Research and Publications
The Gendered Energy Crisis: Prospects for an Eco-Feminist Just Energy Transition in South Africa
This report is focused on identifying the ongoing challenges at Eskom, the South African power utility, thus shedding light on democratic processes and human rights considerations. It adopts a feminist lens in its analysis of the electricity crisis, exploring potential feminist approaches to restructuring the existing electricity grid infrastructure.
This includes analyzing the integration of the key principles of a Just Transition, as well as an assessment of the role that key stakeholders can play in fostering improvements through a renewed social compacting process that encompasses pro-development, equitable and inclusive plans for plant decommissioning, the protection of worker’s rights, and strategies for up-skilling and re-skilling.
This report includes proposals for a variety of different roles civil society can play in advancing progress on these challenges.
Women-Owned Businesses and SMEs in the South African Wine Value Chain
The Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED) is an academic research centre housed in the School of Economics at the University of Johannesburg’s College of Business and Economics. CCRED specialises in research, teaching and advisory services for government and non-governmental organisations on competition policy, industrial development and value chains in Southern and East Africa.
The Fair for All: Inclusive and sustainable gender transformative value chains project forms part of the collaborative work that CCRED is undertaking with partners, The Graça Machel Trust, and the Women on Farms Project and it is funded by Oxfam South Africa. This is a 5-year project which aims to address barriers faced by women and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and workers through evidence-based research, effective advocacy, and grass root interventions.
Combined Field Report: Vegetables, Wine and Poultry
Small and medium-sized businesses play a vital role in employment creation, income generation, and poverty alleviation, especially in African countries. In South Africa, SMEs account for roughly 91 percent of formal business entities, contributing between 51 and 57 percent of GDP and almost 60 percent of employment in South Africa (Kongolo, 2010; Hassbroeck, 1996; Berry et
al., 2002; (CSS, 1998; Ntsika, 1999; Gumede, 2000; Berry et al., 2002). Despite the positive contribution of SMEs to the economy, SMEs face diverse and systemic barriers to entry and growth, which limit their participation in low-value economic activities with few opportunities for growth and scaling up, increasing their rates of failure. An estimated 70 to 80 percent of SMEs are bound to fail (Cant and Wiid, 2013). This is particularly true for women-owned businesses that remain largely marginalised and excluded from meaningful participation in the
economy, and disproportionately suffer from inequality, poverty, and unemployment
Field Work Report: Wine Value Chain
Small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) and women-owned businesses are recognised as important contributors to South Africa’s economic growth, employment, and structural transformation objectives. In South Africa, SMEs are estimated to account for around 98.5% of all businesses (in number terms), around 26% of jobs and almost 40% to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Rajagopaul, Magwentshu, and Kalidas, 2020). Other estimates suggest that SME
contribution to jobs was even higher at between 50-60% of the country’s work force
(International Finance Corporation, 2020). 38% of SMEs in South Africa are women-owned (Rajagopaul, Magwentshu, and Kalidas, 2020).1 While there is limited data on black-owned SMEs, black ownership of businesses has been low in South Africa historically, with estimates that it fell to under 30% in 2021.2
The Implications of Shrinking Civic Space for Women in Agro-processing in South Africa
This report assesses the implications of shrinking civic space for women’s efforts to transform South African Agricultural and agro-processing
value chains. It does so by providing
a summary of the findings of commissioned research that forms part of the Power of Voices FAIR for ALL Project in South Africa (2021–2025).
Wine, Women and Value Chains
The Centre for Competition, Regulation and Economic Development (CCRED) is an academic research centre housed in the School of Economics at the University of Johannesburg’s College of Business and Economics. CCRED specialises in research, teaching and advisory services for government and non-governmental organisations on competition policy, industrial development and value chains in Southern and East Africa.
The Fair for All: Inclusive and sustainable gender transformative value chains project forms part of the collaborative work that CCRED is undertaking with partners, The Graça Machel Trust, and the Women on Farms Project and it is funded by Oxfam South Africa. This is a 5-year project, which aims to address barriers faced by women and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and workers through evidence-based research, effective advocacy, and grass root interventions.
Participation of SMES and women-owned businesses in the South African Value Chain
Small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) and women-owned businesses are recognised as important contributors to South Africa’s economic growth, employment, and structural transformation objectives. In South Africa, SMEs are estimated to account for around 98.5% of all businesses (in number terms), around 26% of jobs, and almost 40% of the Domestic Product (GDP) (Rajagopaul, Magwentshu, and Kalidas, 2020). Other estimates suggest that SME contribution to jobs was even higher at between 50-60% of the country’s work force
(International Finance Corporation, 2020). 38% of SMEs in South Africa are women-owned (Rajagopaul, Magwentshu, and Kalidas, 2020).1 While there is limited data on black-owned SMEs, black ownership of businesses has been low in South Africa historically, with estimates that it fell to under 30% in 2021.2.
All Hands On Deck
Placing Africa and the Global South’s Gender Transformation and Social Inclusion at the Heart of the Global Stock-take.
A roadmap to sustainable solutions in Gender Transformation and Social Inclusion for Climate Vulnerable Regions.
For the loss and damage fund to be fit-for-purpose, its set up and evolution of its operationalization must favour the global south’s climate marginalized demographics.
Information Disclosure & Grievance Mechanisms of the New Development Bank (NDB)
This briefing paper is an initial step towards understanding how one can apply South African legislation, policy and processes to NDB projects, given that NDB policies are directed toward the goal of using country systems. The paper specifically reviews which local frameworks relate to NDB projects in South Africa in terms of access to information, consultation, and grievance mechanisms.
Illicit financial flows in the mining industry in South Africa
This study analyses the Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) in the South African mining sector with specific reference to transfer pricing (TP). The mining industry is one of the country’s key economic sectors with potential for substantial contribution to economic growth, job creation, transformation and infrastructure development, consistent with the government’s objectives of higher and more balanced economic and inclusive growth.
The hunger virus multiplies: deadly recipe of conflict, Covid-19 and climate accelerate world hunger
A year and a half since the pandemic began, deaths from hunger are outpacing the virus. Ongoing conflict, combined with the economic disruptions of the pandemic and an escalating climate crisis, has deepened poverty and catastrophic food insecurity in the world’s hunger hotspots and established strongholds in new epicentres of hunger.
Oxfam South Africa Extractives Industry Programme Formative Evaluation Report 2016 – 2020
The formative evaluation was conducted to identify organization’s achievements and areas for future focus. From a strategic perspective, programme design, organisational structure, culture, and quality implementation, monitoring and learning, Oxfam South Africa has been effective and efficient. The planning, execution, review, strategic positioning, selection of tactics and tactical effectiveness, the organisation scored high in all areas.
A Harvest of Dysfunction: Oxfam Final Drought Report
For the last three years, Southern Africa has been ravaged by the 2015-2016 El Niño induced drought resulting in the worst drought in the region in 35 years. The drought has robbed millions of people of their livelihoods, exacerbated vulnerabilities and pushed households and entire communities deeper into poverty. Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and to a lesser extent Zambia and South Africa, were among the worst affected. Oxfam has led on the ground interventions in some countries across the region.
Promoting Open Governance in the Extractive Sector (2016)
As part of Oxfam South Africa’s efforts to promote open governance of the extractives sector in Africa, a meeting was held with affected communities in partnership with Oxfam Mozambique in June 2016. The meeting was held in Inhambane province where people have been affected by the activities of SASOL. Members of affected communities and partner NGOs were trained in the basic economics of gas extraction, in order to support their efforts to engage with SASOL and the government.
Examining the Gap between the Have & have Nots in South Africa (2016)
South Africa’s distribution of wealth is one of the most unequal in the world, it has one of the biggest gaps in the world between the richest and poorest people. The legacy of Apartheid in our Economy anchored inequality between white people who have money and black people who do not. The Global Gender Gap also shows that women earn less than men with women in South Africa earning 38% less than men. There are a number of reasons for this. Learn more as we follow Noma through her day.
Hidden Hunger in South Africa
South Africa is considered a ‘food-secure’ nation, producing enough calories to adequately feed every one of its 53 million people. However, the reality is that, despite some progress since the birth of democracy in 1994, one in four people currently suffers hunger on a regular basis and more than half of the population live in such precarious circumstances that they are at risk of going hungry.
Mind the gap
A national minimum wage rolled out in conjunction with an industrial and social investment policy, which offers among other things, improved research and development, management skills, export subsidies, training and alternative energy resources, can ensure businesses can remain competitive without wage increases affecting industrial competitiveness, and also address income and asset inequality.
Connect with us
Get all the latest updates and information about work done by Oxfam South Africa
