POVERTY AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON

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INTRODUCTION

In Southern Africa, poverty is the result of economic, environmental, social and political factors (Patel, 2005:52). The South African government has a critical role to play in empowering vulnerable groups to alleviate poverty. Various strategies and programmes were introduced by government to alleviate poverty and to empower vulnerable groups, for example, the Reconstruction and Development Programme, Growth, Employment and Redistribution Strategy (GEAR) as well as the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP). This study evaluates the social sector of the EPWP. This is important as the social work profession focuses on the social functioning of people. This is supported by Miley, O‟Melia and Du Bois (2004:6) who state: “The social work profession is a profession that supports individuals, groups and communities and creates social conditions that are favourable to the well-being of people and society. The social work profession also embraces the values of human dignity and worth, as well as social justice”. Social Work practice in general is a matter of shaping, selecting and influencing social policy (Levy, 1970 as cited by Schneider & Netting, 1999:351).
Social workers have to deal with policy issues on a daily basis, and it is therefore important to evaluate policies from time to time to see if they are sustainable and meeting the purpose for which they were formed. Social work professionals should also be involved in analyzing the situation of groups that form part of the client population of social workers. Adding to the above, the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the International Federation for Social Work (2011:2) define Social Work as follows: “The social work profession promotes social change, problem- solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilising theories of human behaviour and social systems, social work intervenes at the point where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work”. The implication of this definition is that social work has a responsibility towards people who are marginalized. In this regard the reality is that most of the people who are marginalized, such as women, people with disabilities, youth, children and rural communities are poor (Patel, 2005:52).
In South Africa, approximately 51% of all South Africans live in households that fall below the poverty threshold (Statistics South Africa, 2011:29). The Eastern Cape and Limpopo provinces are said to have the highest levels of poverty with women and children being in the majority. Poor communities are also characterised by few people in formal employment (Zegeye and Maxted, 2002:11). The notion of women being more affected by poverty is confirmed by Statistics South Africa (2010), which states that, of all South African employees who were in paid employment and had median monthly earnings of R2 800, the median monthly earnings for men was R3 033. This is higher than the median monthly earnings for women which was R2 340.
Therefore, women in paid employment earned only 77,1% of what men did. The vulnerability of children is confirmed by the fact that just under one fifth (19,6%) of all children in South Africa, representing approximately 3,6 million individuals, are orphaned (Statistics South Africa, 2011). The highest number of orphans are found in KwaZulu-Natal (26,9%) followed by Eastern Cape (24,7%) and Free State (21,9%). Less than 10% of children in Western Cape are classified as orphans. When compared to the racial distribution of children, black African children are significantly more likely to be orphaned than children from any other population group. More than one fifth (22%) of black African children are classified as orphans compared to the 9,6% coloured, 4,2% Indian/Asian and 2,5% white children (Statistics South Africa, 2011). The above clearly indicates the close link between poverty and vulnerability. Due to a lack of power and resources, the poor are vulnerable.

TABLE OF CONTENTS :

• Dedication
• Acknowledgements
• Declaration
• Summary
• Opsomming
• List of Abbreviations
• CHAPTER 1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Problem formulation
  • 1.3 Goal and objectives of the study
  • 1.3.1 Goal
  • 1.3.2 Objectives
  • 1.4 Research question
  • 1.5 Research methodology
  • 1.6 Ethical considerations
    • 1.6.1 Informed consent
    • 1.6.2 Avoidance of harm
    • 1.6.3 Privacy, confidentiality and anonymity
    • 1.6.4 Deception of subjects
    • 1.6.5 Actions and competence of the researcher
    • 1.6.6 Debriefing of respondents
  • 1.7 Limitations of the study
  • 1.8 Definition of key concepts
    • 1.8.1 Programme evaluation
    • 1.8.2 Sustainability
    • 1.8.3 Empowerment
    • 1.8.4 Expanded Public Works Programme
    • 1.8.5 Social sector of the Expanded Public Works Programme
    • 1.8.6 Women
    • 1.8.7 Youth
    • 1.8.8 Persons with disabilities
  • 1.9 Contents of the research report
• CHAPTER 2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 Social development as a theoretical approach
    • 2.2.1 Meaning of the concept social development
    • 2.2.2 Vision of social development
    • 2.2.3 Goals of social development
    • 2.2.4 Principles and values of social development
    • 2.2.5 Characteristics of social development
    • 2.2.6 Social development in the South African context
  • 2.2.6.1 A rights –based approach
  • 2.2.6.2 Economic and social development
  • 2.2.6.3 Democracy and participation
  • 2.2.6.4 Social development partnerships
  • 2.2.6.5 Macro and micro divide
  • 2.2.7 Developmental Social Work
  • 2.3 The strengths perspective as a theoretical approach
  • 2.3.1 The meaning of the strengths perspective approach
  • 2.3.2 Vision of the strengths perspective
  • 2.3.3 Goals of the strengths perspective
  • 2.3.4 Principles and values of the strengths perspective
  • 2.3.5 Assumptions of the strengths perspective
  • 2.3.6 Strengths perspective in the South African context
  • 2.3.7 Strengths perspective and Social Work
  • 2.4 Summary
• CHAPTER 3 POVERTY AS A SOCIAL PHENOMENON
  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 Definition of poverty
  • 3.3 Approaches used for the measurement of poverty
    • 3.3.1 Monetary approach
    • 3.3.2 Capability approach
    • 3.3.3 Social exclusion
    • 3.3.4 Participatory approach
  • 3.4 Extent and nature of poverty
    • 3.4.1 Globally
    • 3.4.2 Poverty in Africa
    • 3.4.3 Poverty in South Africa
  • 3.5 Impact of poverty in South Africa
  • 3.6 Strategies to alleviate poverty in South Africa
    • 3.6.1 Creation of economic opportunities
    • 3.6.2 Investment in human capital
    • 3.6.3 Basic income security
  • 3.6.4 Household services and housing
  • 3.6.5 Comprehensive Healthcare
  • 3.6.6 Access to assets
  • 3.6.7 Social cohesion and social capital initiatives
  • 3.6.8 Good governance
  • 3.7 Summary
• CHAPTER 4 THE EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME WITH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS ON THE SOCIAL SECTOR
  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Public Works Programmes
  • 4.3 Public Works Programmes in South Africa
  • 4.4 The Expanded Public Works Programme
  • 4.5 The Social Sector of the Expanded Public Works Programme in South Africa
  • 4.5.1 Goals of the social sector of the EPWP
  • 4.5.2 Objectives of the social sector of the EPWP
  • 4.5.3 Outputs of the EPWP with specific reference to the social sector
  • 4.5.4 Focus areas of the social sector EPWP
    • 4.5.4.1 Home Community Based Care (HCBC)
    • 4.5.4.2 Early Childhood Development (ECD)
  • 4.6 Summary
• CHAPTER 5 THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN, YOUTH AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 The meaning of empowerment
  • 5.3 Empowerment of women
  • 5.3.1 Factors contributing to women disempowerment
    • 5.3.1.1 Alienation to the self
    • 5.3.1.2 The double- bind situation of women
    • 5.3.1.3 Institutional and structural sexism
  • 5.3.2 Empowerment of women at an international level
  • 5.3.3 Empowerment of women in South Africa
    • 5.3.3.1 Specific institutional structures
    • 5.3.3.2 Legislation to promote the empowerment of women
  • 5.4 Empowerment of Youth
  • 5.4.1 Empowerment of youth in South Africa
    • 5.4.1.1 Specific institutional structures to promote youth empowerment
    • 5.4.1.2 Legislation to promote the empowerment of youth in South Africa
  • 5.5 Empowerment of persons with disabilities
  • 5.5.1 Empowerment of persons with disabilities in South Africa
  • 5.5.1.1 Specific institutional structures to empower persons with disabilities
  • 5.5.1.2 Legislation to promote the empowerment of persons with disabilities
  • 5.6 Summary
• Chapter 6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
  • 6.1 Introduction
  • 6.2 Research Approach
  • 6.3 Type of Research
  • 6.4 Research Design and Methodology
  • 6.4.1 Research design
  • 6.4.2 Population, sample and sampling method
  • 6.4.3 Data collection methods
    • 6.4.3.1 Quantitative data collection method
    • 6.4.3.2 Qualitative data collection method
    • 6.4.4 Data analysis
    • 6.4.4.1 Quantitative data analysis
    • 6.4.4.2 Qualitative data analysis
  • 6.5 Summary
• CHAPTER 7 EMPIRICAL RESULTS
  • 7.1 Introduction
  • 7.2 Quantitative Results
  • 7.2.1 Introduction
  • 7.2.2 Demographic profile of respondents
    • 7.2.2.1 Gender
    • 7.2.2.2 Race of respondents
    • 7.2.2.3 Home language
    • 7.2.2.4 Level of education of respondents
    • 7.2.2.5 Job position of respondents
    • 7.2.2.6 Department under which respondents are implementing The EPWP
  • 7.2.2.7 Districts in which the EPWP is implemented
  • 7.2.3 Theoretical framework of the social sector of the EPWP
  • 7.2.4 The socio-economic needs on which the social sector of the EPWP is based
  • 7.2.5 The sustainability of the social sector of the EPWP
  • 7.2.6 The social sector of the EPWP as a strategy to reduce poverty
  • 7.2.7 The social sector of the EPWP and job creation
  • 7.2.8 The social sector of the EPWP and skills development
  • 7.2.9 Empowerment of women
  • 7.2.10 Empowerment of youth
  • 7.2.11 Empowerment of persons with disabilities
  • 7.2.12 Discussion of quantitative results
  • 7.3 Qualitative findings
  • 7.3.1 Biographical profile of focus group participants
    • 7.3.1.1 Gender of participants
    • 7.3.1.2 Race of participants
    • 7.3.1.3 Language of participants
    • 7.3.1.4 Age of participants
    • 7.3.1.5 Educational level of participants
  • 7.3.2 Qualitative information according to themes and sub-themes
  • 7.3.3 Discussion of research findings
  • 7.4 Closing remarks
• CHAPTER 8 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
  • 8.1 Introduction
  • 8.2 Conclusions and recommendations
  • 8.2.1 Poverty as a social phenomenon
  • 8.2.2 Theoretical framework
  • 8.2.3 The EPWP with specific focus on the social sector
  • 8.2.4 The socio-economic needs on which the EPWP is based
  • 8.2.5 The sustainability of the social sector of the EPWP
  • 8.2.6 The social sector of the EPWP as a strategy to alleviate poverty
  • 8.2.7 The social sector of the EPWP and job creation
  • 8.2.8 The social sector of the EPWP and skills development
  • 8.2.9 The social sector of the EPWP and the empowerment of women
  • 8.2.10 The social sector of the EPWP and the empowerment of youth
  • 8.2.11 The social sector of the EPWP and the empowerment of persons with disabilities
  • 8.3 Achievement of the goal and objectives of the study
  • 8.4 Concluding remarks

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