The Misrepresentation of South African Land History

The Misrepresentation of South African Land History: The Weaponization of the Khoi and San Narrative
In contemporary discussions about South African land history, a troubling narrative often resurfaces, claiming that the original inhabitants were the Khoi and San and not black people. This argument, predominantly voiced by certain white South Africans, is more than a historical observation-it is often used as a strategy to undermine the legitimacy of black South Africans’ claims to land ownership. By isolating the Khoi and San from broader black African identities and reframing history, the argument becomes a tool for shifting blame, muddying historical context, and dismissing the complexities of colonialism.
The Collectivity of Black South African Identity and Land Rights
South Africa belongs to its indigenous peoples. The notion that different tribes among black South Africans-whether they be Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, or Tswana-hold collective ownership over the land is historically rooted and culturally significant. Attempts to sever the Khoi and San from this broader context of black South African identity reflect a deliberate effort to fragment this unity. This approach seeks to delegitimize centuries of collective ties, culture, and history that black South Africans have with the land. Presenting the Khoi and San as separate and unique "original" owners ignores their interwoven histories and struggles with other indigenous groups.
It is equally misleading to assert that South African land belonged solely to the Khoi and San. Such claims conveniently disregard the historical complexity of migration, settlement, and cultural interconnectivity among indigenous groups long before European colonization. By pushing this argument, critics risk distorting history to serve a divisive agenda, one that attempts to pit different black groups against each other.
Migration, Context, and Historical Integrity
One common misrepresentation is the assertion that only Bantu-speaking peoples migrated into South Africa while the Khoi and San remained fixed. This is a simplification of history. Both Bantu and Khoisan groups moved and settled across various regions over millennia. Today, Khoisan communities are found not only in South Africa but across multiple African nations, indicating a complex pattern of migration and settlement. The fixation on "who-was-here-first" collapses under scrutiny once the realities of African migratory history are acknowledged.
Colonialism compounded these complexities by enforcing artificial borders and establishing settler structures that dispossessed both black South Africans and the Khoi and San. Using historical migration to diminish black South Africans’ claims to land conveniently ignores the devastating impact of colonial and apartheid-era land theft. It frames black South Africans as outsiders to their own land while deflecting from the structures of white supremacy that facilitated dispossession.
Selective Historical Concern: A Hypocritical Double Standard
Proponents of the "Khoi and San were here first" narrative often exhibit a selective and performative interest in indigenous rights. There is minimal advocacy for returning stolen Khoisan lands, investing in cultural preservation, or amplifying the voices of these marginalized communities. Instead, their history becomes a rhetorical device to delegitimize broader black South African land rights, rather than an opportunity for genuine reparative justice. When such narratives emerge, they expose a self-serving agenda rooted in power retention and historical guilt deflection.
These arguments frequently omit key historical facts: the European colonizers inflicted genocidal violence on Khoi and San communities. Entire communities were decimated, lands seized, languages suppressed, and cultures systematically eroded. To leverage their history in debates about land without acknowledging their suffering at the hands of colonial powers betrays any pretense of historical accuracy or concern.
Colonial Erasure and the Divide-and-Conquer Playbook
Efforts to pit different black groups against each other echo the colonial tactic of divide and conquer. This divisiveness undermines solidarity among South Africa’s indigenous peoples and maintains a status quo that benefits those who have historically profited from colonial structures. By focusing on internal divisions, these narratives divert attention from the enduring legacies of dispossession and white supremacy that continue to shape South African society.