South Africa Land Allocation
Contributed by Maureen Spaight
Suggested Grade Level: 9
Class Length: 90 minutes
Inquiry Question:
How can a new piece of land be equitably divided among competing interests?
Standards Addressed:
Standard 13: How the forces of cooperation and conflict among people influence the
division and control of Earth’s surface.
Standard 16: The changes that occur in the meaning, use, distribution, and importance
of resources.
Materials:
Map of South Africa, hats/props, identity cards, nametags, audio recording of Alan
Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country
Procedure:
In preparation:
1. Have the class listen to an audio recording of Cry, the Beloved Country to set the
stage for this exercise.
2. Briefly discuss colonization: what is it? What are the implications and consequences
of colonization?
Role-playing exercise:
1. Distribute nametags and identity cards to the students. Each student will be
assigned one of five identities:
- Peitr Kruger:
You are a resident from a suburb of Capetown. You are your family live
comfortably, but your concern is how the development of this land will affect you.
What kind of questions should you ask? Will your taxes go up? Will different
types of development affect the quality of life in your region?
Do you think the government should be offering any kind of assistance to
any of the special interest groups? Financial assistance? Political preference?
What type of land use would be best for your family’s lifestyle? What arguments
will you present on the benefits or disadvantages of the other delegates’
proposals? Lastly, why should these other people listen to you?
- Bisi Kolawole:
You are a black farmer, a descendant of the Mfengu people of the Cape
Colony. You are skilled at agriculture, herding, and shepherding. At the present
time, you own only one lot. You can manage to provide for your own family now,
but you have two children with a third on the way. You hear that some
government land will soon be available.
You would like to extend your ranching enterprise. How could you make the
most profit from your small land holding? What would be a cost-effective way to
invest? How could you secure the funding to increase your land holdings? Are
there any business partners you could work with?
-
Bring your proposal to a meeting of the provincial delegates. Try to convince
them that your proposal would be good for you, good for them, good for South
Africa. Be sure to tell what you bring to the table. What do you wish to take
away?
- Priscilla Paceverde, Environmentalist:
You have heard of a large tract of land that will be made available to the
province. Your major concern is how this land will be developed. Africa already
faces critical environmental situations, and you don’t want to see them worsen.
Propose a plan to the provincial representative that will offer economic growth
and at the same time, protect the dwindling natural resources. Remember,
sustainable growth is the goal. Tell how your plan will be good for you, good for
the province, good for South Africa.
Charlotte Rampale:
You are a delegate from the World Health Organization. Your organization
would like to see the land used in a way that would benefit the native populations
in the immediate region.
What type of land use would be most beneficial? Most affordable? Would it
be better to build factories? Or should the land remain agricultural? If farming
seems best, how would you use your influence to convince the panel of that?
Listen to the other delegates’ proposals. Be sure to have them justify how their
plan is a good and productive one that will raise the standard of living in South
Africa. What are you willing to do to further that plan?
- Foster Fundy, British Environmentalist:
You see great potential in some land that is to be made available. It
could mean a very profitable venture for you. You are willing to offer many rand
for at least part of this parcel of land. How would you develop the land? What
advantages does the location offer you? How will you convince President
Mbeki’s provincial representative to accept your proposal? How will your
proposal be good for you, good for the region, good for South Africa?
2. Divide the class into groups such that one of each identity is represented. Distribute
maps to the students and give them ten minutes to determine how to allocate the
land. During group work, the students should assume their assigned role and
advocate a plan that is in their own best interest.
3. Once the students have reached consensus on how to use the land, have each
group present their plan to the class. During this part of class, have students
wear/carry an appropriate prop to encourage students to identify with their role and
to remind the class who they represent. Students should express their identity’s
feelings about how the land is divided, do they agree, disagree, and why?
Homework:
Students are to complete the “Conflict Analysis” worksheet for one of the following
articles:
 Paul Taylor, “The Long and Winding Road”
 Joseph B. Verrengia, “Apes slaughtered for food: Conservationists hope cash will
sway Africans from gorilla war”




Christopher S. Wren, “S. Africans back reform”
Timothy P. Flanigan, Charles C.J. Carpenter, and Kenneth Mayer, “Public must
press drug firms to help HIV-infected Africans now”
Walter Ellis, “Congo’s deepening nightmare”
Jayne Wise, “Born Free, Dying Freely”
Map and Worksheet are below: