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Free download from www.hsrcpress.ac.za• generalized beliefs occur when a given collectivity believes that the causeof the strain is to be found within the structure;• contributory incident, which is the immediate cause that leads to theincident;• mobilization of participants, where a group of people are mobilized tocollective action at a given moment; and• social control or measures which prevent, interrupt, or redirect thedevelopment of other determinants at various levels. These measures are,however, only activated once the incident has started.In the research, this theory was used as a frame of reference to analyze theevents relating to the Reiger Park disturbances.Structurally conducive events: It would appear that a structurally conducivemilieu had been created as early as 1961 when Zindabad (later Reiger Park)was proclaimed a Coloured residential area and Coloureds from thesurrounding residential areas which included Indian residential areas weremoved there. According to some of those involved, the movement of theColoureds was executed with a degree of impatience as they were given alimited amount of time to move to Zindabad. From information which becameavailable, it would appear that the City Council of Benoni ordered some of theColoured businessmen to move from the Benoni municipal area in the absenceof compensatory business premises being available in Boksburg. The resultingfeeling of resentment was exacerbated by the fact that 14 Indian families werenot, in turn, ordered to move from Reiger Park to a residential area which hadbeen proclaimed for Indians. It is, therefore, clear that the factors in thestructure that could facilitate collective behaviour were present at the level ofavailable facilities.Structural strain developed in Reiger Park as a result of the population growthin the town, and the concomitant shortage of land available for expansion,housing facilities, and business premises.Generalized beliefs: From interviews conducted with those who weredissatisfied, it became apparent that a generalized belief had arisen, and hadbeen propagated, to the effect that the Indians who were resident in ReigerPark were the major cause of all problems in the town, including that theywere the major obstacle in the way of alleviating the housing pressure withwhich the rest of the population was confronted. An example of this is to befound in the belief amongst the Coloureds that the land on which the Indianshops were situated had originally been earmarked for dwelling houses. Thefactual situation was that the land had not been zoned for residential purposesat all, but had been set aside for a community centre.Precipitating event: From the course of events which led to the disturbances,there can be little doubt that the incident which had led to the Coloureds101

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