Diversity behind constructed unity; the resettlement process of th e!Xun and Khwe communities in South Africa

The identity politics in the land distribution arrangement of the !Xun and Khwe were heavily dependent on the notion of one commonly shared community identity. However, this politically constructed identity does not match differences experienced on the ground. The !Xun and Khwe were resettled in 2004, moving from their temporary settlement at an army base to a township near Kimberley. To date, they do not seem to resemble a coherent community pursuing the goal of cooperative production, deemed so important by land reform policies. This paper argues that forced togetherness of the past, collective identities ascribed by others and actively taken up by the !Xun and Khwe, and the socio-political context at the time of resettlement negotiations informed the delineation of community boundaries that preferred constructed unity over experienced diversity. © 2013 The Institute of Social & Economic Research.