Domestic service constitutes one of the largest sources of employment for black women in South Africa. Yet it is a largely unstudied occupation. There has been no previous investigation of domestic workers in the Eastern Cape, and to date only two comprehensive studies of domestic workers in other areas of South Africa. This neglect is significant, for such inquiry involves questioning the accepted pattern of inequalities on which the entire social order is based.

This two-part study evaluates a government sponsored Long Term Care Aide/ESL Program taken by a group of immigrant women. The purpose of the first part of the study was to assess how effective a B.C. government sponsored Long Term Care Aide/ESL program was in preparing a group of immigrant women for the workplace. A questionnaire was used to determine demographics and employment status. Also, it obtained perceptions on the strengths and weaknesses of the program. The purpose of the second part of this study was to hear the women's personal insights and voices about their experiences while taking the program and after the program. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain these stories. Results from the quantitative questionnaire indicated that 94% of the immigrant women who had taken this course were employed as care aides. Three years after the completion this program, the women felt that the course had provided them with both a vocational skill and more English language skills. Results from the qualitative portion of this paper focused on how the women felt about their experiences in this Long Term Care Aide/ESL program in their own words. The data were analyzed and put into themes. Theme 1 was "The pain of renewal". It presented their collective stories of being an immigrant and struggling to begin again. Theme 2 was "The costs and the benefits". This theme presented the women's insights on working as care aides. Most of the women liked their jobs but found trying to secure a full time job difficult. Theme 3 was "The need to learn the language of care". All the women interviewed wanted to have more "caring" language, the "everyday" language to relate to their clients. Theme 4 was "Advice to other immigrant women". This theme revealed how some women felt about the work they did. The last theme, Theme 5, was "Hopes and dreams". Half of the women interviewed had aspirations to continue their education and these women were already enrolled in other health care courses. The results of the study are discussed and implications are drawn for research and pedagogy. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since 1994 the new ANC led South African Government has introduced a number of policies that have been aimed at promoting equality in all spheres of life including the employment sector. Forming an important part of these policies has been the upliftment of women who were severely discriminated against under the former Apartheid government. But in recent years uncertainty has risen over whether white women should be included in these upliftment policies. The research problem this thesis tries to address consists of two related problems. Firstly inconsistency seems to exist between the government's two different upliftment policies namely Affirmative Action and Transformation with regards to the inclusion of white women. The second problem is that inconsistency exists between people's opinions over whether white women should be included in policies aimed at promoting equality in the employment sector. This thesis used both qualitative and quantitative methods to address the research problem. With regards to the first problem this thesis studied Affirmative Action legislation the most important being the Employment Equity Act as well government's Transformation policies the most important being the Black Economic Empowerment Act in order to identify the inconsistencies that exist between the two. In order to address the second problem this thesis studies the qualitative arguments of academics for and against the inclusion of white women in Affirmative action. Two case studies are also included which identify the experiences of African and white women in the employment sector under Affirmative Action. Once this is done this thesis moves onto a quantitative method of measurment by study the results of the Markinor M-Bus survey conducted in 2004 in order to identify the opinions of the general South African population with regards to the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action. The results of the M-Bus survey is also used to test the hypotheses introduced in this thesis. These hypotheses aim at identifying whether demographic variables affect South African's opinions on the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action. Six demographic variables were studied namely race, gender, political party support, education, income and age. This thesis clearly finds that Affirmative Action and Black Economic Empowerment do not correspond with each other with regards to the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action. While this thesis identifies that tension exists between academics supporting the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action and those opposing it, it argues that it is difficult to discem which group is right especially when this thesis tries to maintain an objective position. After studying the results of the M-Bus survey this thesis finds that overall the general South African population is seen to oppose the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action. After testing the hypotheses this thesis also finds that age and gender do not affect South African's opinions with regards to the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action. They therefore do not play the role of independent variables. Education, income, political party support and race are found to play the role of independent variables. This thesis argues that these four demographic variables are all components forming a larger composite independent variable in the study. This thesis also argues that some of these demographic variables may play the role of more significant independent variables than others. Race is argued as being possibly the most significant independent variable within this composite independent variable affecting income, political party and education. It is also seen to affect gender and age. Education is also argued by this thesis as possibly being a more signi ficant independent variable than income and political party support. This thesis concludes by arguing that education could possibly replace race in the future as the most significant independent variable which affects the opinions of South Africans with regards to the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action. This would have a positive affect it could narrow the racial cleavage existing between race groups in South Africa today. This thesis also concludes by arguing that the inconsistency that exists between Affirmative Action and the Government's Transformation policies as well as the polarization of opinions between South Africans with regards to the inclusion of white women in Affirmative Action has a negative affect on democratic consolidation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert 1994 het die nuwe Suid-Afrikaanse regenng, onder leiding van die ANC, verskeie nuwe beleide in werking gestel wat daarop gemik is om gelykheid in alle sfere van die samelewing te bevorder, insluitende die indiensneming-sektor. 'n Belangrike deel van hierdie beleide is die opheffing van vroue, teen wie daar swaar gediskrimineer was tydens die Apartheid regering se bewind. Daar het egter in die onlangse verlede onsekerheid onstaan oor die insluiting van blanke vroue in hierdie opheffingsbeleide. Die navorsingsprobleem wat deur hierdie tesis aangespreek word bestaan uit twee verwante probleme. Eerstens blyk dit dat daar 'n teenstrydigheid bestaan tussen die regering se twee opheffingsbeleide, Regstellende Aksie en Transformasie, wat die insluiting van blanke vroue betref. Die tweede probleem is die meningsverskil wat bestaan in die openbare mening oor die insluiting van blanke vroue in beleide wat daarop gemik is om gelykheid te bevorder in die indiensneming-sektor. Hierdie tesis het kwalitatiewe sowel as kwantitatiewe metodes gebruik om die navorsingsprobleem aan te spreek. Met betrekking tot die eerste probleem, het hierdie tesis die Regstellende Aksie wetgewing, wat die Wet op Gelyke Indiensneming sowel as die regering se Transformasie beleide, waarvan die Wets op Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging die belangrikste is, bestudeer om die teenstrydighede wat tussen die twee is te identifiseer. Kwalitatiewe argumente, vir en teen die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie, word bestudeer om die tweede probleem aan te spreek. Twee gevalle studies word ook ingesluit wat die ervarings van swart vroue en blanke vroue in die indiensneming-sektor onder Regstellende Aksie identifiseer. Wanneer dit afgehandel is, beweeg die tesis na 'n kwantitatiewe metode van meting deur die resultate van die Markinor M-Bus meningsopname, wat in 2004 plaasgevind het, om die algemene Suid-Afrikaanse publiek se opinies met betrekking tot die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie te peil. Die resultate van die M-Bus meningsopname word ook gebruik om die hipoteses wat deur hierdie tesis aangebied word te toets. Hierdie hipoteses mik daarna om uit te vind of demografiese veranderlikes Suid-Afrikaners se menings oor die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie beïnvloed. Ses demografiese veranderlikes word bestudeer, naamlik ras, geslag, ondersteuning van 'n politieke party, opvoeding, inkomste en ouderdom. Daar word duidelik bevind dat Regstellende Aksie en Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtiging nie met mekaar korrespondeer ten opsigte van die insluiting van blanke vrouens in Regstellende Aksie nie. Terwyl hierdie tesis die spanning tussen akademici wat die insluiting van blanke vroue steun en die wat daarteen gekant is erken, stel dit voor dat dit moeilik is om vas te stel watter groep reg is, veral wanneer daar gepoog word om 'n objektiewe beskouing te handhaaf. Namate die resultate van die M-Bus meningsopname bestudeer is, vind hierdie tesis dat die algemene Suid-Afrikaanse publiek gekant is teen die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie. Nadat die hipoteses getoets is, vind hierdie tesis dat ouderdom en geslag nie Suid- Afrikaners se menings oor die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie beïnvloed nie. Geslag en ouderdom speel daarom nie die rol van onafhanklike veranderlikes nie. Opvoeding, inkomste, ondersteuning van 'n politieke party en ras speel wel die rol van onafhanklike veranderlikes. Hierdie tesis voer aan dat hierdie vier demografiese veranderlikes almal komponente vorm van a groter, saamgestelde onafhanklike veranderlike. Verder word daar aangevoer dat sommige van hierdie demografiese veranderlikes 'n belangriker rol as ander mag speel. Ras word voorgestel as die mees belangrike onafhanklike veranderlike binne hierdie saamgestelde veranderlike, wat inkomste, ondersteuning van politieke party en opvoeding beïnvloed. Dit blyk ook dat geslag en ouderdom beïnvloed word. Daar word ook aangevoer dat opvoeding moontlik 'n belangriker onafhanklike veranderlike is as inkomste en ondersteuning van 'n politieke party. Die tesis word afgesluit met die argument dat opvoeding in die toekoms ras as die mees belangrike onafhanklike veranderlike kan vervang betreffende die invloed op menings van Suid-Afrikaners ten opsigte van die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie. Dit sal 'n positiewe invloed hê in die sin dat dit die rasseverdeeldheid wat steeds in Suid-Afrika heers kan verminder. Verder kom hierdie tesis tot die gevolgtrekking dat die teenstrydighede wat tussen Regstellende Aksie en Swart Ekonomiese Bemagtinging bestaan sowel as die polarisasie onder Suid- Afrikaners se menings ten opsigte van die insluiting van blanke vroue in Regstellende Aksie, 'n negatiewe uitwerking op demokratiese konsolidasie het.

The dissertation examines the coping strategies of women curio sellers of the Durban Beachfront. In order to know the coping strategies employed the study looked at the problems that the curio sellers face. The understanding of the women's coping strategies by the service providers while addressing the needs of the curio sellers was also examined. The Fieldwork was conducted at the Durban Beachfront among a total of 35 women drawn through the accidental and snowball sampling techniques. Findings: Women curio sellers experience problems related to recognition of their work, capitaVcredit, shelter, accommodation, crime and laws that impede their business operations. Though these problems are quite crippling, women are not entirely helpless. They cope. The coping strategies of the curio sellers are both individual and collective. The individual coping strategies are used to deal with immediate problems and the collective strategies are used to tackle problems that women would not resolve as individuals. The collective efforts are transfonnative in that they seek to change women's position. The effectiveness of the coping strategies is demonstrated by the number of women that employ them and the gains made by using the strategies. Through collective coping strategies women have been able to get the authorities to act on the problems they face such as crime, shelter and accommodation. Coping strategies have implications for participation in endeavours to resolve the problems faced by the curio sellers. The service providers are aware of the problems faced by the women and some of the coping strategies that the traders employ. The service providers have made efforts to resolve the problems of the women but these efforts have not been fruitful. Women's coping strategies appear not to have been taken into consideration and their participation has not featured much in the planning and implementation of the programmes aimed at assisting them. For development programmes to be effective and sustainable, women's coping strategies need to be taken into account in the planning and implementation of development programmes. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

This study investigated Black African female psychologists’ lived experiences of career development. The purpose was to describe the influences of the community on the career development of Black female psychologists. It also aimed to explore the challenges and successes of these women’s career lives in order to generate knowledge to understand Black female psychologists’ career development dynamics. This qualitative study was informed by narrative/hermeneutic approaches and Black feminist thought frameworks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Black African female psychologists. Results show that Black African female psychologists faced numerous challenges such as lack of family and community support in some cases; limited understanding of psychology in their communities and health sectors, as well as financial problems and discourses of inferiority throughout their professional training. The lack of relevance of their academic training to the multicultural society, in which they have to practise, was emphasised. The intersection of gender, race and class was evident in most of the narratives. The role of emotion and spirituality in the career development of some of the participants was highlighted. The results are discussed in relation to the literature. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2010.

"One of the central tenets of critical approaches to social science is that we should not only understand society theory), but use such understanding as a basis for a programme of action (practice) to change society, change...is only possible through an endless cycle of theory and practice. The feminist approach changes and deepens our analysis" (IBG Women's Group 1984:38). A fundamental issue for planners and planning is the question of 'development.' how does it occur, for whom, and with what result? One of the South Africa State's policies which is couched in development terms is that of Industrial Decentralization. This policy is having an impact on both the organization and the location of industry. In this thesis we explore the significance of gender-relations and the geography of gender relations in the reorganization of industry and employment. Our specific orientation is towards drawing the links between gender and industrial decentralization and in order to do this we look at life experiences in Isithebe, an industrial decentralization point in KwaZulu near Stanger. Below we outline the contents of each chapter. The choice of structure and the reasons behind it are discussed in the section on Methodology in Part 1. In brief the process moves from women's personal experience of life (part 2) in Isithebe to the broader social context of this experience (Part 3). / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal,Durban, 1986.

This thesis describes the casualisation of teachers' work (in Greater Durban) during the period of the democratic transition in South Africa. It provides evidence that contract teaching exists among men and women teachers employed in primary and secondary schools. These teachers are relegated to the secondary labour market with low income, poorer working conditions and lack of job security. It begins by adopting an electic theoretical approach, combining labour process and interactionist theories, to understand teachers' work. From this eclectic theoretical perspective, it is argued that contract teachers control and influence over their work is considerably eroded by the casualisation of the teaching labour process. However, unlike existing international studies, it is argued that casualisation of teaching in the Durban area serves not only as a deskilling process for most contract teachers but also as a re-skilling process for a few. Furthermore, this study shows that contract teaching has a gendered dimension. Not only because women teachers are mostly affected by casualisation of teaching but that it tends to relegate women to the primary school system where they teach young children. It is therefore argued that the casualisation of teaching extends women's mothering role into the classroom. The historical basis for casualisation of teaching, in South Africa, especially its gender dimension is a result of the 'Marriage Bar 'of 1912, the legacy of the Bantu Education system and the non-standardisation of teachers' qualifications until the 1980s, as well as the education policy flux during the period of political transition. Because contract teaching has existed over a long period, it has to be acknowledged as a sub-category of the national teaching corps. This means that the contribution of contract teachers towards the formation and transformation of the capacity to learn should not only be recognised and accordingly rewarded by education authorities but that casualisation of teaching should constitute an area for further academic research. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of Natal, 1998.

Relationships between „madams‟ and „maids‟ have been the subject of various South African works, detailing the lives of domestic workers and their daily struggles. This study however aims to turn the focus on the madam and questions the complex intimacy at work between her and her maid. It is this intricate association between „madam‟ and „maid,‟ as well as the context of the home, which creates a site for a unique personal relationship that extends beyond the constraints of the working contract. In order to investigate this relationship, I explore the preconceived notions Muslim madams of North Beach have when recruiting the ideal domestic worker as well as the way everyday life between madams and maids shapes their relationship. In demonstrating the types of relationships and levels of intimacy between them, this thesis focuses on three aspects of everyday life between Muslim madams and maid. Firstly, I explore the „home‟ as a contradictory location – being both a private space for the employer and a workspace for the maid, paying particular attention to the creation of boundaries and negotiations of space within the home. The second key aspect I examine is the extent to which religion influences the relationship between madam and maid. Religion is a thread running through this thesis as a determining factor in the recruitment of a domestic worker and a way in which space is produced. Thirdly, I discuss the sharing of gender between madam and maid and the question of „sisterhood‟ between them. These are underlying elements of the types of relationships between madam and maid which, I argue are characterised by levels of cultivated intimacy. The project is based on the qualitative results gathered from 20 in-depth interviews with Muslim madams, two focus groups and five key informant interviews with domestic workers. My thesis contributes to the existing research exploring the relationships between madams and maids and opens further avenues for research. It demonstrates that there are key elements besides race and class that shape the relationships between madam and maid, which contribute to levels of cultivated intimacy between them. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sci.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.

Thesis (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates whether black women in senior management positions with decision-making authority have had an impact on the newsrooms of the Cape Town newspapers Die Burger, the supplement Jip, community newspaper MetroBurger, the Cape Times, the Cape Argus, the Weekend Argus and the Southern Mail, one title of the Cape Community Newspapers. Labour legislation promulgated in South Africa in 1994 means companies have to employ human resources equitably in keeping with the racial demographics of each province. Given the historical background of the South African media and the fact that it is almost 10 years after the first democratic elections in this country, what new paths have black South African women journalists forged for new journalists? This study focuses on the role of black women with regard to decisionmaking at the aforementioned newspapers. During the course of this study, 5 of the 6 women respondents have resigned from their positions. Other findings are that the editors generally have limited knowledge of the responsibilities of the women in this study. The editors have also indicated that no changes have been made or will be made to the job descriptions of the women, while the women have indicated that there have, indeed, been changes to their job descriptions. These changes have related to editorial and non-editorial responsibilities. While no training plans have been set out specifically for the women respondents, most of them have indicated they wanted more training opportunities. Most of the women respondents have indicated higher remuneration and job satisfaction as being the main reasons for resigning. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie ondersoek die impak wat swart vroue in senior bestuursposisies met besluitnemingsgesag gehad het op die nuuskantore van die volgende Kaapse koerante: Die Burger, die Jip bylae, die MetroBurger gemeenskapskoerant, die Cape Times, die Cape Argus, die Weekend Argus en die Southern Mail, een titel in die Cape Community Newspapers-stal. Arbeidswetgewing wat in 1994 in Suid-Afrika gepromulgeer is, beteken maatskappye moet menslike hulpbronne in diens neem op 'n regverdige basis en in oorenstemming met die rasse-demografie van elke provinsie. Gegewe die historiese agtergrond van die Suid-Afrikaanse media en die feit dat dit bykans 10 jaar is ná die eerste demokratiese verkiesing, watter nuwe paaie het Suid-Afrikaanse vrouejoernaliste gebaan vir nuwe joernaliste? Die studie fokus op die rol van swart vroue met betrekking tot die besluitnemingsproses in die genoemde koerante. Gedurende die studie het vyf van die ses respondente bedank. Ander bevindinge is dat redakteurs in die algemeen 'n beperkte kennis het van die verantwoordelikhede van die vroue wat deelgeneem het aan die studie. Die redakteurs het ook aangedui dat geen veranderings gemaak is of gemaak gaan word aan die posbeskrywings van die vroue nie, terwyl die vroue aangedui het dat daar wel veranderings aan hul posbeskrywings gemaak is. Hierdie veranderings was verwant aan redaksionele en nie-redaksionele verantwoordelikhede. Terwyl geen opleiding spesifiek uitgewys is vir respondente in hierdie studie nie, het die meeste van hulle aangedui dat hulle meer opleidingsgeleenthede sou wou hê. Die meeste respondente het ook aangedui dat die hoofredes vir hul bedanking beter salarisse en werksbevredeging is.