Working in the New South Africa: an Ethnographic Approach to Affirmative Action

Historically unprecedented, the abolition of apartheid saw South Africa rapidly transformed from a state of repressive minority rule to a nation of greater freedom and opportunity for the majority. This has been accompanied by a period of repositioning, adaptation and change. The attainment of equality, however, is not a process that can occur simply through a democratic election or even formalized reconciliation; it asks for a socio-political and ideological shift that continues to reconstitute itself long after laws have been passed and legislation approved. Positioned in the realm of anthropological research, this study examines how South Africans are navigating this multifaceted restructuring process by looking at affirmative action policies and the implications these have had for notions of race in the labour force and beyond. It explores the ways in which people are responding to policies aimed at bringing about racial equality by highlighting both the triumphs and challenges of racial integration in the new South Africa.