Engendering South African township economies: An African feminist perspective on the role, position and experiences of women in informal trade

This paper redefines other forms of ‘work’ outside the formal work. Insight into small scale trade is critical as it holds fundamental social and economic development implications (Bridges Africa, 2018). In this paper, the author examines cooperative economies and other forms of township economies as an emerging alternative means of employment and livelihood for Southern African women -this, at a time when governments are increasingly failing to address the welfare and economic needs of marginalised people, particularly women. The author explores the concept of cooperatives, ‘stokvels’ or ‘saving clubs’ as critical agencies through which women, particularly marginalised women organise themselves. The paper argues that cooperatives are a space where actors organise themselves and critically engage oppressive socio -political and economic policies.
https://awdf.org/wp-content/uploads/Engendering-South-African-township-economies_FINAL-1.pdf