APY2613
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 30 MAY 2026
, APY2613 ASSIGNMENT 1 2026
DUE 30 MARCH 2026
Africa as Commodity, Liberation from Colonialism or Persistence of
Commodification
The imperialist phase of colonialism made people see Africa as a “commodity”, meaning
something that could be used and traded for the benefit of outsiders (Fourie 2015:8).
The APY2613 study guide explains that Learning Unit 1 gives basic facts about Africa’s
colonial history and shows that this idea of Africa as something to be divided and
controlled was very important during the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 (University of
South Africa 2018:8). The key question is whether African countries, after gaining
political independence in the 1960s, are truly free from being treated in this way. Using
the ideas of Fourie (2015), Austin (2010), Bond and McInnes (2007), and Hart (2013),
the argument is that even though colonial rule officially ended, Africa is still affected by
economic, political, and intellectual systems that continue to treat it like a commodity.
Despite this, Africans are not simply passive. Across the continent, people are actively
reclaiming control over their own identity, institutions, and resources. Fourie (2015:13-
14) describes this process as a vision of Africa that asserts its own value and agency,
rather than being defined or exploited by outsiders. This demonstrates that the struggle
for genuine freedom and independence is ongoing.
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 30 MAY 2026
, APY2613 ASSIGNMENT 1 2026
DUE 30 MARCH 2026
Africa as Commodity, Liberation from Colonialism or Persistence of
Commodification
The imperialist phase of colonialism made people see Africa as a “commodity”, meaning
something that could be used and traded for the benefit of outsiders (Fourie 2015:8).
The APY2613 study guide explains that Learning Unit 1 gives basic facts about Africa’s
colonial history and shows that this idea of Africa as something to be divided and
controlled was very important during the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885 (University of
South Africa 2018:8). The key question is whether African countries, after gaining
political independence in the 1960s, are truly free from being treated in this way. Using
the ideas of Fourie (2015), Austin (2010), Bond and McInnes (2007), and Hart (2013),
the argument is that even though colonial rule officially ended, Africa is still affected by
economic, political, and intellectual systems that continue to treat it like a commodity.
Despite this, Africans are not simply passive. Across the continent, people are actively
reclaiming control over their own identity, institutions, and resources. Fourie (2015:13-
14) describes this process as a vision of Africa that asserts its own value and agency,
rather than being defined or exploited by outsiders. This demonstrates that the struggle
for genuine freedom and independence is ongoing.
