Meet the Reversing the Gaze Community Land Activists

Nine community activists/experts from South Africa, Scotland and Tanzania have now confirmed their willingness to participate in the Reversing the Gaze project. We will have our first virtual meeting on Wednesday 14 August 2024 from 11:00am – 1:00pm GMT. These community activists/experts will explore new insights into the complexities of community land rights in Scotland using stories and knowledges that emerge from their struggles for community land rights in South Africa, Tanzania and Scotland. They will meet virtually in the first and second year of the project, and in person during a two-day workshop in Scotland in the final year.

From South Africa:

• Nonhle Mbuthuma Forslund is an award winning community land activist and founder of the Amadiba Crisis Committee (ACC) to unite community members in five villages of the Amadiba Tribal Authority region to work together in opposition to destructive mining projects. She was awarded the 2024 Goldman Prize for jointly stopping the destructive seismic testing for oil and gas off South Africa’s Eastern Cape, in an area known as the Wild Coast.
• Lungisile Ntsebeza is an Emeritus Professor and holder of the AC Jordan Chair in African Studies at the University of Cape Town. He is the National Research Foundation (NRF) Research Chair in Land Reform and Democracy in South Africa.
• Lali Naidoo is the Director of the East Cape Agricultural Research Project (ECARP) in Makhanda. She has a track record in community engagement and mobilisation, and works closely with farmworkers and new land owners in South Africa.

From Tanzania:

• Denis Mpagaze is a community journalist, activist and academic. He has advocated for community land rights in the Ruvuma region of Tanzania against large-scale land investments.
• Frank Ademba is a community development officer and has worked with the Tanzania National Farmers Network for many years. Frank has been a strong advocate for community land rights in Tanzania.
• Lilian Looloitai is the Director at Community Research and Development Services, and a community land advocate for the Masai community in Tanzania. You can read about some of her activities here.

From Scotland:

• Angela Williams is the Development Manager at the Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, the largest community land buyout in the South of Scotland. She was also involved in the community buyout at Knoydart and was the development manager there for several years.
• Josh Doble is Policy Manager at Community Land Scotland. He leads on policy advocacy and development to ensure that the benefits of community ownership and further land reform are understood at a national and regional level.
• Megan MacInnes is the Local Development Officer for the Applecross Community Company.

As part of the deliverables, and impact on academic beneficiaries, community activists will participate in two open lectures at the Royal Agricultural University and the University of Reading respectively. These open lectures, including physical and online photography exhibitions will take place in the third year of the project.