Research Articles (Social Work)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/50

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Social work, child support grants and child care in the first 1,000 days: A case study of disposable nappy expenditure in Calvinia-West, South Africa
(University of Stellenbosch, 2026) Schenck, Catherina; Roman, Nicolette; Blaauw, Derick; Nell, Charlotte
The first 1,000 days after birth are a critical period in a child’s development, as this phase establishes the foundation of the child’s physical, cognitive, emotional and social welfare. South Africa’s child support grant (CSG), which aims to provide financial assistance to primary caregivers of children in low-income households, therefore has a substantial impact on children’s growth and development. A basic good that greatly “dilutes” the value of the CSG is disposable nappies. This case study reports on the spending patterns on disposable nappies by caregivers receiving CSGs during the first 1,000 days of the child. A survey using both quantitative and qualitative questions was administered to 193 caregivers in a Northern Cape township to investigate the purchasing patterns of caregivers using disposable nappies. The results show that caregivers spend close to the equivalent of the CSG on nappies, leaving very little for the nourishment and care of the infant. Recommendations to supplement governmental cash grants are thus made to the social work profession. These include co-designing comprehensive programmes for improving the care of children in their first 1,000 days and linking the community with the necessary professionals and resources to support these programmes. The study also highlighted the lack social work research in this critical stage of children’s lives. © 2026 University of Stellenbosch. All rights reserved.
Female scrap collectors in Qumbu, Eastern Cape, South Africa through the lens of resilience theory
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) Xweso, Mzukisi; Schenck, Catherina
Background/Objectives: Women working in the informal sector are frequently exposed to multiple layers of vulnerability and trauma, yet their mental health experiences remain insufficiently explored. Methods: This qualitative study examined the mental health implications of trauma experienced by female scrap collectors in Qumbu, Eastern Cape. Guided by resilience theory, the study explored how these women navigate and cope with the challenges associated with their daily work. A total of 13 female scrap collectors were selected through convenience sampling and participated in semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed thematically. Results: The findings revealed that women engaged in scrap collection face perpetual insecurity and gendered vulnerability in informal workspaces, enduring public degradation with significant psychological consequences, experience persistent stress due to insufficient earnings and navigate informal relations with truck drivers that act as sites of economic exploitation and psychological insecurity. These experiences may contribute to chronic stress, fear, feelings of worthlessness and mental exhaustion, which significantly affect their psychological wellbeing. Conclusions: Based on these findings, the study recommends the implementation of targeted psychosocial support interventions, such as trauma-informed counselling and peer support groups, to enhance coping mechanisms and strengthen resilience. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary facilitative healthcare approach and advocacy efforts aimed at addressing the mental health needs of female scrap collectors are essential for strengthening their agency, promoting psychosocial wellbeing and reducing their exposure to harm within the informal working environment.
“Working with other women as a scrap collector takes my stress away”: rural women along the N2 highway in South Africa—engagement and livelihood benefits of scrap collection
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) Xweso, Mzukisi; Schenck, Catherina Johanna; Chanza, Martin
Informal waste picking and scrap collection constitute critical yet highly precarious livelihood strategies among economically marginalised women in rural South Africa. This article presents a cross-sectional mixed-methods study, guided by Sen’s Capability Approach as its analytical framework, examining the lived experiences, motivations, and livelihood outcomes of 126 Black African women engaged in scrap collection along the N2 Highway in the Eastern Cape, specifically in Mthatha, Xhora, and Qumbu. The study integrates quantitative descriptive statistics with qualitative thematic analysis derived from structured interviewer-administered questionnaires. The findings indicate that participation in scrap collection is overwhelmingly driven by structural economic constraints, including chronic unemployment, household poverty, and extensive caregiving responsibilities, rather than autonomous occupational choice. The sample is characterised by limited educational attainment, frequently disrupted by poverty, bereavement, early marriage, and early caregiving roles, which collectively constrain access to formal employment opportunities. Participants consistently described scrap collection as physically hazardous, economically insecure, and detrimental to both physical health and psychosocial wellbeing, while remaining indispensable for household survival. Through the lens of the Capability Approach, these conditions reflect severe restrictions in substantive freedoms, particularly in relation to economic security, bodily health and human dignity. Expressions of acceptance are interpreted as manifestations of adaptive preferences formed under conditions of prolonged structural deprivation rather than indicators of genuine agency. The study contributes to informal economy scholarship by demonstrating how intersecting structural inequalities constrain capability sets and limit livelihood trajectories and calls for targeted policy interventions to enhance occupational safety, income security and access to sustainable livelihood alternatives.
Social work practice following the COVID-19 pandemic: reflections from Brazil, India and Scotland
(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2025) Garcia, Maria Lúcia Teixeira; Spolander, Gary; Leal, Fabiola
COVID-19 impacted globally, on individual health, care systems and social reproduction. Excessive death, lockdowns and social policy change had immediate and long-term national and global implications. Attention has been given to the immediate consequences, including its disproportionate impact on parts of society such as older people, “black” and “ethnic minorities”, and migrants. This raises questions for social work about wider enduring lessons including social inequality and globalisation. Reflecting across three countries, we encourage debate on future professional lessons, recognising constraints the pandemic has imposed and the dilemma of relying on historical precedents, of which we now find we have none.
Reflective supervision: an element in the execution of social work supervision in the Department of Social Development at the province of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
(National Association of Social Workers, 2025) Gumbi, Sandile Ntethelelo; Sithole, Mbongeni Shadrack; Zibane, Sibonsile
Social work supervision is the core feature in promoting reflective practice to social workers and, subsequently, delivering quality services to clients. This article argues that reflective supervision, which is a structured support helping social workers think critically, is central to improving social work practice within the Department of Social Development. Without it, the purpose of supervision, which is professional growth and quality service, is undermined. The article adopts a qualitative interpretive approach with an exploratory-descriptive focus to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon under study. Twelve social workers and five social work supervisors were purposively sampled from the service offices under the King Cetshwayo District, the third biggest district in the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Data from interviews were analysed through thematic analysis, and findings were presented through two main themes and several related subthemes, respectively. The study found that the lack of reflective supervision contributes to the ineffective implementation of supervision in the organisation under study. The paper recommends addressing systemic, organisational, and institutional factors that include lack of human capital and resources and unmanageable and heavy workloads which negatively affect the execution of supervision.
Understanding the impact of traditional male circumcision on young men aged 18-25: a case study of Bizana district, Eastern Cape province, South Africa
(Adonis and Abbey Publishers Ltd, 2026) Maphumulo, Lindani Sthembele; Qwaka, Saziso Cromwell
Traditional Male Circumcision (TMC) is deeply rooted in various African societies, serving as a pivotal cultural rite of passage that fosters a sense of identity and belonging while preserving indigenous knowledge of health and well-being. In contrast, Medical Male Circumcision (MMC) has been promoted largely through biomedical discourses as an HIV prevention strategy, privileging Western epistemologies that often overlook the cultural significance of TMC. This article critically examines the intersections and tensions between TMC and MMC in South Africa through a decolonial and Afrocentric lens. By centring indigenous epistemologies and cultural authority, the analysis highlights how TMC embodies relational knowledge, communal care, and spiritual symbolism, which cannot be reduced to biomedical risk-benefit frameworks. The study argues for a decolonized approach to male circumcision that recognises the coexistence of medical interventions with traditional practices, while privileging the voices, agency, and lived experiences of African communities. Such an approach affirms the validity of indigenous knowledge systems and contributes to reshaping public health discourse in ways that are contextually grounded and epistemically just. Therefore, it is essential that the Department of Health and relevant stakeholders—including the private sector and non-governmental organisations—implement training workshops and awareness campaigns in rural communities where access to information remains limited. These initiatives should align with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).
Cultural challenges of young black widows in Mangaung in the Free State, South Africa
(University of Stellenbosch, 2026) Henderson, Neil; Hugo, Shirley N.; Schenck, Catherina
Young black widows in Mangaung, in the Free State Province of South Africa, experience particular cultural challenges once their partners pass away. The aim of this article was to explore and describe these cultural challenges and identify strategies for the empowerment of widows within their communities. Utilising a qualitative approach, 16 widows (ages 24-40) were sampled using both purposive and snowball sampling. Focus groups, individual in-depth interviews and workshops within a participant action research design were employed for data collection. A thematic data analysis was performed. The credibility of the findings was enhanced by triangulating the data. The Ethics Committee of the University (HS 17/5/1) approved the study and all ethics considerations were taken into account. The main theme of the article highlights how young widows experienced marginalisation and isolation, which included being blamed for the death of their husbands, stigmatisation from the community and financial vulnerability. The second theme describes how participants identified support groups, counselling and community education as empowerment strategies to deal with patriarchal cultural practices. It is recommended that social workers and non-governmental organisations engage with the government to address the discrimination that young black widows face.
A sustainable community development framework for environmental citizenship empowerment
(Unisa Press, 2025) Hart, Cornel; Smith, Marquin Enrico
A plethora of evidence indicates rapid industrialisation and urbanisation contributed significantly to the estranged relationship between humanity and nature. The environmentally pro-active mandate is clear. Ecological social work and environmental citizenship have become as popular catchphrases as their originator, sustainable development, in contemporary discourse. Yet, despite their growing popularity, conceptual and operational clarity for achieving sustainable community development through environmental citizenship empowerment remains a challenge. The global development agenda, reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals, is grounded in a holistic view of sustainability interdependent with well-being dimensions (health, income, education, housing, energy, sanitation, environment, transport, security, food, recreation and communication). The leading theory for community development——socio-ecological systems theory——is linked to different forms of community capital (ecological, physical, economic, human, social and cultural), which are collectively required for sustainable community development. Each is seen as a sub-system of the larger ‘community’ system interconnected with the status of the well-being dimensions and influenced by policies and legislation that unfold at micro to macro levels. Challenges to sustainable community development, and their solutions, are presented across these well-being dimensions, development levels and legislative policies which influence development initiatives. This paper discusses concepts of sustainable community development, environmental citizenship and the importance and relevance of socio-ecological systems theory in sustainable community development practice. It proposes a Sustainable Community Development Framework for environmental citizenship empowerment informed by the Triple Bottom Line pillars within the context of socio-ecological systems theory. It concludes with suggestions and recommendations to social service professionals for sustainable community development.
A Sustainable Community Development Framework for Environmental Citizenship Empowerment
(Unisa Press, 2025) Hart, Cornel; Smith, Marquin E.
A plethora of evidence indicates rapid industrialisation and urbanisation contributed significantly to the estranged relationship between humanity and nature. The environmentally pro-active mandate is clear. Ecological social work and environmental citizenship have become as popular catchphrases as their originator, sustainable development, in contemporary discourse. Yet, despite their growing popularity, conceptual and operational clarity for achieving sustainable community development through environmental citizenship empowerment remains a challenge. The global development agenda, reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals, is grounded in a holistic view of sustainability interdependent with well-being dimensions (health, income, education, housing, energy, sanitation, environment, transport, security, food, recreation and communication). The leading theory for community development——socio-ecological systems theory——is linked to different forms of community capital (ecological, physical, economic, human, social and cultural), which are collectively required for sustainable community development. Each is seen as a sub-system of the larger ‘community’system interconnected with the status of the well-being dimensions and influenced by policies and legislation that unfold at micro to macro levels. Challenges to sustainable community development, and their solutions, are presented across these well-being dimensions, development levels and legislative policies which influence development initiatives. This paper discusses concepts of sustainable community development, environmental citizenship and the importance and relevance of socio-ecological systems theory in sustainable community development practice.
Empowering Traditional Leadership for Effective Community Development
(Adonis and Abbey Publishers Ltd, 2025) Maphumulo, Lindani Sthembele
Traditional leadership plays a vital role in shaping the social, cultural, and economic fabric of rural communities. However, the evolving role of traditional leadership presents both opportunities and challenges within communities and development frameworks. This study explores the empowerment of traditional leaders to enhance the effectiveness of community development in rural areas. The research examines key factors for empowering traditional leaders’ effectiveness. This paper examines areas of empowerment such as the provision of budget autonomy, skills development for traditional leaders, and the incorporation of local representatives within municipal governance structures. The study employs qualitative methods and collects data through a semistructured interview schedule that utilise purposive sampling. The desktop data is used to investigate how these elements can facilitate greater community participation and decision-making. The sources of information are gathered purposely from different case studies, projects, municipal documents, media platforms, and journal articles. The study aims to identify practical pathways for strengthening the influence of traditional leadership in contemporary development initiatives. The findings suggest that empowering traditional leaders through financial autonomy, relevant training, and increased political representation can improve the alignment between community needs and development goals, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth. This research contributes to the ongoing discourse on the integration of indigenous governance systems into modern state structures. The paper links with SGD1, 5, 10, 11 and 16. African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 Goal 3, Aspiration 1 and 16 inspire the paper’s position. The paper concludes by offering recommendations for policy reform and community engagement strategies using the National Development Plan (NDP) framework in chapters 3, 7, 12, and 14, fostering strong institutions, empowering communities, and reducing inequalities.
Social workers’ experiences of the transtheoretical model of change in involuntary treatment of substance use disorders
(University of Stellenbosch, 2025) Cupido, Jonathan; van der Westhuizen, Marichen
Substance use disorders (SUDs) lead to changes to the brain, withdrawal symptoms and cravings that contribute to persons with an SUD being unmotivated to enter treatment. This discussion explored how social workers view and experience the use of the transtheoretical model of change as a framework to support the development of internal motivation, and consequently voluntary participation in treatment options. A qualitative approach was followed, guided by a combination of the explorative and descriptive research designs. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to select social work participants. Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews and subjected to thematic data analysis. Ethical considerations included voluntary participation, informed consent, privacy, anonymity, confidentiality and the management of research data. The findings highlighted the participants’ perceptions and experiences of those aspects within the different stages of the transtheoretical model of change that may support social workers to guide involuntary clients towards a motivation for change.
Cultural challenges of young black widows in Mangaung in the Free State, South Africa
(University of Stellenbosch, 2026) Hugo, Shirley Nozipho; Henderson, Neil John; Schenck, Catherina Johanna Rinie
Young black widows in Mangaung, in the Free State Province of South Africa, experience particular cultural challenges once their partners pass away. The aim of this article was to explore and describe these cultural challenges and identify strategies for the empowerment of widows within their communities. Utilising a qualitative approach, 16 widows (ages 24-40) were sampled using both purposive and snowball sampling. Focus groups, individual in-depth interviews and workshops within a participant action research design were employed for data collection. A thematic data analysis was performed. The credibility of the findings was enhanced by triangulating the data. The Ethics Committee of the University (HS 17/5/1) approved the study and all ethics considerations were taken into account. The main theme of the article highlights how young widows experienced marginalisation and isolation, which included being blamed for the death of their husbands, stigmatisation from the community and financial vulnerability. The second theme describes how participants identified support groups, counselling and community education as empowerment strategies to deal with patriarchal cultural practices. It is recommended that social workers and non-governmental organisations engage with the government to address the discrimination that young black widows face.
Applying the entitlement approach to understand food security dynamics in South Africa
(Nan Yang Academy of Sciences Pte. Ltd, 2026) Masuku, Mfundo Mandla; Mthembu, Zinhle; Sithole, Mbongeni Shadrack
This paper applies Amartya Sen’s entitlement approach as a lens for analysing food security within the South African democratic context. Based on multiple disciplinary perspectives and an entitlement approach as a lens, the paper examines how the country’s political and economic structures influence individuals’ capability to access food and secure entitlements in a post-apartheid society. A systematic literature review was conducted across six electronic databases to locate peer-reviewed English-language literature published between 1981 and 2022. Despite South Africa’s political and economic developments, individuals in households continue to struggle to meet their basic needs. This limitation, particularly the lack of access to quality food, is mainly attributed to persistent unequal distribution and control over services, assets and resources. The paper argues that South Africa’s neoliberal democratic orientation often reduces food insecurity to an individual peril rather than a social phenomenon, which subsequently overlooks the broader structural and social dimensions. The paper concludes that a state has a role to address the food insecurity challenge by implementing context-specific, micro-level interventions that enhance individuals’ access to food as a social right. The paper advocates for an inclusive approach in designing and implementing interventions intended to enhance food security at the household level.
Biographic and Institutional Entanglements: Reframing Differences through a Diffraction Lens
(Unisa Press, 2025) September, Uwarren; Sithole, Mbongeni; Agherdien, Najma
Despite the inability of the higher education sector to address colonial apartheid, relegating the associated indigenous cultures and traditions to a submissive space, the fight for a more legitimate and transformed higher education system continues. The study examines how biography and institutional context deepen how co-authors engage pragmatically in a collective project and secondly theorises “thinking differently about difference”. Through a triadic lens of reflection, diffraction, and decoloniality, we address the research question: How can an understanding of each other’s lived experiences and institutional contexts guide us towards engaging differently with one another and with differences? We employed autobiographical narrative inquiry as the most appropriate methodology. Our argument is that collaborative constructions of “self” unfolding through time and across space must centre difference as a driver of transformation in a collaborative partnership and scholarship. We offer a number of guidelines and questions for collective reflection and reflective practice that can be adapted for various social work and educational settings. The study concludes that by engaging with difference differently, and through deepened individual/contextual awareness, socially just co-authorship and cross-institutional partnerships could be nurtured.
Biographic and institutional entanglements: reframing differences through a diffraction lens
(Unisa Press, 2026) September, Uwarren; Sithole, Mbongeni; Agherdien, Najma
Despite the inability of the higher education sector to address colonial apartheid, relegating the associated indigenous cultures and traditions to a submissive space, the fight for a more legitimate and transformed higher education system continues. The study examines how biography and institutional context deepen how co-authors engage pragmatically in a collective project and secondly theorises “thinking differently about difference”. Through a triadic lens of reflection, diffraction, and decoloniality, we address the research question: How can an understanding of each other’s lived experiences and institutional contexts guide us towards engaging differently with one another and with differences? We employed autobiographical narrative inquiry as the most appropriate methodology. Our argument is that collaborative constructions of “self” unfolding through time and across space must centre difference as a driver of transformation in a collaborative partnership and scholarship. We offer a number of guidelines and questions for collective reflection and reflective practice that can be adapted for various social work and educational settings. The study concludes that by engaging with difference differently, and through deepened individual/contextual awareness, socially just co-authorship and cross-institutional partnerships could be nurtured.
Supporting children and their families in Gauteng public schools: the roles of school social workers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2025) Sithole, Mbongeni Shadrack; Khumalo, Gift; Ngcobo, Nolwazi
School social work practice in the South African context is a growing field; however, there is limited research regarding the roles and responsibilities of school social workers, particularly in the Gauteng province. This province is unique in that school social workers are employed by multiple institutions, including individual schools and the education and social development departments. This study aimed to explore and describe the roles and responsibilities of school social workers in the Gauteng province, recognizing them as critical specialists in addressing learners’ psychosocial needs within school settings. An explorative qualitative design was used in this study. Data were collected from 22 purposively selected participants, comprising school social workers, supervisors, and provincial managers of school social work programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data, and thematic analysis was employed to identify themes. The findings revealed context-specific roles of school social workers, including the creation of conducive teaching and learning environments, advocacy for social justice and child protection, conducting interviews and psychosocial assessments, providing counseling and trauma debriefing, conducting home visits and offering family services, removing abused learners from harmful environments, including their respective homes, and providing parental skills training and support. As a conclusion, this study highlights the need for standardized national and provincial guidelines to formalize and support school social work practice. It is recommended that the identified roles be incorporated into future practice frameworks. Furthermore, it is suggested that a uniform assessment tool be developed to promote consistency and guide school social workers in the initial evaluation processes.
Social innovation, gendered resilience, and informal food traders in Windhoek, Namibia
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), 2026) Crush, Jonathan; Nickanor, Ndeyapo; Kazembe, Lawrence
Informal food trading is a cornerstone of urban livelihoods and food security in Namibia, yet traders operate under fragile conditions marked by limited capital, policy exclusion, and exposure to shocks such as COVID-19. Despite this vulnerability, traders exhibit resilience through everyday forms of social innovation. This study investigates how adaptive pricing, customer credit, and digital communication and e-payment practices function as pathways of resilience among 470 informal food traders in Windhoek, using Structural Equation Modelling to assess gender-differentiated determinants and outcomes. The analysis reveals that women’s adoption of adaptive pricing and digital tools is driven primarily by education and startup capital, while men’s innovation practices are shaped by vendor type and access to financing. Social innovations mediate the effects of these structural factors on enterprise growth, demonstrating that innovation acts as a critical mechanism linking resources and resilience. The study concludes that enhancing informal traders’ resilience requires policies that strengthen human and financial capital, improve digital inclusion, and recognize gendered differences in access to opportunity. It recommends targeted support for women’s entrepreneurial training, affordable credit, and digital infrastructure to transform the informal food sector into a more equitable and sustainable component of Namibia’s urban economy.
Social workers using sign language interpreters to ensure equitable services to the deaf community
(University of Stellenbosch, 2025) Koeras, Peter; Davids, Ronel
Despite the recognition of sign language in South Africa, individuals who are Deaf face significant barriers, leading to stigmatisation and marginalisation. Social workers must be critically conscious of this and provide the necessary services to address these inequalities. Not all social workers are proficient in South African Sign Language to provide equitable services to the Deaf community and require the assistance of South African Sign Language Interpreters during social work micro interventions. However, there is limited literature on the experiences of social workers using these interpreters during this intervention. Seven social workers were selected to participate in a qualitative study using explorative descriptive research designs to understand the experiences of social workers using South African Sign Language Interpreters during micro-interventions. Non-probability purposive sampling was used with semi-structured interviews for data collection. The thematic analysis revealed three key themes: social workers' feelings of helplessness, uncertainty, and emotional stress related to role clarity; challenges with inadequately trained SASL interpreters, interpretation accuracy, and rapport-building with clients; and enhancing services for individuals who are Deaf by incorporating culturally sensitive sign language training in higher education institutions to foster better relationships with SASL interpreters and clients.
Township economics: how the market structure of the informal economy impacts the recirculation of secondhand tires in South Africa
(SAGE Publications Ltd, 2026) Schenck, Catherina Johanna Rinie; Theodore, Nik; Blaauw, Phillip Frederick
In the context of South Africa’s extraordinarily high unemployment rates, urban residents are increasingly fashioning livelihoods from the reclamation and recirculation of waste. Drawing on a survey of 458 unregistered tire dealerships operating in South African townships, this article examines the structure and operations of this segment of the informal economy. Our analysis addresses several underexplored aspects of informality, with a focus on market dynamics and interfirm competition within township economies. The article contributes to the literature on informal economies and recycling value chains by providing firm-level insights into the competitive pressures faced by unregistered tire dealerships, highlighting how market structures influence business outcomes. The study seeks to make three contributions to the literature on economic informality: it centers the microeconomics of the firm; adds to the understanding of evolving township economies; and examines the basis of interfirm competition and the geographies of informality. The research also highlights the dual nature of these microenterprises, which generate jobs and incomes but remain small-scale and survivalist, limiting their potential for growth and their broader economic impacts.
Family dynamics in a sample South African family: a systems theory analysis of cultural adaptation and contemporary challenges
(SAGE Publications Inc, 2025) Sikhakhane, Lynette M.; Roman, Nicolette V.
Family dynamics shape interactions and relationships within households, influencing mental health, academic achievement, and social adaptation across the lifespan. While extensive research has explored these dynamics in Western contexts, less is known about how South African families navigate cultural traditions alongside rapid societal changes. This study uses qualitative methods to explore urban South African family dynamics through the lens of Family Systems Theory. Data were gathered through focus group interviews conducted with seven diverse families (30 individuals) and semi-structured interviews with nine stakeholders. Thematic analysis identified five key themes: family structure, parental roles and support, power dynamics, family activities and bonding, and the impact of technology. Findings reveal that South African families function as interconnected emotional units, continuously adapting to evolving social landscapes while maintaining cultural values. The study sheds light on how families negotiate power, redefine parental roles, foster bonding through shared activities, and manage technological shifts across generations. These insights inform the development of culturally responsive family support strategies that acknowledge the systemic and dynamic nature of family life in South Africa.

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