Jack, Khanyisa2024-07-182024-07-182023Jack, Khanyisa. (2023). Gender Occupational Distribution in the Post-Apartheid South African Labour Market [Master’s dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. WireDSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38959https://hdl.handle.net/10539/38959A research report presented in partial fulfillment for the degree of Master of Management (in the field of Public Sector Monitoring and Evaluation) to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023This study seeks to assess how women's employment has evolved in post-apartheid South Africa by analysing female occupation concentration in the labour market. Exploring gender patterns is essential in identifying processes in the system which may either be producing or reinforcing segregation in gender occupational distribution within the labour market (Siltanen et al., 1996). This is especially important if one considers the policy efforts and strategies put in place by the government post-1994. Hence, the interest is to look at the trends of occupation distribution over time. In the absence of non-discriminatory policies and continued promotion of gender equality in the labour market, one would expect proportional representation of both genders across all occupations, and similar economic outcomes, with a lesser degree of occupational segregation. As a result, this study seeks to understand whether there has been a trajectory towards narrowing segregation in the distribution of occupational groups to better assist targeted interventions to promote gender equality and inclusivity in the labour market. The study makes use of the Stats SA October Household Survey (OHS) from 1993 to 1999, and the Labour Force Survey from 2000 to 2020, amongst other document analyses. It further focuses on the distribution of occupational groups to explore the degree of segregation, determine whether the nature of segregation has changed over time or not, and the determinants of the possible observed changes in the labour market. Overall, the results of the regression analysis show that, to varying degrees, there is a linear relationship between high female and male occupational concentration and other characteristics such as gender, age group, province, industry, and the highest level of education etc. Although both gender and race have proven to have a more prolonged impact on occupational attainment, both the descriptive and regression analysis show that gender remains a key determining factor in labour market outcomes and occupational attainment. This can be understood to mean that while legislation has had some success in addressing barriers to entry for previously disadvantaged groups in terms of race and gender, legislation aimed at addressing various forms of discrimination cannot necessarily address intrinsic societal norms and perceptions around gender roles or the perceived competence of individuals who form part of particular racial groups. Individuals in elementary occupations are more likely to be employed in occupational groups with higher female concentration ratios. Some occupations and industries continue to be gendered in their concentration levels, especially those that a male-dominated, i.e., craft and related trade, plant and machine – the overwhelming majority of males in these occupations may be deterring women and there might be certain barriers to entry that keep women away from these occupationsen© 2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.Gender occupational distributionPost-apartheid labour market dynamicsFemale occupational concentrationUCTDSDG-5: Gender equalityDissertationUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg