South African violist tackles legacy of alcohol payments to labourers

South African violist, Lynn "Daphne" Rudolph, who uses music and art to explore the painful legacy of how labourers at wineries in the Western Cape province were for centuries given wine as part of their payment, looks on during a rehearsal at an arts venue in Johannesburg, South Africa, October 13, 2023. REUTERS/Thando Hlophe/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A South African violist has used music and art to explore the painful legacy of how labourers at wineries in the Western Cape province were for centuries given wine as part of their payment, a practice known as "the Dop System."

The system, which began at the time of slavery in the 17th century and persisted until the recent past despite attempts to abolish it, caused high rates of alcoholism among mixed-race workers who for historical reasons were the main labour force at the wineries.