No Last Place to Rest

The book explores the impact of coal mining on displaced communities in South Africa, revealing ongoing struggles and resistance against dispossession. No Last Place to Rest provides critical insights into these issues.

This ethnographic account delves into the experiences and resistance of displaced communities affected by the expansion of coal mining operations in post-apartheid South Africa. It offers a critical analysis of the legal and policy frameworks that facilitate their exploitation. In No Last Place to Rest, the ongoing struggles faced by families whose lives have been disrupted by relentless coal mining activities in the Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces are explored in depth. These regions bear the burden of fulfilling the nation's energy needs while grappling with the harsh realities of land dispossession, which extend far beyond mere loss of property.

Dineo Skosana presents a compelling argument that dispossession is a contemporary crisis, challenging the notion that it is merely a relic of the past. She critiques the narrow perspectives that measure land loss solely in material terms, highlighting the profound spiritual anguish and dehumanization communities experience when relocated. The excavations of their lands sever sacred connections with ancestors, leaving deep emotional scars. Skosana emphasizes that dispossession affects both the living and the dead, wounding the collective soul of a people and eroding their cultural heritage and sense of belonging.

No Last Place to Rest offers a rich ethnographic account of the struggles and resistance of affected communities while providing critical insights into the legal frameworks that enable exploitation. The book contributes significantly to the ongoing 'land question' in South Africa, offering valuable perspectives for communities, activists, and government sectors committed to social justice and redress.