THE NEW TRIBALISM - HOSTELS AND VIOLENCE

This paper explores the tragedy of the East Rand's hostel violence, th at pitted hostels occupied by Zulu people against the adjacent townshi ps. It argues that this must be understood within a broader context of migrant workers' resistance against marginalisation. The paper traces two cycles of mobilisation at the Vosloorus hostels, one during the y ears between 1979 to 1982 and the other after 1986, which led directly to the violence of the 1990s. The discussion focuses on the crises in migrant communities' cultural formations.