Women’s narratives of everyday precarity in the Mangaung township (Bloemfontein, South Africa)
Abstract
English: Twenty years into South Africa’s new dispensation, poverty and unemployment
remain a reality. Perpetuated by poor service delivery, the limited economic
opportunities continue to disproportionately affect and marginalise the lower socioeconomic
classes and those areas where they reside. “Black” African women, in
particular those with minimal schooling (unskilled and semi-skilled), suffer most from
these social illsand yet many are able to survive under precarious living conditions.
The majority of “Black” African women are characterised by oppression,
discrimination and exploitation, especially those who are unskilled and semi-skilled
and who also had limited educational opportunities. In addition, these women inherit
the weakened family structures created and caused to a great extent by years of
apartheid rule where the presence and contributions of male members were slowly
eroded by the migrant labour system and the creation of artificial areas where
“Black” Africans had to reside and where a variety of laws undermined the
development of the “Black” African population. Up until today, most “Black” African
women are completely unemployed and many are dependent on social grants and
informal employment or hand-outs to secure a living. Most of these women find
themselves fulfilling multiple roles of both the “breadwinner” and “managers” of their
households given the absence of their children’s fathers in their lives.
Using a narrative inquiry, this research report delves into the precarious life-worlds of
African women from the Mangaung township in Bloemfontein. It explores how these
womensurvive with their limited and erratic sources of income which is often not
sufficient to sustain all the dependents. It further demonstrates how these women
cope and manage the sometimes strenuous and challenging execution of multiple
roles.
Through their narratives of everyday life experiences, the philosophy of
Ubuntu/Botho, and its value and importance is brought to the fore. Their ability to
cope and survive in their unpredictable and insecure reality is through the reciprocal
help from individuals who form part of their social support. Hope and faith resonate in
the lives of these women as they continue to aspire and dream of their escape and
that of their children from this precarious reality. Similarly doubt and fear of the
unknown lingers on. Death and deprivation are constant realities of this precarious
living. Afrikaans: TwintigjaarnaSuid-Afrika se nuwebedelingblyarmoedeenwerkloosheid ‘n
werklikheid.Verergerdeurswakdienslewering,
beperkteekonomiesegeleenthedeaffekteer nog steeds die laersosioekonomieseklasseen
die areas
waarhullewoonsodathullebuiteverhoudinggemarginaliseerenbenadeel word. “Swart”
Suid-Afrikaansevroue, veraldié met minimaleopvoeding (ongeskooldeen semigeskooldevroue)
ly die meesteonderhierdiemaatskaplikeeuwels, maar tog
blyhullevoortbestaantemidde van hierdiehaglikelewensomstandighede.
Die meerderheid van “swart” Suid-Afrikaansevroue se lewens word
gekenmerkdeuronderdrukking, diskriminasieenuitbuiting, veraldiéwatongeskool of
semi-geskool is, enwatookbeperkteopvoedkundigegeleenthedegehad het. Verder het
hierdievroue die verswaktefamiliestrukture van vroeërgeslagtegeërf;
strukturewatgrootliksgeskepenveroorsaak is deurjare se apartheids-bewind, waar die
teenwoordigheidenbydraes van manlike familieledegeleidelikweggekalwe is deur die
trekarbeid-sisteemen die kunsmatigeskepping van areas waarin “swart” burgers
verplig is om tebly, enwaarverskeiewette die ontwikkeling van die “swart”
bevolkingondermyn het. Baie “swart” vroueisnogsteedswerkloos, enbaie is afhanklik
van maatskapliketoelaeseninformelewerksgeleenthede of “hand-outs”
omhulledaaglikse brood teverdien. Die meeste van
hierdievrouemoetverskeierollevul, veraldiévan "broodwinner" en "bestuurder " van
hulhuishoudings, gegewe die afwesigheid van hulkinders se vaders in hullewens.
Deurmiddel van ‘n vertellings-benadering, het hierdienavorsingsverslag in die
haglikelewenswêrelde van Afrikaan-vroue van die Mangaung-township in
Bloemfontein ingedelf. Die verslagontdek hoe hierdievroue met
hulbeperkteenonvoorspelbarebronne van inkomsteoorleef, ‘n
inkomstewatdikwelsnievoldoende is om al hulafhanklikesteonderhounie.
Verderdemonstreerdit hoe hierdievroueditregkryomdikwelsuitdagende,
veelvuldigerolleuittevoerentehanteer.
Deurhulverhale van alledaagselewenservarings, word die filosofie van Ubuntu/Botho,
ensywaardeenbelangrikheid, navoregebring. Hulvermoëomaantegaanenteoorleeftemidde van
hulonvoorspelbareenonsekerewerklikheid word bewerkstelligdeurwedersydsehulp
van individuewatdeel van hulsosialeondersteuningsnetwerkvorm. Hoop
engeloofresoneer in die lewens van
hierdievroueterwylhullevoortgaanomtestreefentedroom van hulontsnappingendié van
hulkindersuithierdiehaglikewerklikheid. So ookblytwyfelenvreesvir die
onbekendetalm. Doodenontberingblyvoortdurendewerklikhede in
hierdieonsekerelewensomstandighede .