Research Articles

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Browsing by Author "Blaauw, Phillip"

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    The economic impact of NGOs on the well-being of extended households in Soweto
    (UNISA Press, 2016) Rooderick, Mojalefa; Blaauw, Phillip; Schenck, Rinie
    Extended households, usually in the form of an elder or grandparent, have always provided a safety net for orphaned children. However, the high rates of HIV (AIDS) infection, unemployment and poverty have weakened their capacity to fulfil this vital role. The majority of extended households live in poverty and, therefore, lack sufficient resources to care for these children. In addition to receiving government social grants, some extended households are also receiving financial and non-financial assistance from local non-governmental organisations (NGOs). These local NGOs provide basic needs such as food, clothes and medical care to orphans living in extended family units. Little has been done to quantify their economic impact. This paper, therefore, investigates the economic impact of NGOs in improving the well-being of vulnerable orphaned children living in extended households in Soweto. Using Foster, Greer and Thorbecke’s (FGT) poverty indices, we found that the help of NGOs was statistically significant in reducing the level and extent of poverty in such dwellings. The results of FGT are supported by those of the logit econometric model.
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    “I would rather have a decent job”: Potential barriers preventing street-waste pickers from improving their socio-economic conditions
    (AOSIS, 2016) Viljoen, Kotie; Blaauw, Phillip; Schenck, Rinie
    As a result of the high levels of unemployment in South Africa, many unskilled people are forced to resort to a variety of income-generating activities in the informal economy. The activity of collecting and selling recyclables presents virtually no barriers to entry, making it a viable option. Very little research focusing on street-waste pickers has been undertaken, and, when it has been conducted, it has mostly taken the form of case studies. This paper reports the results of the first countrywide research into the potential barriers that prevent street-waste pickers from improving their socio-economic circumstances. The study used a mixedmethod approach. Structured interviews were conducted between April 2011 and June 2012 with 914 streetwaste pickers and 69 buy-back centres in 13 major cities across all nine provinces in South Africa. Low levels of schooling, limited language proficiency, uncertain and low levels of income, as well as limited access to basic social needs make it difficult for waste pickers to move upwards in the hierarchy of the informal economy. The unique set of socio-economic circumstances in which street-waste pickers operate in the various cities and towns in South Africa make the design of any possible policy interventions a complex one. Policymakers will have to take note of the interdependence of the barriers identified in this research. Failing to do so may cause policies that are aimed at supporting street-waste pickers to achieve the exact opposite, and, ironically, deprive these pickers of their livelihood.
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    Investigating the subjective well-being of the informally employed: a case study of day labourers in Windhoek and Pretoria
    (OASIS, 2020-06-11) Van Wyk, Anthonie; Blaauw, Phillip; Schenck, Rinie
    Orientation: Day labouring is becoming more frequent in developing countries. Long spells of unemployment and the uncertainty of informal wage employment impact negatively on the subjective well-being (SWB) of day labourers. Research purpose: The aim of the article was to investigate the level and possible determinants of the SWB of day labourers in Pretoria and Windhoek. Motivation for the study: Up to now, only one study has been carried out in South Africa on the SWB of day labourers and none in Namibia. This study aimed to start filling this gap in the literature. The choice of the two cities was based on their status as the capital cities of two countries that are both experiencing increasing numbers of day labourers. Research design, approach and method: A mixed-method research design and purposeful sampling were used to obtain representative samples. Data were sourced from comparable surveys amongst day labourers in the two cities between 2015 and 2017. Questionnaires with quantitative and qualitative sections were completed during structured interviews with 290 and 80 day labourers in Pretoria and Windhoek respectively. The ordinary least squares model and ordered-probit analysis were employed to analyse the data. Main findings: In Pretoria, the number of dependents, the living conditions and whether they had a full-time job before were all significant in explaining the SWB of the day labourers. In Windhoek, education levels, total days without food, staying with their families and being a foreigner were also significant. Practical/managerial implications: The needs of the informally employed must be addressed in the integrated development plans of municipalities and integrated with day labour worker centres. Contribution/value-add: This is the first study to analyse SWB amongst day labourers in Namibia and lays the foundation for future expanded studies