The article deviates from analyses that make redistribution of economic capital the main solution to empowerment issues at the centre of these policy efforts. Backed by qualitative research into two forestry companies in two provinces – Singisi Forest Products in the Eastern Cape and Siyaqhubeka Forestry in KwaZulu–Natal – the article argues that to create and sustain ‘new power’, especially for local groups of communities, requires not only economic but also social and human/intellectual capital.

Notes

¹Empowerment as defined in South Africa's Black Economic Empowerment Act (Republic of South Africa, 2003) targets certain areas for action; these include ownership, management and control of productive assets by black people as well as by collective black entities such as communities, workers and cooperatives. It focuses on improving human resources and skills and ensuring employment equity in all occupational categories. It also calls for access to procurement and improving investment in enterprises managed or owned by black people.