Investigating Precarious Workers' Motivations to Seek Support from Grassroots Organizations within Legal Frameworks in Gauteng: A Case Study of CWAO

Abstract

This study examines the motivations of precarious workers in Gauteng to seek support from grassroots organizations, focusing on the Casual Workers Advice Office (CWAO). It explores how workers navigate the challenges of precarious employment and interpret their experiences within South Africa’s labour relations landscape, characterized by what Von Holdt (2013) refers to as a violent democracy. The research argues that precarious workers’ motivations extend beyond immediate material needs, reflecting broader aspirations for justice, empowerment, and systemic transformation. However, a key finding reveals that worker solidarity often dissipates once individuals secure permanent employment, even though permanency does not guarantee improved wages or working conditions. This exposes a persistent tension between individual survival and collective organizing. Drawing on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with precarious workers and a founding member of CWAO, the study highlights the organization’s dual role as both a site of resistance against structural violence and a mechanism for worker empowerment. The findings emphasize the limitations of formal trade unions and state institutions in addressing precarity and underscore the significance of grassroots organizations in filling these gaps. By situating workers’ motivations within the framework of violent democracy, the study contributes to broader debates on labour relations, social justice, and grassroots activism in post-apartheid South Africa. It calls for sustained worker solidarity and stronger legal and policy interventions to protect precarious workers.