The Work of Repair: Capacity after Colonialism in the Timber Plantations of South Africa

In 2008, timber corporations distributed hot cooked meals as a nutrition intervention to bolster falling productivity and profits. Amandla is an Nguni word meaning power, strength, or capacity, organizing ordinary concerns with one's abilities to earn a wage, strengthen one's body, and take care of others. This ethnography examines how amandla, as the primary material of the work of repair, anchors ordinary scenes of living and working in and around the plantations. The plantation depends on the availability of creative action in ordinary life to capitalize on bodily capacity.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 23 May 2023
Publisher: Fordham University Press

In the timber plantations of northeastern South Africa, laborers toil long hours amidst towering rows of eucalyptus trees, on land that once belonged to them. In 2008, at the peak of the HIV/AIDS crisis, timber corporations distributed hot cooked meals as a nutrition intervention to boost falling productivity and profits. However, life and sustenance extend far beyond mere calories and mechanical bodies. What is at stake is the cultivation of capacity across all domains of existence—physical, relational, cosmological—in the form of amandla. An Nguni word meaning power, strength, or capacity, amandla organizes ordinary concerns with one's abilities to earn a wage, strengthen one's body, and care for others. It describes the potency of medicines and sexual vitality, and it encapsulates a history of anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggle for freedom. The coordinated actions directed by and aimed at amandla do not obscure the wounding effects of plantation labor or the long history of racial oppression, but rather form the basis of what the Algerian artist Kader Attia calls repair. In this captivating ethnography, Cousins examines how amandla, as the primary material of the work of repair, anchors ordinary scenes of living and working in and around the plantations. As a space of exploitation that enables the global paper and packaging industry to extract labor power, the plantation relies on the availability of creative action in ordinary life to capitalize on bodily capacity.

The Work of Repair is a meticulously detailed exploration of the intricate relationships between laborers in the timber plantations of KwaZulu-Natal, and the historical decompositions and reinventions of the milieu of those livelihoods and lives. Offering a novel perspective on the existential, ethical, and political dimensions of ethnography, this book sheds light on the complex interplay between labor, power, and the environment in this region. Through a series of in-depth interviews and observations, Cousins delves into the experiences of workers, both past and present, and uncovers the ways in which they navigate the challenges and opportunities presented by the timber industry.

One of the central themes of the book is the concept of amandla, which Cousins argues is essential to understanding the work of repair. Amandla, a Nguni word meaning power, strength, or capacity, organizes ordinary concerns with one's abilities to earn a wage, strengthen one's body, and care for others. It describes the potency of medicines and sexual vitality, and it encapsulates a history of anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggle for freedom. In the context of the timber plantations, amandla serves as a tool for workers to assert their agency and resist the exploitative conditions of their labor. By coordinating their actions and directing them towards amandla, workers can challenge the power of timber corporations and demand better working conditions and wages.

Another important aspect of the book is the historical decomposition and reinvention of the milieu of timber plantations. Cousins argues that the timber industry has a long history of exploiting workers and destroying the environment in which they work. However, he also shows how workers have responded to these challenges by creating alternative livelihoods and forms of resistance. For example, some workers have started their own small businesses or become involved in community-based initiatives that promote sustainable forestry practices.

The Work of Repair is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the complex relationships between labor, power, and the environment. Cousins offers a fresh approach to understanding the stakes of ethnography and the ways in which it can contribute to social change. Through his meticulous research and engaging writing, he provides readers with a deeper understanding of the lives and livelihoods of laborers in the timber plantations of KwaZulu-Natal, and the ways in which they are working to create a more just and sustainable future.

Weight: 512g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781531503543