PRECARIOUS, MORE PRECARIOUS, MOST PRECARIOUS? THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF WASTE PICKERS IN THE KAROO

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15270/57-3-949

Keywords:

Amartya Sen, capability approach, Karoo, waste picker, waste reclaimer, quality of life

Abstract

Towns in the Karoo region currently offer few income‑generating opportunities, resulting in people seeking informal waste‑picking opportunities on the streets and landfills. This article aims to investigate the level of precariousness of waste pickers in the context of the Karoo towns in comparison with the rest of South Africa using Sen’s capability approach. A cross‑sectional research design was used, interviewing 75 informal landfill waste pickers and 23 street waste pickers in nine Karoo towns. The results indicated that, in some respects, the situation of the Karoo waste pickers is more precarious than those in other areas of South Africa

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Author Biographies

Rinie Schenck, University of the Western Cape, South Africa.

DSI/NRF/CSIR Chair in Waste and Society, Department of Social Work

Kotie Viljoen, University of Johannesburg

School of Economics and Econometrics

Derick Blaauw, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus

The School of Economic Sciences

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Published

2021-08-29

How to Cite

Schenck, C., Viljoen, J., & Blaauw, P. (2021). PRECARIOUS, MORE PRECARIOUS, MOST PRECARIOUS? THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF WASTE PICKERS IN THE KAROO. Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk, 57(3), 302. https://doi.org/10.15270/57-3-949

Issue

Vol. 57 No. 3 (2021)

Section

Articles

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