Exclusionary discourse towards squatters in suburban Cape Town

This paper examines the discursive practices employed by property owners and the state to justify the exclusion of mostly black squatters from three ‘white’ suburbs in Cape Town, South Africa. In these suburbs, Noordhoek, Hout Bay and Milnerton, property owners voiced nearly identical objections to justify the exclusion of the squatters from ‘their’ neighbour-hoods. The main justifications, couched mostly in race-neutral terms, was that the squatters would increase crime, decrease property values, spread disease and despoil the natural environment. It is argued that while these discursive practices often camouflage racial prejudice, this does not explain the occurrence of similar discursive patterns in areas where race has not been a major factor. A satisfactory explanation for these discursive commonalities should thus embrace both class and racial dynamics and must be situated within the context of property relations within a capitalist land market.