Role of food street vending in empowering indigenous women in South Africa: Case study of uMhlathuze Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal

In this research project, I examined the role of Food Street vending in empowering black women in South Africa, using the case study of women street vendors in uMhlathuze Local Municipality in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Food street vending was a very popular phenomenon among black people in South Africa. Though popular, there was not yet enough academic research on how this phenomenon positively and/or negatively affected the empowerment of black women. In general, this type of vending entailed preparing and selling food and beverages on the streets and/or other public spaces with the aim of generating income. In this study, I deployed the decolonial feminist critique to examine both the generative environment behind the socio-economic status of black women in South Africa and how their involvement in a phenomenon such as food street vending affected their position within the patriarchal power structure. Thus, in this study, I examined the socio-economic background of black women involved in Food Street vending in uMhlathuze Local Municipality and how their involvement and participation in this activity had positively altered this background. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the nature of the transformation brought about by the intervention of Food Street vending in the lives of black women, I deployed a mixed-method approach to generate both qualitative and quantitative data on the phenomenon. The main finding of the study was that the phenomenon of food street vending yielded several positive results for black women involved in this activity in terms of their empowerment. This was a development that disrupted and caused a diachronic change in the power structure of patriarchy. For instance, several black women who participated in food street vending gained financial independence and ‘voices’ in their homes as a result of their involvement in this activity.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of Zululand

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Ngcobo, Nqobile

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Ndlovu, M.

Licence

• https://uzspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/ee131910-6b7e-4ecc-8958-8b16f9b2ebbf/download