Abstract
Single stories fortify single truths by which certain groupings of people are defined. This base reduction of the lives of women in Africa creates a hypervisible narrative of a perceived hegemonic grouping of African women who are seemingly unable to move beyond daily strife, unable to pursue universal goals or even to dare fulfil personal aspirations. In South Africa, the single story of Expanded Public Works Programme [EPWP] beneficiaries has been largely documented through government communication channels. These government sponsored narratives create a powerful single story of the EPWP beneficiary that fixates on the positive impact of this temporary income transfer. This thesis moves beyond statistical evidence and disembodied anecdotal evidence to narrate the life herstories of nine African black women participants in the EPWPs infrastructure sector, National Youth Service and Zivuseni Reloaded projects at Leratong Hospital in Gauteng Province in South Africa. Utilising the lens of African feminisms coupled with the life history narrative method this thesis explores how participants in this study have leveraged this intervention to change their life herstories. This study “visibilises” critical life herstory scenes, evaluates the lived experiences of participants, investigates the similarities and or differences between participants and documents their experiences in recounting their life herstories. The life herstories contained herein pioneer a new narrative that positions the former object of the single story as the most significant agent in her own life. The findings indicate that participants are dissatisfied with the lack of accredited training and the quality of on-the-job training. They are frustrated that their contracts have rolled on for six years without gaining formal qualifications. The body politics of work are clearly articulated as is the disjuncture between government narratives of the grateful and empowered beneficiary. The findings highlight that patriarchal boundaries and preconceptions are institutionalised within the infrastructure sector. EPWP beneficiaries are subject to differential treatment by government employees. There is inequitable access to communal resources as government employees claim these as a right. Participants are consistently made aware of their precarious contracts and the transient nature of the programme. They believe they are filling labour gaps which should be replaced with permanent work. Participants indicate that EPWP labour frees permanent employees to undertake paid private work during working hours...
Ph.D. (Industrial Sociology)