Peter Hain was, along with his family, forced to flee South Africa in the late 1960s, at the height of the ApartheidApartheid Full Description: An Afrikaans word meaning “apartness.” It refers to the system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that governed South Africa. It was a totalizing legal framework that dictated where people could live, work, and travel based on their racial classification. Apartheid was not merely social prejudice; it was a sophisticated economic and legal machine designed to maintain white minority rule. It involved the complete spatial separation of the races, the banning of mixed marriages, and the denial of voting rights to the black majority. Critical Perspective:Critically, Apartheid was a system of racial capitalism. Its primary function was to secure a steady supply of cheap, compliant labor for the white-owned mines and farms. By keeping the black population uneducated, disenfranchised, and restricted to specific areas, the state ensured that the immense wealth generated by the country’s resources flowed exclusively to the white minority and international investors. regime’s war against its opponents. From exile in London Peter was a pivotal member of the anti Apartheid movement in the 60s, 70s and 80s. In this interview before the publication of his third novel, the Lion Conspiracy, we talk about conservation and the international corruption that fuels poaching across Africa, and the valiant attempts by African rangers to preserve wildlife.
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