Wits School of Governance (ETDs)

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    The socio-economic effect ofcovid-19 on households in Epworth, Harare
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Mashatise, Memory Tinotenda; Pillay, Pundy
    This research report explores how COVID-19 impacted households on a socioeconomic level. Epworth, a peri-urban suburb of Harare, was the study's research location. This study focuses on the Southern African context, where social distancing and lockdowns implemented by governments in order to curb the spread ofthe COVID-19 pandemic in the year(s) 2020, 2021, as well as 2022. Most specifically,the government of Zimbabwe, being the government, this study focuses on implemented measures that had persistent negative socioeconomic effect on households by disrupting livelihoods, businesses, and other sources of income. Sucheffects were not only experienced during COVID-19, but also in the after of the pandemic. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs was utilized as a theoretical foundation to frame the research in examining how the COVID-19 epidemic affected Epworth households. The premise of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs theory emphasizes the value of human needs and how implemented regulations led to scenarios where citizens lost opportunities for economic survival and stability for their individual and households' material well-being. Consequently, such a crucial point is well placed within Maslow's identified need for safety, and security. Literature reviewed specified that the weakened economy and social problems in Zimbabwe, such as unemployment, poverty, inadequate healthcare, and a lack of supplies for COVID-19 treatment, predominantly exacerbated the pandemic's adverse effects. Semi- structured interviews with 15 breadwinners in Epworth aged 18 to 64 were used for qualitative research. After interview transcription, the data was examined through thematic analysis. The findings of the research demonstrated the need for better access to essential services in the sense that the majority of individuals experienced restricted access to such services as a result of implemented lockdowns. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic's detrimental effects on people's freedom of association, mobility, people began adopting strategies including returning to live with relatives and lowering expenses. Furthermore, self-employed and employed people were found to have been severely affected by the outbreak of the pandemic. To support youth, notably breadwinners for children whose parents lost their lives and jobs due to COVID-19 effects, It is recommended that that the business sector and government authorities ought to create economic opportunities. Lastly, it is ii recommended that breadwinners diversify their sources of income.
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    The Contribution of Non-Governmental Organisations to the Fight against Poverty in Chegutu District, Zimbabwe
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2022) Kabonga, Itai; Moyo, Bhekinkosi; McCandless, Erin
    The study explored the contribution of NGOs to the fight against poverty from an assetaccumulation perspective. The research was motivated by the paucity of studies in Zimbabwe examining NGOs and poverty reduction from an asset accumulation perspective. The reality in Chegutu District reflects asset challenges emanating from income struggles, vulnerability to economic shocks and infrastructural shortages. Some of the problems are caused by politics and broader poor governance practices in the district and country at large. The study deployed a qualitative approach; given the goal of capturing NGOs’ beneficiaries, staff, and government officials' perspectives, lived realities and experiences. Data to answer the research questions were collected using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) and documentary analysis. It emerged that NGOs in Chegutu District rely more on supply side asset accumulation interventions to fight poverty. They include household economic strengthening (HES), vocational training, community apprenticeship, nutritional gardens as well as service provision, with only referral strategy and lobbying resembling demand side interventions. Several asset accumulation strategies mentioned above generate income (financial assets) in poor households; enabling them to buy food, pay for children's school fees, afford medical care, and meet other daily needs. As households build financial assets, their investments in children's health and education improve, a view supported by many scholars. Guided by a theoretical framing – the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF), which argues that poverty is a function emanating from lack of access to five forms of assets–financial, social, physical, natural, and human (Arun, Annim, and Arun, 2010) – findings suggest the need to widen the framework. NGOs also facilitate the building of informational and psychological assets which are key factors in the process of poverty reduction. This research also established that asset accumulation interventions by NGOs hinge on both institutional and non-institution enablers such as government ministries, partner NGOs, community volunteers and community leaders. The study argues that for NGO beneficiaries to reap benefits from NGO interventions, agency taken to be a component of the SLF human assets in the form of patience, resilience, innovation and thinking outside the box plays a critical role. Asset building interventions by NGOs are not operating without challenges and drawbacks. Asset accumulation at household level supported by NGOs is being slowed by bad governance induced macro-economic challenges such as inflation as well the advent of COVID-19 which disrupted v asset accumulation interventions like household economic strengthening, nutritional gardens, and educational support. While the supply side interventions are key in fighting poverty, this study recommends that NGOs need to intermix their interventions with more demand side interventions that include watchdog and advocacy to deal with structural causes of poverty. This may call for NGOs to re-examine their orientation.
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    The effects of the government’s Covid-19 social relief of distress grant programme in Mathole Ville
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023) Lidaga, Olga Refiloe
    The Covid-19 pandemic generated major setbacks in South Africa, mainly in terms of a decrease in employment opportunities, increased poverty, and economic hardships. To reduce the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, the government implemented the Social Relief of Distress Grant (SRDG), which targeted those who had no source of income. Despite all these efforts, unemployment and poverty continue to rise. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of the SRDG programme in Mathole Ville, a neighbourhood west of Johannesburg. The study found that government spending in the form of the Covid-19 SRDG increased demand and supply due to beneficiaries spending their funds on neighbourhood businesses, resulting in an increase in neighbourhood businesses turnover. However, the increase in turnover could not increase workers' income or employment opportunities. The study also found that the Covid-19 SRDG did not alleviate poverty as recipients remained below the poverty line
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    The contribution of non-governmental organisations to the fight against poverty in Chegutu District, Zimbabwe
    (2022-06) Kabonga, Itai
    The study explored the contribution of NGOs to the fight against poverty from an asset accumulation perspective. The research was motivated by the paucity of studies in Zimbabwe examining NGOs and poverty reduction from an asset accumulation perspective. The reality in Chegutu District reflects asset challenges emanating from income struggles, vulnerability to economic shocks and infrastructural shortages. Some of the problems are caused by politics and broader poor governance practices in the district and country at large. The study deployed a qualitative approach; given the goal of capturing NGOs’ beneficiaries, staff, and government officials' perspectives, lived realities and experiences. Data to answer the research questions were collected using in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) and documentary analysis. It emerged that NGOs in Chegutu District rely more on supply side asset accumulation interventions to fight poverty. They include household economic strengthening (HES), vocational training, community apprenticeship, nutritional gardens as well as service provision, with only referral strategy and lobbying resembling demand side interventions. Several asset accumulation strategies mentioned above generate income (financial assets) in poor households; enabling them to buy food, pay for children's school fees, afford medical care, and meet other daily needs. As households build financial assets, their investments in children's health and education improve, a view supported by many scholars. Guided by a theoretical framing – the Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF), which argues that poverty is a function emanating from lack of access to five forms of assets–financial, social, physical, natural, and human (Arun, Annim, and Arun, 2010) –findings suggest the need to widen the framework. NGOs also facilitate the building of informational and psychological assets which are key factors in the process of poverty reduction. This research also established that asset accumulation interventions by NGOs hinge on both institutional and non-institution enablers such as government ministries, partner NGOs, community volunteers and community leaders. The study argues that for NGO beneficiaries to reap benefits from NGO interventions, agency taken to be a component of the SLF human assets in the form of patience, resilience, innovation and thinking outside the box plays a critical role. Asset building interventions by NGOs are not operating without challenges and drawbacks. Asset accumulation at household level supported by NGOs is being slowed by bad governance induced macro-economic challenges such as inflation as well the advent of COVID-19 which disrupted asset accumulation interventions like household economic strengthening, nutritional gardens, and educational support. While the supply side interventions are key in fighting poverty, this study recommends that NGOs need to intermix their interventions with more demand side interventions that include watchdog and advocacy to deal with structural causes of poverty. This may call for NGOs to re-examine their orientation.
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    Exploring informal cross border trading and poverty reduction in Harare
    (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2021) Chadambuka, Rumbidzai Ann; Lynge, Halfdan
    Informal sector in Africa is a major source of income and entrepreneurship for those with less skills and the unemployed. ICBT is a common informal activity for poor households, and it is a survival strategy for the marginalised, especially women. ICBT is mainly attributed to failing economies and poverty in Africa. This study explores how ICBT contributes to the socio-economic needs of Harare households. There is scant literature on ICBT's contributions to day-to-day basic needs. Thus, this study sought to fill this gap in literature by exploring the contributions of ICBT in Harare households. A qualitative study was conducted with twenty participants consisting of thirteen women engaged in ICBT, five family members and two agents. Participants were recruited using snowball and purposive sampling and, on the basis that they were female, resided in Harare, engaged in ICBT between Harare and Johannesburg or a family member staying with the female trader or an agent of the trader. Face-to-face and telephonic interviews were conducted with participants using narrative approach and were audio-recorded. Data were analysed using thematic data analysis ICBT has made positive and negative socio-economic impact in the home. Due to failing economic conditions in Zimbabwe, both the employed and unemployed, educated and less educated, find themselves in ICBT to generate income and to supplement their low salaries. ICBT has empowered women in Harare by making them financially independent to cater for their family needs. Women’s role has been changing from unpaid household chores to being breadwinners and this earns them respect they never had before. The sector has its own challenges mainly due to changes in economic trends, government regulations, societal and cultural expectations, and Covid-19 pandemic. These challenges do not necessarily stop ICBT because traders always find other ways to continue in business. Strengthening context-specific and context-driven policies that are supportive and not hostile to ICBT should be prioritized in empowering women and curbing the challenges they face in ICBT.