Dagloners: 'n Gevallestudie van die kwesbaarheid van die maatskaplike bestel en samehorigheid in Suid-Afrika se informele ekonomie

Autor: Schenck, Rinie, Blaauw, Derick
Jazyk: afrikánština
Rok vydání: 2018
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Zdroj: Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe, Volume: 58, Issue: 1, Pages: 36-55, Published: JAN 2018
Popis: Dagloners is werklose mense, meestal mans, wat 'n poging aanwend om 'n inkomste te verdien deur hul arbeid en vaardighede in 'n arbeidsmark langs die pad of by 'n kruising te verkoop. Die groeiende aantal dagloners wat 'n lewe uit informele indiensname maak, is 'n duidelike teken dat Suid-Afrika nie die werkloses in die arbeidsmark kan absorbeer nie - veral nie die laag- en ongeskoolde arbeiders nie. Om in die informele ekonomie te oorleef en 'n bestaan te maak, impliseer n onsekere inkomste en bestaan. Hierdie nasionale studie is in twee fases uitgevoer. Tydens 'n verkenningsfase het die outeurs n landwye verkenning in 2005 en 2006 onderneem. Dit het 'n geskatte aantal dagloners in Suid-Afrika van tussen 45 000 en 50 000 opgelewer. Die tweede fase van die studie het bestaan uit die ontwerp van die vraelys, die opstel van die steekproef vir die gevallestudie asook die uiteindelike veldwerk. Die steekproef is saamgestel proporsioneel tot die aantal dagloners wat in die geïdentifiseerde stede en dorpe aanwesig was tydens die eerste fase van die projek. Die outeurs het van bondelsteekproefneming en sneeubalsteekproefneming gebruik gemaak om te verseker dat die dagloners in stedelike en landelike gebiede nie onder- of oorverteenwoordig word nie. Die opleiding van die veldwerkers het deeglike aandag geniet en die veldwerk self het van Februarie 2007 tot November 2008 geduur, waartydens 3 830 onderhoude gevoer is. Alle etiese oorwegings het ook deeglike aandag ten tye van die navorsing geniet. Die doel van die artikel is om die sosio-ekonomiese profiel van dagloners in Suid-Afrika te beskryf as 'n gevallestudie wat illustreer watter druk op die maatskaplike samehorigheid van die gesinne en gemeenskappe in die informele ekonomie geplaas word. Daar word in besonder aandag gegee aan die sosio-ekonomiese omstandighede van die dagloners en die beleids- en institusionele maatreëls wat ingestel moet word om ondersteuning aan die dagloners te kan bied, sodat samehorigheid bevorder kan word en nie bedreig word, soos tans die geval is nie. The concepts social fabric and social cohesion refer to complex and interdependent systems that exist in a community. Social cohesion includes aspects such as the level ofrespect people have for each other, people's experiences of belonging, identification with the community, identity, their experiences of social justice, and participation. Social cohesion is further evident in the extent that people are accepting each other, taking responsibility for themselves and others and providing safety and security. South Africa's political and racially-based history and the current high poverty and inequality do not provide a conducive context for a cohesive society. This is evident in the high prevalence of poverty, unemployment, crime, substance dependency and the neglect and abuse of women and children. Facilitating a socially cohesive society is high on the agenda of the current government, but the current policy frameworks and institutional structures cannot create a socially cohesive society. Failing to create a socially cohesive South African society is evident in the more than 50 000 day labourers who are standing on the street corners of our cities and towns daily, with the hope to access a job and an income for the day. Day labourers are unemployed people, mostly men, making a living by selling their labour and skills on the street corners of South African cities and towns. The growing number of day labourers who make a living in the informal economy is a clear indication that South Africa cannot absorb the unemployed in the formal economy. In particular, South Africa is unable to accommodate the low-skilled and uneducated labourers in the formal labour market. To make a living and survive in the informal economy imply an insecure existence. The aim of the article is to describe the socio-economic profile of the 3 830 day labourers interviewed during the first national study in South Africa as a case study that illustrates the vulnerability of the social cohesion and social fabric of poor families and communities surviving in the informal economy. The national study was implemented in two phases. The first phase lasted approximately two years, which were spent travelling throughout South Africa to determine on which street corners and open spaces the day labourers are standing in the cities and towns of South Africa. This reconnaissance phase of the study resulted in the estimation that there are at least 50 000 day labourers occupying street corners of South African towns and cities daily. The second, or fieldwork, phase of the research consisted of the completion of3 830 interviews with day labourers throughout South Africa during 2007 and 2008. In this phase, the authors developed the survey instrument, recruited field workers, provided appropriate training and tested the questionnaire. This was followed by the sampling, where a combination of cluster and snowball sampling was used to proportionally represent the research population. A representative sample of approximately 9% enabled meaningful statistical analysis. All ethical principles were adhered to. The questionnaires were completed with the assistance of well-trained fieldworkers who were fluent in the languages spoken by the day labourers. The results of the study show that, given the high unemployment rate and slow economic growth in South Africa, the informal economy and day labouring are here to stay and should be supported with relevant facilitating policies and institutions/structures. Day labouring is furthermore a survivalist strategy and it implies an irregular income. It became clear that the day labourers in general have very low education and skills levels and will not be able to access formal labour in the current economic climate. Day labourers are the result of a vulnerable socially exclusive society. It will remain in an increasingly vulnerable exclusive society if not addressed through the implementation of policies and practices that will enhance social cohesion and strengthen the social fabric of the South African society.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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