Abstract
This dissertation examines the socio-economic and cultural exclusion of Black men, labelled amaphara, in the Eastern Cape. It explores the social exclusion of Black men on a variety of levels. The constant scapegoating, stigmatisation, and exclusion of these Black men are triggered by moral panic. They are metaphorically seen as if they are witches, who are destroying and hindering the development of their communities. Residents and community leaders cast them as irresponsible and immoral. I argue that these Black men are not “Amaphara” because they do not care about themselves; instead, they are victims of poverty and structural inequalities in South Africa. While the structural inequalities shape their lives, they also demonstrate agency in how they navigate, resist and also adapt to their harsh realities. This argument is supported by the lived experiences of these Black men and how they navigate their daily lives. This reveals that the family as an institution has failed them and that educational inequality and poverty have also contributed to their inability to meet ‘ideal’ community standards. In response to their marginalisation, Black men adopt new identities as intsizwa (man with the number) within spaces they call enyobeni – abandoned buildings that mirror prison cells. Although these spaces are stigmatised as dirty and disorderly, Black men adopt a social order based on prison number gangs, thereby creating order and respect. This fosters a sense of community and respect among socially, economically, and culturally excluded Black men. The dissertation also explores the embodied effects of social, cultural, and political exclusion. Black men expressed their feelings of a loss of dignity and respect and a sense of dirtiness, having internalised social rejection and suffering. The embodiment of this suffering demonstrates the deep
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psychological and physical scars left by exclusion and violence. Therefore, the dissertation argues that the emergence of amaphara cannot be understood separately from the structural violence that creates and sustains inequality. By giving a voice to tik users and sharing their experiences, this work calls for a shift away from the punitive measures used by residents and the state against addicts. Instead, it advocates for addressing the underlying socio-economic issues that causes the misery and suffering of Black men and their communities.