Racism harms South Africa: unearthing racial hierarchy and working conditions in the South African mines using Robert Dhlomo’s The Death of Masaba (1978) through Marxist theory

It cannot be downplayed that South Africa’s colonial and apartheid history is characterized by a bitter sting of memories. This is because of the decades of systemic racial oppression, land dispossession, imposed segregation, economic exploitation, and violent repression, which left profound scars on the lives of sidelined communities and created enduring social and economic imbalances. Similarly, it cannot be dismissed that South African literature remains invaluable in the depiction of these historical episodes, as it serves as a formidable force for preserving memories, offering resistance narratives, and driving reflection on the nation’s complex past. Through storytelling, South African literature provides a voice to those who were silenced and encourages ongoing dialogues about reconciliation and justice. Given this reality, this article unearths racial hierarchy and working conditions in the South African mines relying on Robert Dhlomo’s The Death of Masaba (1978). To uncover and debate the phenomenon of interest, I apply Marxist theory to the discussions. Ultimately, this article makes three notable findings. First, the systemic implementation of discriminatory policies and practices, such as the racial stratification of labor, prejudiced wages, and the imposition of legal frameworks that institutionalized racial segregation fuelled racial hierarchy. Second, there were exploitative working conditions, endured by Black mine workers, particularly on the physical and mental toll of labor in the mines. This included long working hours, hazardous working environments, inadequate safety measures, and the impact on the health and security of miners. Third, economic exploitation and racial subjugation are interconnected within the South African mining context. The closing remarks underline the necessity to continue to debate the challenges of racial disparities and poor working conditions in a bid to find solutions to identified challenges.