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  • South Africa in Southern Africa: Reconfiguring the Region
  • Enslin J. Van Rooyen
Simon, David, ed. 1998. South Africa in Southern Africa: Reconfiguring the Region. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press. 259 pp. $44.95 (cloth); $22.95 (paper).

The end of the cold war and the period thereafter resulted in changes unimaginable only a few years earlier; the Berlin wall came down and this event signified the end of an era of tension between the West and the USSR. [End Page 144] In South Africa, the artificial barrier between peoples caused by apartheid was soon dismantled after the fall of the Berlin wall. With apartheid out of the way, an era of tension in southern Africa has in many ways subsided as well.

South Africa's change to democracy immediately resulted in its acceptance as a bona fide member of the free world. At that time, South Africa began to assert itself as a prominent economic power in the southern African region. In the book South Africa in Southern Africa: Reconfiguring the Region, a number of important issues related to South Africa's role in southern Africa are explored. The publication is divided into the following three main sections: Transcending the Past: The Politics of Dis- and Re-engagement; Changing Geographies of Production and Economic Integration; Population and Mobility.

In the first section (chapters 2 to 5) South Africa's past role and policies of destabilizing the region through essentially military means is explored. An informative description of the legacy in this regard is given. The ripple effect of military activity and destabilization by, among others, the previous regime in South Africa are still felt in many ways. Neighboring countries have been plunged into chaos and the large caches of small assault arms in the region are increasingly falling into criminal hands. In addition, the increase of private security organizations and the possible effect they have on stability in the region is discussed. A very ambitious program concerning the establishment of a so-called superpark crossing various national boundaries is also explained in this section. It points out that in the place of old wars there has now come the initiative to establish a multinational game park stretching north, which is based on the peace parks philosophy. This may contribute to the improvement of intergovernmental relations in the region, better conservation practices, and sustainable economic development.

In the second section, chapters 6 to 10 address issues of regional economic development. The Southern Africa Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Southern African Customs Union are organizations concerned with regional integration. These organizations are seen as important vehicles on the road to a regional economic renaissance. Other chapters deal with key industries concerned with sugar production and electric power generation and disbursement. These industries are considered important economic catalysts in the region and ways to improve efficiency in this regard are examined.

In the final section, very topical issues of regional migration, the role of gender in labor forces, and the impact of HIV/AIDS are addressed. The southern African region has historically experienced cross boundary migration due to, for instance, war and famine. In chapter 11 the nature of South Africa's immigration legislation past and present is alluded to and the impact thereof is explained. Currently, the impact that wars are having on migration seems to be subsiding, but the poverty still drives people toward the economic hubs in the region such as the Gauteng Province in [End Page 145] South Africa. This has a significant impact on all the countries concerned and puts a strain on intergovernmental relations within the region. The need for sustainable regional economic development is clear and possible policies to attain this objective are examined. In chapter 12, the migration of women in Botswana is investigated. Women have not only moved away from their rural homes to the urban centers but also migrated across borders to countries such as South Africa. The author of this chapter explains that women who migrated to South Africa “freed themselves from the traditional rules and regulations of Tswana communities but found themselves enmeshed in a more sinister, stricter environment. . . . Embellished accounts of...

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