D.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Com. (Economics) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

M.Com. (Economics) / The motivation for this study has its origin in the observation that informal sector activities in South Africa had increased significantly since the nineteen-eighties. The initial interest was stimulated by the desire to discover more about the nature and extent of the informal sector, as well as the effects it is having on employment, income generation, policy making and general economic equilibrium. Investigating the occurrence of informal sector activities in the developed countries, the centrally directed economies and the Third World countries led to the conclusion that the different definitions for informal sector activities, the nature of such activities and the reasons why people become involved in such activities, differ from country to country. In South Africa it was observed that the formal sector's inability to create sufficient employment opportunities for all its citizens led to more and more people joining the informal sector. As far as the nature of the informal sector is concerned it was found that a variety of economic activities are being carried out, the most important being trade and hawking. The highest concentration of participants were found in the Natal/KwaZulu area. Marginally more male than female participants were involved in this sector. Most participants were younger than 40 years of age. Participants worked long hours and frequently have to provide a service for seven days a week. Most undertakings were operated solely by the participant or with the assistance of family members, employees are only employed in exceptional cases. participants experienced great problems in obtaining finance and appropriate accommodation. Little research had been done so far to identify and quantify the involvement of Whites in the informal sector...

M.Com. (Economics) / The inability of the formal sector in South Africa to create a sufficient number of employment opportunities for the country's growing economically active population, causes an increase in the size of the informal sector. It is in the informal sector where the unemployed look for earning opportunities in an effort to ensure survival. Three main reasons given for this inability of the formal sector to create a sufficient number of employment opportunities include: high levels of growth in the annual number of new entrants to the labour market; a decrease in the economy's production elasticity of employment; and the high elasticity of substitution between capital and labour ...

D.Com.(Economics) / One of the current most topical aspects of economic activity in South Africa is the growth of the informal sector. In addition, with deregulation becoming a hallmark of government economic policy, local authorities have become increasingly aware of the growth of the informal sector. The aim of this study is to investigate the nature and extent of informal sector activities in the Johannesburg municipal area by means of a questionnaire method of research. After a study of the numerous definitions concerning the informal sector, it was decided that for the purpose of this thesis, the informal sector be defined as: Those businesses that do not conform to a diversity of legal requirements, while the market and price mechanisms determine the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. In Johannesburg, it was observed that the formal sector's inability to create sufficient employment opportunities for all its citizens led to increasing numbers of people becoming involved in the informal sector. As far as the nature of the informal sector is concerned, the survey carried out during August 1991 revealed that diverse types of economic activities are being carried out. The main activities of the informal sector in Johannesburg were found to be: (i) production (such as "furniture makers" and "knitters"); (ii) accommodation (such as sub-letting of land/property or premises); (iii) building construction (such as building contractors and plasterers); (rv) repair services (such as motor repairs, panel beaters and home appliance repairs); (v) retail distribution (such as food vendors and hawkers of fresh produce); (vi) transport (such as the transport of goods and passengers); and (vii) personal services (such as hairdressers and photographers). The most important activity was found to be retail distribution. Disproportionately more male than female entrepreneurs were involved in this sector. Most entrepreneurs were between the ages of 31 and 40 years. These entrepreneurs work long hours and frequently have to provide their services for seven days a week. Most of the undertakings were operated solely by the informal sector entrepreneur, and employees were only employed in exceptional cases. Informal sector entrepreneurs experienced great problems in obtaining finance and licences. Other problems included access to water and electricity. A unique method was developed in order to determine the extent of informal sector activities in Johannesburg. In applying this method it was found that 15,20 percent of the total number of unemployed households in Johannesburg participated in informal sector activities. Having taken account of the findings of the survey conducted in August 1991, the informal sector has an important role to play in the future, especially as an avenue for the employment of those who cannot be accommodated in the formal sector. The greatest challenge facing the Johannesburg City Council is to introduce development measures such as financial assistance, the provision of infrastructure, establishing a development fund, deregulation and training programmes in order to stimulate the expansion of informal sector activities without detrimentally affecting the formal sector activities. Africa is the growth of the informal sector. In addition, with deregulation becoming a hallmark of government economic policy, local authorities have become increasingly aware of the growth of the informal sector. The aim of this study is to investigate the nature and extent of informal sector activities in the Johannesburg municipal area by means of a questionnaire method of research. After a study of the numerous definitions concerning the informal sector, it was decided that for the purpose of this thesis, the informal sector be defined as: Those businesses that do not conform to a diversity of legal requirements, while the market and price mechanisms determine the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. In Johannesburg, it was observed that the formal sector's inability to create sufficient employment opportunities for all its citizens led to increasing numbers of people becoming involved in the informal sector. As far as the nature of the informal sector is concerned, the survey carried out during August 1991 revealed that diverse types of economic activities are being carried out. The main activities of the informal sector in Johannesburg were found to be: (i) production (such as "furniture makers" and "knitters"); (ii) accommodation (such as sub-letting of land/property or premises); (iii) building construction (such as building contractors and plasterers); (iv) repair services (such as motor repairs, panel beaters and home appliance repairs); (v) retail distribution (such as food vendors and hawkers of fresh produce); (vi) transport (such as the transport of goods and passengers); and (vii) personal services (such as hairdressers and photographers). The most important activity was found to be retail distribution. Disproportionately more male than female entrepreneurs were involved in this sector. Most entrepreneurs were between the ages of 31 and 40 years. These entrepreneurs work long hours and frequently have to provide their services for seven days a week. Most of the undertakings were operated solely by the informal sector entrepreneur, and employees were only employed in exceptional cases. Informal sector entrepreneurs experienced great problems in obtaining finance and licences. Other problems included access to water and electricity. A unique method was developed in order to determine the extent of informal sector activities in Johannesburg. In applying this method it was found that 15,20 percent of the total number of unemployed households in Johannesburg participated in informal sector activities. Having taken account of the findings of the survey conducted in August 1991, the informal sector has an important role to play in the future, especially as an avenue for the employment of those who cannot be accommodated in the formal sector. The greatest challenge facing the Johannesburg City Council is to introduce development measures such as financial assistance, the provision of infrastructure, establishing a development fund, deregulation and training programmes in order to stimulate the expansion of informal sector activities without detrimentally affecting the formal sector activities.

This Dissertation is submitted to the Faculty of Architecture, University of the Witwatersnmd, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning. Johannesburg, 1998 / Shortage of resources in South Africa and unbalanced regional and local development for the past decades has almost compelled a paradigm shift in local government planning. South Africa is characterised by disintegration and planning on the bases of racial segregation, thus separating functionally linked settlements and placing them under separate municipalities. [No abstract provided. Information taken from introduction] / MT2017

Thesis (doctoral)--Göteborg University, 2007. / Added t.p. with thesis statement inserted.

Bibliography: leaves 158-177. / The aim of the thesis is to use a particular set of informal sellers in central Cape Town to focus study on aspects of informal sellers that have not previously been given high priority in analysis of the informal economic sector. In so doing, insight into the perceptions of informal sellers (in terms of their work or informal selling situation) and an evaluation of the relationships between informal sellers, the formal sector and government authorities will be gleaned. The work is based on, and extends, data provided by an in-depth Cape Town City Council survey conducted in 1985. The specific objectives of the study are, firstly, to provide comparisons on the number of informal selling outlets over a one year time period. Secondly, to identify and analyse the characteristics and locations of informal selling outlets. Thirdly, to investigate and analyse the operation of the different types of informal selling outlets in some detail. In particular, the backward and forward linkages affecting such outlets will be the focus of attention. In addition, it is intended to establish the attitudes of the formal sector and government authorities towards informal sellers, and vice versa.

AFRIKAANS: Die studie ondersoek die verband tussen huishoudingskuld in Suid-Afrika en finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings en daar is bevind dit is 'n wedersydse, moeilik voorspelbare en nie 'n eenvoudige proses nie, omdat verskeie faktore in die ekonomie dit beïnvloed. Die stand van die ekonomie en veral die persepsie van die verbruiker is belangrike faktore. Geld het 'n evolusie ondergaan en minder tasbaar geword as gevolg van krediet. Dit het beheer daarvan moeilik gemaak. Die koste van krediet is 'n geleentheid vir die Sentrale Bank om beheer oor geldskepping uit te oefen. Monetêre beleid skep 'n effektiewe omgewing vir die ekonomie om te funksioneer. Beleid beheer die vraag en aanbod van geld direk (deur rentekoerse) of indirek ( deur vraag- en aanbodfaktore te manipuleer). Geld in die moderne ekonomie verwys na krediet en veral na krediet van huishoudings. Totale uitstaande krediet van huishoudings, en die samestelling daarvan het oor die afgelope 25 jaar aansienlik verander. Dit toon op 'n verandering in die mag van die Sentrale Bank oor die geldskeppingsproses. Bevolkingswelvaart word gemeet aan die vermoë van huishoudings om inkome te bestee. Finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings is die belangrikste deel van totale besteding in die ekonomie. Suid-Afrika klassifiseer finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings volgens die 1993 Stelsel van Nasionale Rekeninge. Verskille tussen die 1993 en 1968 weergawes sluit verskille in ten opsigte van tipe klassifikasie ( doelwit versus duursaamheid) en tussen werklike finale verbruiksbesteding (finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings plus individuele verbruik deur die owerheid) en finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings. Verskillende teorieë bestaan met betrekking tot die effek van rentekoerse, inflasie en finansiële liberalisering op besteding, verbruik oor die lewensiklus, die verbruiksbestedingsfunksie, die verwantskap tussen inkome en besteding en marginale verbruiksbesteding. Die verloop van finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings in Suid¬Afrika oor die afgelope 25 jaar toon dat die samestelling heelwat verander het soos die ekonomie deur verskillende fases gegaan het. Besteding aan duursame en semi-duursame goedere het toenemend gedaal, terwyl besteding aan veral dienste, skerp gestyg het. Die algemene beskikbaarheid van krediet het veroorsaak dat huishoudings al meer op skuld begin leef het gedurende die negentigs. Die gevolgtrekking is dat, in teenstelling met vroeë bevindings, huishoudings nie noodwendig slegs duursame goedere finansier met krediet nie, maar ook nie-duursame goedere en dienste. Die hoë vlakke van krediet en die koste van krediet, het oor die lang termyn 'n negatiewe effek op besteding. Die verband tussen huishoudingskuld in Suid-Afrika en finale verbruiksbesteding deur huishoudings hang af van die faktore wat bestedingsbesluite deur huishoudings beïnvloed, wat monetêre en fiskale beleid insluit. Die toepassing van monetêre beleid werk deur die transmissiemeganisme, wat deur verskeie kanale werk. Die kredietkanaal bestaan uit die balansstaatkanaal en die bankleningskanaal. Die balansstaatkanaal verduidelik die werking van 'n verandering in monetêre beleid op die welvaart van die bevolking. Die bankleningskanaal werk direk deur rentekoerse en banklenings. Verskillende denkskole ondersteun verskillende kanale. Die endogene/eksogene geld vraagstuk lei tot die gevolgtrekking wat gemaak is, dat die voorraad van kredietgeld altyd vraag-bepaald is en dat die aanbod daarvan slegs indirek deur die Sentrale Bank beheer kan word deur die omstandighede in die geldmark (wat rentekoerse affekteer) te verander. ENGLISH: The study investigates the relationship between household debt in South Africa and final consumption expenditure by households and it was found to be an interrelated, difficult process that is not easy to predict, because various factors in the economy influence both. The most important ones are the state of the economy and the perception of the consumer. Money has evolved into something less tangible as a result of credit. That increased the difficulty of control over it. The cost of credit provided an opportunity to the Central Bank to control the creation of money. Monetary policy creates an efficient environment in which the economy can function. Policy control the supply and demand of money directly (through interest rates) or indirectly (through manipulation of the supply and demand factors). Money in the modem economy means credit and specifically credit of households. Total outstanding credit of households and the composition of credit changed dramatically over the last 25 years. This is an indication of a change in the control of the Central Bank over the money creation process. The wealth of the nation is measured by the ability of households to spend income. Final consumption expenditure by households is the most important part of total consumption in the economy. South Africa classifies final consumption expenditure by households according to the 1993 System of National Accounts. Differences between the 1993 and 1968 versions are with respect to type of classification (purpose versus durability) and between actual final consumption and final consumption expenditure by households. There are different theories regarding the effect of interest rates, inflation, financial liberalisation on consumption, consumption over the life-cycle, the consumption function, the relationship between income and consumption and marginal consumption expenditure. The trend in final consumption expenditure by households in South Africa over the last 25 years shows the changes as a result of the different phases of the economy. Consumption of durable and semi-durable goods have decreased continually, while demand for services increased sharply. Households increasingly financed expenditure with credit during the nineties, being the result of the availability of credit. The conclusion is that households not only finance durable goods with credit but also non-durable goods and services, which is contradictory to previous conclusions. The high levels of credit and the cost of credit have a negative effect on consumption over the long term. The relationship between household debt in South Africa and final consumption expenditure is determined by factors that influence decisions about spending, which include monetary and fiscal policy. The influence of monetary policy can be described through the transmission mechanism, that work through different channels. The credit channel consists of the balance sheet channel and the bank lending channel. The balance sheet channel explains the effect of changes in monetary policy on the wealth of the nation. The bank lending channel work through interest rates and bank loans. Different schools of thought support different channels. The exogenous/endogenous money supply debate lead to the conclusion that the supply of credit money is always demand determined and that control by the Central Bank is indirect through the influence of supply and demand conditions in the money market. / Dissertation (MCom (Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2002. / Economics / unrestricted