Of Compounds and Cellblocks: The Foundations of Violence in Johannesburg, 1890s-1950s

摘要

The brutalising nature of the gold mining industry that employed the majority of black male workers, in concert with the incarceration of African men on a massive scale, established the foundation for a violent society in Johannesburg's early decades. African mineworkers were exposed to and participated in supervisory abuse, faction fights and gang activity. The enforcement of racial legislation that cycled hundreds of thousands of men through the prison system further cultivated the violence that plagued Johannesburg's townships. In addition to the routine deprivation of prison life, inmates were housed in communal cells dominated by predatory gangs. African men moved regularly between the mine compounds, penal institutions and residential areas. This article utilises the stories of two men active in criminal societies to explore the dynamics of violence in this interlinked world.View full textDownload full textRelated var addthis_config = { ui_cobrand: "Taylor & Francis Online", services_compact: "citeulike,netvibes,twitter,technorati,delicious,linkedin,facebook,stumbleupon,digg,google,more", pubid: "ra-4dff56cd6bb1830b" }; Add to shortlist Link Permalink http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03057070.2011.602886