How can South Africa achieve true, lasting decolonisation when the core issue of land ownership remains unresolved?

In The Land and Agrarian Question: The First Frontier of Decolonisation in South Africa, Prof Gilingwe Mayende delivers a powerful, unashamedly Africanist critique of the nation’s ongoing land crisis. Moving beyond standard liberal and neoliberal frameworks that treat land reform as mere social welfare, Mayende argues that restoring sovereignty over the land is the non-negotiable foundation for economic justice, national identity, and true transformation.

From the brutal history of pre-colonial dispossession and forced removals to the pitfalls of post-1994 “market-led” policies, this seminal work unpacks the systemic failures of the current land dispensation. More than just a critique, Mayende presents a bold blueprint for the future—confronting the expropriation option, demystifying commercial and communal agriculture, and mapping out a radical “second agrarian transition” to empower dispossessed Africans.

A vital read for scholars, policymakers, activists, and anyone seeking a deeper, more courageous perspective on one of South Africa’s most defining issues.

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