Farm dwellers housing in the Cape Winelands : implications of regional migration and demographic dynamics

Date
2015-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The housing of farm workers has been an issue in South Africa since the emancipation of slave labour in 1838. This study specifically focuses on farm dweller housing within the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), which is essential for ensuring sustainability and future growth within the agricultural sector as well as the entire region as a whole. The aim of the study was to determine the migration and demographic dynamics of farm dwellers and its implications for housing provision strategies and policies in the CWDM. Quantitative empirical analysis was conducted using secondary data, Census 2011, of the CWDM, one of the most intensive agricultural regions in the country. The understanding of broader regional demographic and migration dynamics and the socio-economic profile of farm dwellers is particularly important to fully comprehend the complexities of farm dwellers and their housing needs. Agrarian transformation, including casualisation, mechanisation and global economic competition resulted in the reorganisation of the spatial settlement patterns of farm workers and dwellers. This study clearly indicated that farm dweller migrants proportionally have higher education, income and employment levels than non-migrants. Living conditions of farm dwellers in the CWDM are contextualised against other types of settlements and a number of farm dweller ‘migrant hotspots’ were identified through the application of spatial statistical techniques. The implications of the findings for future housing provision of farm dwellers are also outlined.
AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Die behuising van plaaswerkers is ‘n kwessie in Suid-Afrika sedert die bevryding van slawe-arbeid in 1838. Hierdie studie fokus spesifiek op plaasbewoner behuising binne die Kaapse Wynland Distriksmunisipaliteit (KWDM), wat noodsaaklik is vir die volhoubaarheid en toekomstige groei in die landbousektor, sowel as die streek in geheel. Die doel van die studie was om migrasie en demografiese dinamika van plaasbewoners te bepaal sowel as die implikasies daarvan vir behuisings strategieë en beleide in die KWDM. Kwantitatiewe empiriese ontleding is uitgevoer met behulp van sekondêre data, Sensus 2011, van die KWDM, een van die mees intensiewe landbou streke in die land. ’n Beter begrip van die breër plaaslike demografiese en migrasie dinamika en die sosio-ekonomiese profiel van plaasbewoners is veral belangrik om ten volle die kompleksiteit van plaasbewoners en hul behoefte aan behuising te begryp. Landbou transformasie, insluitend geleentheidswerk, meganisasie en globale ekonomiese mededinging het gelei tot die herorganisasie van die ruimtelike vestigingspatrone van plaaswerkers en bewoners. Hierdie studie het duidelik geillustreer dat plaasbewoner migrante proporsioneel hoër vlakke van onderwys, inkomste en indiensneming het as nie-migrante. Lewensomstandighede van plaasbewoners in die KWDM is gekontekstualiseer teen ander vorme van nedersettings en ‘n aantal plaasbewoner ‘migrante magnete’ is geïdentifiseer deur die toepassing van ruimtelike statistiese tegnieke. Die implikasies van die bevindinge vir toekomstige behuisingsvoorsiening vir plaasbewoners is ook uiteengesit.
Description
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015.
Keywords
Agricultural laborers -- Housing -- Boland (South Africa), Agricultural laborers – Population -- Boland (South Africa), Agricultural laborers -- Social life and customs -- Boland (South Africa), UCTD
Citation