Leveraging social capital of the church for development: A case study of a farming community in Wellington

HTS Teologiese Studies/Theological Studies ISSN: (Online) 2072-8050, (Print) 0259-9422 Page 1 of 10 Original Research Leveraging social capital of the church for development: A case study of a farming community in Wellington Author: Jacques W. Beukes1,2,3 Affiliation: 1 Department of Theology and Ministry, Hugenote Kollege, Cape Town, South Africa Department of Practical Theology and Missiology, Faculty of Theology, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa 2 Department of Practical Theology, Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa This article explores how a farming community in Wellington (Bovlei) moved from dependence towards an empowered community through non-profit organisations’ (NPOs) transformative community development initiatives, undertaken together with the church’s social capital. This example serves as the backdrop to explore critical viewpoints by various scholars who are critical about how the church engages in an unequal and unjust society. The critical questions that remain are the following; who is the church?, what is the church’s role as a change agent? and how should churches leverage social capital for development? Although various definitions have been given in conceptualising the church and its role in society, through this article, the author engages with the social capital theory in understanding how the transformation came about in this community by describing the churches’ involvement through a case study. Keywords: Social capital; Church; Development; Community; Faith-based organisations. 3 Corresponding author: Jacques Beukes, Dates: Received: 30 Apr. 2019 Accepted: 17 Sept. 2019 Published: 14 Nov. 2019 How to cite this article: Beukes, J.W., 2019, ‘Leveraging social capital of the church for development: A case study of a farming community in Wellington’, HTS Teologiese Studies/ Theological Studies 75(4), a5528. https://doi.org/ 10.4102/hts.v75i4.5528 Copyright: © 2019. The Authors. Licensee: AOSIS. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License. Introduction The ‘tot’ or ‘dop’ system, a system in which farmworkers are compensated with alcohol in place of wages after a long week of labour, is an unusual and seemingly tenacious feature of South African agriculture, especially in the Western Cape (Te Water Naude et al. 1998:1102). The origin of the ‘dop’ system traces back to the early colonial years in the Cape when indigenous pastoralists and coastal people were used to enter service on farms in return for payment with tobacco, bread and wine instead of wages (Te Water Naude et al. 1998:1102; cf. Williams 2016). Soon thereafter, the ‘dop’ system became a customary element of agricultural practice in the Cape over the next three centuries, and it became an important element of the social control exercised over the local people of the region. This was also the case in the Cape Winelands Area in the Western Cape. Consequently, because of the legacy of the ‘dop’ system, high levels of alcohol abuse have been reported amongst farmworkers in the Western Cape. Similarly, high levels of alcohol-related trauma in rural areas have been reported (Te Water Naude et al. 1998:1102). This legacy of the ‘dop’ system led to various socio-economic challenges, such as public health issues, poverty, domestic violence, crime, homelessness, substance abuse, sexual risk performance, family disruptions and unemployment, which was the cause for an unequal society, especially in various farming communities (cf. London 1999:1407; Setlalentoa et al. 2010:11–15). In the Wellington Bovlei area, the Adama Foundation Trust, registered as a non-profit organisation (NPO), which consisted of a few farms under the management of the Bosman family, decided to move towards empowerment and transformational developmental model for farmworkers. Together with the assistance of Fairtrade,1 they have started a social development leg and also gave farmworkers shares in the farms and its profits. Consequently, personal development, management development, skills training and workshops were conducted over time. The critical question that one may ask is, ‘if all of these were the initiatives of the Adama Foundation Trust (registered as an NPO), then where the church is in these endeavours?’ Situated within the centre of all these farms is a congregation with the name Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) Wagenmakersvallei. Read online: Scan this QR code with your smart phone or mobile device to read online. 1.Fairtrade serves the interests and rights of farmers, workers and producers. Over the last eight years, Fair Trade Label of South Africa (FLSA) has played an important role in the implementation and promotion of the Fairtrade Standards and the Fairtrade Mark within the Southern African markets. Fairtrade is an alternative approach to conventional trade and is based on a partnership between producers and consumers. When farmers can sell on Fairtrade terms, it provides them with a better deal and improved terms of trade. This allows them the opportunity to improve their lives and plan for their future. Fairtrade offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their everyday shopping. When a product carries the FAIRTRADE Mark, it means the producers and traders have met Fairtrade Standards. The Fairtrade Standards are designed to address the imbalance of power in trading relationships, unstable markets and the injustices of conventional trade (cf. www.fairtrade.net, www.fairtrade.org.za). Note: Faith-Based Organisations, sub-edited by Nadine Bouwers du Toit (Stellenbosch University), Vhumani Magezi (North-West University) and Elisabet le Roux (Stellenbosch University). http://www.hts.org.za Open Access Page 2 of 10 Original Research Although the congregation cannot claim ownership of the social development initiatives, as it is the Adama Foundation Trust NPO that started the whole concept, it is the whole idea of shared resources through bridging social capital and social cohesion which I want to embark on in this article to illustrate the churche’s involvement in the society of public life. The make-up of this farming community is that the same church members, church council members, church leaders and church ministries are all involved in these projects, but not as the local congregation per se. These members live on the farms, attend church on the farms, are farm shareholders and are all involved in their own development and community development initiatives. This brings me to the question of who the church is and how the church is involved in this community development project. Also, how should the church leverage its social capital for development and social transformation? Furthermore, how should we understand the social capital theories and shared resources within this specific community? empirically founded arguments are being presented about the strategic role t (...truncated)