THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE CLOSING OF A MINE FOR WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15270/44-2-249Abstract
This article arose from a project which was launched on behalf of the Labour Union Solidarityafter the interim liquidation and immediate closing of the Durban Roodepoort Deep (DRD) Gold
Mine at Stilfontein. This mining community was also traumatized by an earthquake shortly
before the closing of the mine. The process commenced on 27 April 2005, when a contract was
drawn up with Solidarity’s Helping Hand Fund to do a psychosocial situation analysis among
the community. Based on the results of the psychosocial situation analysis, a project plan was
submitted to Solidarity, after which a formal agreement was reached between the two parties and
a meeting with the representatives of the labour union was held. Following this, the plan of
action was proposed, the facilitators trained and the programme implemented. The data of the
psychosocial situation analysis, the contents and course of the group sessions as well as the
results that ensued from the questionnaire that was filled in by the women during the women’s
day as well as certain strengths present in the community are discussed. This is followed by an
integrated discussion of the investigation. A number of recommendations are also made for the
future.
Downloads
References
ALCOCK, P. 1997. Understanding poverty. Hong Kong: Macmillan.
BARKER, R.L. 2003. The social work dictionary. Washington; NASW Press.
BECKER, L. 2005. Working with groups. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
BERGER, K.S. 2005. The developing person through the life span. New York: Worth
Publishers.
BEZUIDENHOUT, F.J. 2002. A reader on selected social issues. Pretoria: Van Schaik
Publishers.
BROCKNER, J., WIESENFELD, B., REED, T. & GROVER, S. 1993. Interactive effect of job
content and context on the reactions of layoff survivors. Journal of Personality and Social
Psychology, 64:187-197.
CENTRE FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT. 1996. The leading provider of employee
assistance programmes: information brochure. Pretoria: CHD.
COREY, G. 2001. Theory and practice of counselling and psychotherapy. London:
Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning.
COREY, M.S. & COREY, G. 2002. Groups: process and practice. Pacific Grove:
Brooks/Cole.
DRUCKMAN, D. 2005. Doing research: methods of inquiry for conflict analysis. London:
SAGE Publications.
GAZDA, G.M., GINTER, E.J. & HORNE, A.M. 2001. Group counseling and group
psychotherapy: theory and application. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
GRBICH, C. 2004. New approaches in social research. London: SAGE Publications.
GREEFF, M. 2005. Information collection: interviewing. In: DE VOS, A.S., STRYDOM, H.,
FOUCHÉ, C.B. & DELPORT, C.S.L. (eds) Research at grass roots: for the social sciences
and human service professions. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers: 286-313.
GRINNELL, R.M. 2001. Social work research and evaluation: quantitative and qualitative
approaches. London: F.E. Peacock Publishers.
HESSE-BIBER, S.N. & LEAVY, P. 2006. Emergent methods in social research. London:
SAGE Publications.
INSTEP. 2002. What is an EAP? Available: http://www.insteplimited.com.eap.asp. [Accessed:
/09/2002].
KEITH, D.V. & WHITAKER, C.A. 1991. Experiential/symbolic family therapy. In: HORNE,
A.M. & PASSMORE, J.L. (eds) Family counseling and therapy. Itasca: F.E. Peacock
Publishers: 108-140.
MARLOW, C.R. 2005. Research methods for generalist social work. London: Thomson
Brooks/Cole.
MORRIS, T. 2006. Social work research methods: four alternative paradigms. London:
SAGE Publications.
MÜLLER, J. & VAN DEVENTER, W. 2001. Poverty, the poor and poor people: a practicaltheological
narrative perspective. Acta Theologica, 21(2):85-99.
PUNCH, K.F. 2003. Survey research: the basics. London: SAGE Publications.
ROSS, C. 2005. The art of managing retrenchment. Available: http://www.iol.co.za/general/
news/newsprint.php?art_id=qw1025077860779C662&sf=. [Accessed: 16/04/2007].
ROYSE, D. 2004. Research methods in social work. London: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
SCHOEMAN, J.P. & VAN DER MERWE, M. 2001. Entering the child’s world: a play
therapy approach. Potchefstroom: Keurkopie.
STRYDOM, H., CRONJÉ, F.J., ROUX, A.A., STRYDOM, C. & WESSELS, C.C. 2005. Die
wisselwerking tussen MIV/VIGS en armoede: psigososiale perspektief. Social
Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 41(1):68-83.
TOSELAND, R.W. & RIVAS, R.F. 2005. An introduction to group work practice. New
York: Allyn and Bacon.
VAN DER WALT, J.P. 2005. Afrikaner-armoede in die 21e eeu: van verleentheid tot
geleentheid. (Voordrag gelewer as deel van die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie se kongres van 23-
Junie 2005.) Pretoria. (Ongepubliseer.)
WALLIMAN, N. 2006. Social research methods. London: SAGE Publications.
WATERS, L.E. 2002. Psychological reactions to unemployment following retrenchment.
Working Paper in Human Resource Management, Employee Relations and Organisation
Studies, Number 10. Melbourne: The University of Melbourne: 1-26.
ZASTROW, C. 2008. Introduction to social work and social welfare: empowering people.
New York: Thomson Brooks/Cole.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This journal is an open access journal, and the authors and journal should be properly acknowledged when works are cited.
Authors may use the publishers version for teaching purposes, in books, and with conferences.
The following license applies:
Attribution CC BY-4.0
This license lets others distribute, remix, tweak, and build upon your work, even commercially, as long as they credit you for the original creation.
Articles as a whole may not be re-published with another journal.
