scholarly journals Why a special look at women?

1980 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 62-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
Truida Prekel
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Working Women ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
The Social ◽  
Management Positions ◽  
Employment Of Women ◽  
Female Attitudes

Women in employment in South Africa are viewed from four perspectives: The South African economy and its need for capable and skilled people; the employer and existing needs, practices and policies; the social environment at work and at home and typical traditions, misunderstandings, stereotypes and conflicts; and problems generally experienced by working women. Some statistics indicate trends regarding employment of women, also in management positions; the attention of employers is focused on many forms of unconscious, even well-meant discrimination; the role of culture in determining male and female attitudes regarding the roles of women, and the recent polarization of men and women due to extremism and lack of understanding, are discussed. The problems experienced by working women are mostly culture-based, but some are vested in the women themselves, and others in the environment. All these aspects must be understood by women and by employers if the vast potential of women is to be utilized in South Africa.Vroue in die arbeidsmag in Suid-Afrika word vanuit vier oogpunte beskou: Die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie en die behoefte aan bekwame, geskoolde mense; die werkgewer en bestaande behoeftes, praktyk en beleid; die sosiale omgewing by die werk en tuis en tipiese tradisies, wanbegrippe, stereotiepe en konflikte; en probleme wat algemeen deur werkende vroue ondervind word. Sekere statistieke dui neigings in indiensneming van vroue aan, ook in bestuursposte; werkgewers se aandag word gevestig op baie vorms van onbewuste, selfs goed-bedoelde diskriminasie; die rol van kultuur in die bepaling van mans en vroue se houdings oor die rolle van vroue word bespreek, asook die onlangse polarisering van mans en vroue weens ekstremisme en gebrek aan begrip. Die probleme wat werkende vroue ondervind, berus meestal op kultuur, maar sommige le in die vroue self, terwyl ander in die omgewing voorkom. Al hierdie aspekte moet deur vroue en deur werkgewers begryp word as die waardevolle potensiaal van vroue in die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie benut moet word.

EVERYDAY POLITICS AND COLLECTIVE MOBILIZATION AGAINST FOREIGNERS IN A SOUTH AFRICAN SHACK SETTLEMENT

Africa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamlyn Monson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Racial Identities ◽  
Shared Experiences ◽  
The Social ◽  
History Of ◽  
Equal Citizenship

ABSTRACTIn contrast to the tolerant and largely peaceful ‘living politics' of informal settlements, as embodied by the social movement Abahlali baseMjondolo, this article considers a darker side of squatter politics: ‘xenophobic’ mobilization. I show how the historical stratification of citizenship in South Africa remains spatially embedded in longstanding informal settlements, where distinctive repertoires of collective action have been shaped by a (still unfinished) history of struggle for inclusion. Using archival research and interviews conducted in the informal settlements of Atteridgeville, Gauteng, I show how the continuing struggle for equal citizenship draws on shared experiences of mundane hardship and collective labour, giving rise to social distance between established local squatters and politically indifferent foreign newcomers. At times of protest, this polarity is concentrated by and converges with familiar practices of insurgent citizenship, creating a context for mobilization against foreigners. In this sense, ‘xenophobic’ mobilization may be seen to articulate a claim for inclusion by structurally excluded ‘citizens', rather than an exclusionary claim by those who already belong. The article provides a useful counterpoint to readings of ‘xenophobic’ violence that focus on the role of elite discourses, instrumental leaders or crude racial identities in shaping such mobilization.

scholarly journals Rural education: Reimagining the role of the church in transforming poverty in South Africa

2014 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christo Thesnaar
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Rural Education ◽  
South African ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
South African Society ◽  
Johann Baptist Metz ◽  
The Poor ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Church

The desire to remember the plight of the poor in South Africa has reduced in the last 20 years after the transition from apartheid to freedom. To a large extent, Faith Based Organizations (FBOs) and the religious society at large have lost their ‘dangerous memory’ which keeps us mindful of those who suffered and whose plight is usually forgotten or suppressed. In this contribution the conditions of poor farm school children in multigrade rural education will be scrutinised by unpacking the contextual factors that cause us to forget their plight. This article will seek to reimagine the role of the church in poverty-stricken South Africa by engaging with the work of Talcott Parsons, the practical theologian Johannes A. Van der Ven, as well as the work of the political theologian Johann Baptist Metz in order to affirm the focus of Practical Theology to transform society and to contribute to the quest for justice and liberation for the poor in rural education. This reimagining discourse has a fundamental responsibility to challenge the social, political and economic realities that shape the lives of human beings within rural education, remembering the plight of the poor, and participating on their journey towards liberation and healing. It is proposed that if the church can activate its ‘dangerous memory’ it will be able to reimagine its role by transforming our poverty-stricken South African society, open new avenues for breaking the cycle of poverty and contribute to rural education.

Financialization in South Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 1012-1030
Author(s):  
Ewa Karwowski
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
South Africa ◽  
Financial Markets ◽  
South African ◽  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Global South ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Financial Centre ◽  
The Social

Financialization has become a popular concept across the social sciences, usually defined as the increasing role of financial motives, financial markets, financial actors, and financial institutions in the operation of the domestic and international economies. Financialization researchers highlight the detrimental consequences of an excessively large and powerful financial sector on economy and society. In South Africa, financialization has been shaped by its colonial and apartheid past, especially the strong links of South African corporations and banks to the international financial centre of London. Low growth and investment, an outcome of the finance-led accumulation regime, have also resulted in the continuity of extreme inequality and high levels of unemployment. In the Global South, financialization mainly affects emerging economies since they possess relatively developed financial markets in comparison to poorer countries. South Africa is the only African economy for which there is a substantial financialization literature. In comparison to other emerging economies, South Africa is relatively strongly financialized as stock market capitalization is extremely high, making Johannesburg one of the top financial centres in the Global South. Furthermore, financial inflows into the country are comparatively large, JSE-listed companies are well integrated into global value chains and household debt is high.

The Social Economy and Role of Government in South Africa

2019 ◽  
pp. 943-955
Author(s):  
O. E. Okeke-Uzodike ◽  
Mogie Subban
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
The South ◽  
Global Recession ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact

Social economy, as a relatively new concept, is considered the ‘third sector' of the economy in government discourse. It plays significant roles in socio-economic and political spheres of any nation. Emphasis on social economy has been as a result of the global recession which caused economic depression in several countries all over the world. In South Africa, the impact of the economic recession has reflected mostly in increased unemployment and poverty levels resulting in maximization of discrepancies between the rich and poor with inequalities, creating disenabling environments for foreign investments. These social problems have called for an examination of the role of the social economy in liberating the South African economy from its current dire state. This chapter on tracing the developmental agenda of the South African government, will examine how the social economy has fed into the National Development Plan and the impact of implementation of government policies and regulatory frameworks to ensure achievement of various national imperatives aligned to the Millennium Development Goals in the context of the social economy. The authors state that whilst there is a growing trend towards the social economy in the current context of government, multi-faceted effects of poverty needs to be targeted through robust entrepreneurial opportunities for growth and development of the economy.

The Social Economy and Role of Government in South Africa

2016 ◽  
pp. 227-239
Author(s):  
O. E. Okeke-Uzodike ◽  
Mogie Subban
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Social Economy ◽  
The South ◽  
Global Recession ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact

Social economy, as a relatively new concept, is considered the ‘third sector' of the economy in government discourse. It plays significant roles in socio-economic and political spheres of any nation. Emphasis on social economy has been as a result of the global recession which caused economic depression in several countries all over the world. In South Africa, the impact of the economic recession has reflected mostly in increased unemployment and poverty levels resulting in maximization of discrepancies between the rich and poor with inequalities, creating disenabling environments for foreign investments. These social problems have called for an examination of the role of the social economy in liberating the South African economy from its current dire state. This chapter on tracing the developmental agenda of the South African government, will examine how the social economy has fed into the National Development Plan and the impact of implementation of government policies and regulatory frameworks to ensure achievement of various national imperatives aligned to the Millennium Development Goals in the context of the social economy. The authors state that whilst there is a growing trend towards the social economy in the current context of government, multi-faceted effects of poverty needs to be targeted through robust entrepreneurial opportunities for growth and development of the economy.

scholarly journals The Emerging Role of the Constitutional Value of Ubuntu for Informal Social Security in South Africa

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clarence I. Tshoose
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Security ◽  
South African ◽  
Crucial Role ◽  
Social Protection ◽  
South African Context ◽  
Family Solidarity ◽  
The Social ◽  
African Context

AbstractThis paper explores the significance of the African value of ubuntu within the context of social protection. The paper argues that ubuntu as a constitutional value plays a crucial role in supporting the existence of informal social security in South Africa. It concludes by reflecting the overarching potential that the traditional African value has for influencing the social protection and enhancing family solidarity in the South African context.

scholarly journals The role of ‘intermediaries’ in brokering training and building social compacts: Can sector skills authorities perform these roles?

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
André Kraak
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Training System ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Modus Operandi ◽  
Finance Management ◽  
Social Compact ◽  
The Social ◽  
System 1

This article focuses on the modus operandi of the sector education and training authorities (SETAs) in South Africa – seen by many critics of the training system as largely driven by the regulatory pressures of financial compliance imposed on public-sector organisations by the all-powerful Public Finance Management Act 29 of 1999 (PFMA). The article proposes an alternative modus operandi, one informed by the literature on ‘intermediaries’, where the main function of such intermediary organisations is not financial compliance but the strategic ‘brokering’ of training compacts. The article first outlines the role of the SETAs and the problems with a compliance mode of working. In explaining the alternative of intermediation, the discussion considers some best practices of intermediation in South Africa, but concludes that such practices are not fully diffused across the entire training system. Why diffusion is so poor is revealed through interviews with leaders in the training system.1 The analysis concludes on a positive note, arguing that the ‘social compact’ politics being emphasised by the new South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, could usher in a more conducive environment for brokering training and job compacts.

ROLE OF LIBRARIANS IN TEACHING INFORMATION LITERACY IN ZIMBABWEAN AND SOUTH AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Mousaion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tinashe Mugwisi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Information Literacy ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
University Libraries ◽  
Information And Communications Technologies ◽  
Communications Technologies ◽  
Information Skills ◽  
The University

Information and communications technologies (ICTs) and the Internet have to a large extent influenced the way information is made available, published and accessed. More information is being produced too frequently and information users now require certain skills to sift through this multitude in order to identify what is appropriate for their purposes. Computer and information skills have become a necessity for all academic programmes. As libraries subscribe to databases and other peer-reviewed content (print and electronic), it is important that users are also made aware of such sources and their importance. The purpose of this study was to examine the teaching of information literacy (IL) in universities in Zimbabwe and South Africa, and the role played by librarians in creating information literate graduates. This was done by examining whether such IL programmes were prioritised, their content and how frequently they were reviewed. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 12 university libraries in Zimbabwe and 21 in South Africa. A total of 25 questionnaires were returned. The findings revealed that IL was being taught in universities library and non-library staff, was compulsory and contributed to the term mark in some institutions. The study also revealed that 44 per cent of the total respondents indicated that the libraries were collaborating with departments and faculty in implementing IL programmes in universities. The study recommends that IL should be an integral part of the university programmes in order to promote the use of databases and to guide students on ethical issues of information use.

scholarly journals Truth and reconciliation in South Africa: Hindu experiences and concerns

2004 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P.G.J. Meiring
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Faith Communities ◽  
The South ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Hindu Community ◽  
The Way

The author who served on the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), focuses on the Hindu experience in South Africa during the apartheid years. At a special TRC Hearing for Faith Communities (East London, 17-19 November 1997) two submissions by local Hindu leaders were tabled. Taking his cues from those submissions, the author discusses four issues: the way the Hindu community suffered during these years, the way in which some members of the Hindu community supported the system of apartheid, the role of Hindus in the struggle against apartheid, and finally the contribution of the Hindu community towards reconciliation in South Africa. In conclusion some notes on how Hindus and Christians may work together in th

Ethnicity and Voting Patterns in South Africa

1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 458-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henry Lever
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Categorical Data ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Party Choice ◽  
Political Choices ◽  
Electoral Behaviour ◽  
Log Linear ◽  
Published Research

There is some controversy concerning the role of ethnicity in South African electoral behaviour. Since the society is segmented on ethnic lines it is to be expected that ethnicity would play a crucial role in affecting political choices. Some writers have gone so far as to suggest that ethnicity is the only significant factor affecting voting preferences. The controversy arose at a time when Goodman's method of log-linear analysis for hierarchical models had not yet been developed. This method provides the most powerful tool available for the multivariate analysis of categorical data. A re-analysis of previously published research using Goodman's method shows that ethnicity is not the only significant factor having a bearing on voting preferences. The first four-way table of voting preferences in South Africa is presented. The order of importance of the variables affecting party choice is: (1) ethnicity (2) socio-economic status (3) age of the voter. The recursive model suggested by the analysis explains approximately 98 per cent of the data.

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