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Pro- and Anti-Combattants: The Trans-local Ties of Eastern Congolese Migrants in Cape Town, 2000 – 2019
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 July 2025
Abstract
Associational life in Cape Town is a mechanism for migrants from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to find belonging in South Africa. We trace the internal politics of associational membership from 2000 to 2019 to illustrate how membership in eastern Congolese associations has minimized community ties to other foreign Africans and South Africans. An increase in election violence in the DRC, divided into pro- and anti-combattant camps, and the threat of xenophobic violence in South Africa have led to a closing of ranks that presumes only other eastern Congolese can be trusted. In tracing gender, class and language cleavages, we find that eastern DRC associational life reproduces the xenophobia associational membership is intended to ameliorate.
Résumé
La vie associative au Cap est un mécanisme permettant aux migrants de l’est de la République démocratique du Congo (RDC) de trouver leur appartenance en Afrique du Sud. Nous présentons la politique interne de l’adhésion associative de 2000 à 2019 afin d’illustrer comment l’adhésion à des associations de l’est du Congo a minimisé les liens communautaires avec d’autres Africains et Sud-Africains étrangers. L’augmentation de la violence électorale en RDC, divisée entre les camps pro et anti-combattants, et la menace de violence xénophobe en Afrique du Sud ont conduit à un resserrement des rangs qui suppose que seuls les Congolais de l’Est sont dignes de confiance. En observant les différents genres, classe et langues, nous constatons que la vie associative dans l’est de la RDC reproduit la xénophobie que l’appartenance associative est censée améliorer.
Resumo
A vida associativa na Cidade do Cabo é um mecanismo que permite aos migrantes provenientes do leste da República Democrática do Congo (RDC) encontrarem um sentido de pertença na África do Sul. Neste artigo, acompanhamos a política interna da adesão a associações entre 2000 e 2019, com vista a demonstrar o modo como a pertença a associações congolesas do leste minimizou os laços comunitários com outros africanos estrangeiros e com os sul-africanos. O aumento da violência nas campanhas eleitorais da RDC, que opõe as alas pró- e anticombatentes, e a ameaça de violência xenófoba na África do Sul levaram ao cerrar de fileiras, assumindo-se que só é possível confiar nos outros congoleses de leste. Ao identificarmos os conflitos de género, de classe e de língua, concluímos que a vida associativa na RDC reproduz a xenofobia que o associativismo deveria mitigar.
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- © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of African Studies Association
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